Blessed is the Child performed by Kristen Trayer

The History of Christmas

The word Christmas is derived from Christ’s Mass.  In Greek, the letter X is the first letter of Christ and is the basis for using Xmas.


There are differing opinions as to the origins of celebrating on December 25th. Some believe that the date of Christmas corresponded with the winter solstice.  Another thought is that December 25th corresponds with the Roman solar holiday Dies Natalis Solis Invicti (birthday of the unconquered Sun). Others connect it with the Roman holy day Saturnalia, which was marked by gift giving, eating and drinking. Yule logs and trees are remnant from pagan traditions of Northern Europe.

Image via Wikipedia

Santa Claus is the beloved figure who visits homes on Christmas Eve and leaves presents for children. It is believed that this legend originated from St. Nicholas, a real person who lived in a Greek area, now located on the southern coast of Turkey. He was orphaned as a child and dedicated his life to serving God and is remembered for his care and concern for children and the poor.


Given the pagan origins of the Christmas holiday, what should a thoughtful Christian response be? Nowhere in the Bible is it mentioned that we should remember the birth of Jesus. Instead, we are told to remember His death with communion. We also know that his birthday probably wasn’t December 25th. It is thought by some that his birth may have coincided with The Feast of Tabernacles, when He came to “tabernacle” with men.


Nonetheless, Christmas is a favorite holiday among many Christians. Glorious hymns and carols have been written to commemorate the birth of the Savior. Many families try to eschew the commercialism of the holiday and have meaningful celebrations focused on Jesus, with acts of love and service to family and community. Others celebrate the Feast of the Three Kings on January 6. Still others forgo Christmas entirely and choose to focus on the Biblical Holidays.


However you choose to celebrate Christmas, let the warmth of the season be a time inspired by Jesus.  Prayerfully seek out ways your family can serve God and help the needy.

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"Mary's Boy Child/ Oh My Lord" - Boney M

Josh Groban - O Holy Night

Cooking Fun for Kids of God

Mom doesn’t have to do all the cooking in the kitchen. Everyone can share the load and be happy about it. If it’s one thing that kids know, it’s fun. When an activity is fun, they will come back time and time again to do it. Here are tips for wholesome fun in the kitchen.

Let Kids into the Kitchen

When you let kids into the kitchen, not only do they find out that they can prepare a family meal, but you are also teaching them lifelong skills that they can take with them once they are out on their own. So, what are you waiting for? Give them an apron and get to work.

Make Aprons

This can be the first fun thing to do. Purchase plain aprons from the craft store along with some decorating supplies. Let each kid design their own apron for use in the kitchen. I participated in this activity on a women’s retreat and enjoyed it. Kids will like it even more.

The Basics of Cooking

What shall we cook? Kids need to know the basics of cooking. Show them how to be safe in the kitchen, how to measure, and how to use the stove. I didn’t mention microwave because most kids have already used one from an early age. It’s the nature of our society - so much to do and so little time.

Healthy Snacks For Kids

Kids have trouble with healthy snacks. Some like them and some don’t. So, let them come up with their own healthy snack recipes using specific ingredients. You decide on the ingredients and set the rules. See what they can do.

After they have mastered snacks, move on to breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Before you know it, they will want to prepare a meal all the time. Until then, keep encouraging them and telling them about foods. Being healthy is a part of a rounded spiritual life. We must take care of ourselves so that we can take care of others properly.

Traditional Biblical Food

For some Biblical fun with cooking, let kids try their hand at preparing traditional meals like in the Bible. Food tasted differently then and they can experience that for themselves. They can sample various fruits and vegetables from other parts of the world. Cooking introduces kids to new tastes, smells, and cooking methods.

The kitchen is the favorite part of many homes. It is where families gather most to share their joys, tears, and laughs over a good meal. Why not let the kids prepare that meal tonight and have a little good family togetherness and fun in the process.

Online Christian Kids Games

We live in the age of technology. There is not a home that doesn’t have some form of gadget that brings the outside world into our home. If your kids are Internet savvy, turn them onto online games that are affiliated with the Christian lifestyle.

If you have a television, then you have technology in your home. Most people have more than that, but every home has something. When kids are learning about the Internet and playing games, choose some Christian sites to introduce them to. They’ll soon learn that the word “Christian” doesn’t mean stuffy or boring.

One such site is called Kid Explorers. Kids find a lot of things to do including mazes, puzzles, online space games, Bible trivia, and more. Kids can find lots of things to do here making it a great choice.

I did an online word search there. It was great to not have to use a pencil and print it out. Two days from now, that paper would be stuffed under the couch or thrown in the trash. Online games save paper and trees!

Kids can learn to use the Internet for other things besides surfing sites they shouldn’t be on and getting into trouble. Sites like this one also teach about science, animals, and the like which are subjects that all kids are interested in at one time or another. They’ll learn interesting facts that they can share with their friends.

Interactive games are also popular with kids. The game that is most popular now is the Wii. There are also Christian interactive games like Game Wave that can be played with several people with the use of remote controls. Play trivia and other fun games. While you are playing, kids learn coordination, Bible facts, values and principles, and useful life skills.

The Wii is also a great system but parents have to be willing to help kids choose appropriate games to play. The new Wii Fit lets everyone get moving while they play. Kids don’t get nearly enough exercise and this game system helps to mesh two things into one healthy kid.

Any game that they play doesn’t have to say “Christian” to be used for wholesome fun. Christian values are those that are exemplified by God. Getting healthy and learning about life are godly principles, too. Our kids can benefit from a myriad of activities and games, both online and off.

Christianity Crafts Ideas

Crafting is so simple and can be done by anyone. The crafts can be adjusted to age and skill level so that young kids benefit as much as their older counterparts. You can buy crafting materials from the store, use items around the house, or the best idea, a combination of the two.

Have you ever noticed that they sell things like paper towel rolls and Popsicle sticks in the craft store? My mom used to wash the sticks after we ate our Popsicles and store them until we wanted to use them. I save the paper towel and toilet paper rolls as well as empty cartons and plastic jugs for crafts for the kids. There is no need to buy the things that you can find in your own kitchen and bathroom.

Paints, crayons, markers, scissors, and construction paper are the things I go to the craft store for. Your computer and printer are also useful in making crafts. Many websites have free designs and coloring pages that can be printed off to make crafts.

Some of the simplest crafts are puppets. Hand puppets can be made out of old socks or pieces of felt glued together. Kids can decorate the puppets to resemble Bible characters. Cotton balls make great beards and white hair. Pieces of yarn are turned into hair. Puppets can be used in skits, role playing activities, or just to display.

Instead of buying holiday cards, let the kids create their own to give to friends, teachers, and relatives. It is the thought that counts and they can pack a lot of decorative thought into a special occasion card. Proudly display the handcrafted cards that they make for the family so everyone can see them and enjoy.

Origami is the ancient Japanese art of paper folding. When I was little we used to make paper airplanes, but this is definitely a step above. The origami patterns can be printed off the computer and the children can decorate them before folding.

Choose patterns that correspond to different themes. The kids can create an ark full of animals along with Noah and his family. Their work can be displayed in their homes or at church as Sunday school projects. Origami is fun and all kids can be taught to do it with a little patience.

What types of crafts interest your kids? Whether its painting, paper crafts, working with blocks, flowers, or Popsicle sticks, they can use it as a Biblical learning experience.

O Holy Night

Christmas Secrets - 7 Tips to Revitalize the Real Spirit of Christmas this Season!

By Bernadette Dimitrov

Revitalize yourself as you rediscover the real spirit of Christmas. It can magically transform your life!

1. Celebrate -­ Christmas is time to celebrate YOU! Uplift yourself with memories of the joys you discovered and successes you achieved over the year. Spend moments in gratitude for these wonderful memories. This is how you celebrate you!

2. Wish Creation­ - Make wishes on the eve of Christmas. This is a special time as it is the night when the Star of Bethlehem magically appeared. Look for the first star as night falls before you make your wishes. Then blow a magic energy kiss with each wish for its manifestation in the coming year!

3. Start Afresh -­ Decide today to let go of the past. In every single situation no matter how challenging is an opportunity to make lemonade out of a lemon. Choose to find the gift in the message that the situation or person brings. If you feel stuck look at the quality being presented. This is the learning for you ­ to work on this quality in your own life! Now let the situation go by not giving more focus and energy to it and be grateful for the opportunity to evolve through this learning.

4. Forgiveness -­ This is how we connect deeper with each other. Make it a ritual before the festive meal to spend a moment one by one going around the table asking for forgiveness for something you did or didn’t do during the year. It will connect you all at a heart level! Don’t miss this opportunity to build bridges and set yourself free. Forgiveness truly revives the ‘real’ spirit of Christmas.

5. Discovery ­- Spend time discovering a new element of who you are. A great way to do this is to put your-self in new situations. Go volunteer, join a new club, try a new activity!

6. Support - Who’s your best support at Christmas ­ Santa Claus or you may know him as Saint Nicholas. Think about his qualities ­ kind, generous, loving, forgiving. He is solution orientated and always looking for and finding the best in all he meets. Support yourself by focusing on ways to develop these qualities in you.

7. Gift Giving -­ You are the gift! Learn to give of yourself. This is how we reinforce the presence of love in our lives. Where ever you go you leave your energy, your mark. Leave the spirit of Christmas this holiday with your positive inspiration and uplifting energy.

Re-connect with yourself, family and friends and go create some good old days. Memories that warm the heart and rekindle the ‘loving’ spirit of Christmas!

Visit http://www.HoHoHoChristmas.com & sign up for our FREE Newsletter full of tips, tools & resources for reviving the fun, joy, magic and real meanings of Christmas PLUS receive our bonus f*r*e*e 10 day e-course with audio - Amazing Ways to Enrich Your Christmas Experience from The HoHoHo Expert, Bernadette Dimitrov, author of the world's best Christmas ebooks and audio books. The HoHoHo Factor!’ everything you’ll love to know & share about Christmas & the new fun adventure series ‘Bluey, Santa's New Recruit!’ Your resources for creating fun and cherished memories today!

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The Gift - by Aselin Debison

Christmas Spirit: Do You Possess The Spirit Of Christmas?

While for so many people this holiday season is about rampant commercialism, keeping up with the Joneses and rushing to keep up with a hectic schedule, we should all jump off the speed train and take time to not only appreciate the true meaning of Christmas but also to embrace the true spirit of Christmas.

Emotionally this is a difficult time of year for so many. Depression and anger drive up the rates of suicide and domestic violence. Stress builds upon stress to destroy the holiday cheer of many.

The underlying problem for so many people is that they focus all their energy on what they do not have rather than embracing what they do have -- that is what Christmas spirit is all about.

Whether or not you are an ardent Christian, if you live in the Western World then you know that the true meaning of Christmas is to celebrate the birth of Christ. The Christ child is a symbol of love, light, hope and peace that makes this such a joyful season for true believers. However, even among the believers, there are some for which this message is not enough to overcome the depression, anger and stress of the season.

That is why it is so important to embrace the true meaning of Christmas. You need to reach down within yourself to find the spirit of Christmas. In order to embrace the true Christmas spirit you must be willing to give. Give of yourself, your time and your love, and give of your worldly possessions. Do not think of the gifts you give to others as an obligation or duty, but think of it as a symbol of your love for them. While no gift can accurately reflect the love we feel for those who are near and dear to us, we can show them that they matter by spending time and thought to create or select a gift with meaning.

My son likes to make his gifts and spends a long time designing and then creating these items. Granted, we could have bought a sweatshirt with "world's best grandma" printed on by a factory, but I expect that his grandmothers will cherish the shirts he designed himself and then created with fabric paint -- misspellings, oddly-formed pictures and all. If you are struggling with your Christmas spirit then perhaps you should avoid the mall entirely this season and find a different way to give?

Embracing the spirit of Christmas also means giving to those beyond our immediate sphere as well, especially those most in need. Obviously it is easy to throw some money in a Salvation Army collection, and that is certainly worth doing, but if your Christmas spirit needs a boost then perhaps you should try something more hands-on.

Local churches, schools, and charitable organizations can usually give you a list of opportunities to give and help. For example, through my church we have taken up a shoebox collection (creating an assortment of holiday gifts that will fit into a plastic shoebox and then are shipped to need children overseas) and bought coats and clothing for needy children in our community. I helped wrap the coats and clothing as well as contributed to both campaigns and it did wonders for making me appreciate what I possess.

Embrace the spirit of Christmas and find the true meaning of the season to bring more joy and happiness into your life.

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• 7 Ways to Share the Christmas Spirit

Keeping Christ in Christmas This Year

Image via WikipediaBy Malia Russell

Each year, Christian parents struggle to balance between the consumerism of Christmas, and keeping Christ the central theme of Christmas. Here are some ideas of ways you can keep Christ the main focus this year.

• Go Christmas caroling.

• Lots of churches have Christmas programs that are completely free.

• Make a Jesse Tree. You can print pictures for a Jesse tree off from the internet, have the kids decorate them, and each day, pull out a Jesse tree decoration and put it on your tree. I use the front of my fridge and simply tape each on there, in the shape of a Christmas tree.

• Make a homemade advent calendar. For each day, have a scripture verse, or a Christmas song that your family will enjoy together. You can include small treats as well (tootsie rolls or kiss, or homemade cookie).

• We have a Happy Birthday Jesus Party

• Sponsor an Angel Tree Child

• Limit gifts - one way to do this is as follows: Decide to have three gifts per child (since that is what Jesus received). Or, we do this one: We buy our children three gifts each, plus one gift to share. We use the following poem as a guideline: "Something to read, something to wear, something to play and something to share"

• Sponsor another charity such as Operation Christmas Child

Stop and think through all the things you do at Christmas and see what is truly just a distraction from Christ, and try to eliminate those things as much as possible. I hope your family has a very Merry Christmas!

Malia Russell is the owner and director of http://www.homemaking911.com The number one word homemakers use to describe themselves is overwhelmed. Women have a yearning to create a home, a place of beauty, order, comfort and peace. However the compulsion to do it right often collides with feelings of guilt, inadequacy and frustration.

www.homemaking911.com is meant to encourage you. There you will find resources to help in many aspects of home management and home education, being a godly wife and mother, and becoming the type of woman God is calling you to be.

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The First Christmas Gift

Christmas Traditions with Your Family

Do you have special Christmas traditions with your family? Whether handed down from generation to generation, or beginning anew, most everyone does.

It is Christmas morning. The stockings hung on the fireplace are filled with goodies, and the presents around the tree are beautifully wrapped. The children awake very early, sensing that something magical has occurred the night before. There is a flurry of activity as you hear them rush into your room and excitedly announce, “Santa was here! Santa was here!” The lights on the tree seem to guide them to it, and they look down at all of their presents with wide-eyed wonder.

The Christmas tradition with your family has begun.

After all the presents are opened, and many pictures have been taken, mom prepares a special Christmas breakfast, just as her mom taught her. As dawn becomes day, the fresh fallen snow beckons the kids outdoors. Perhaps the kids want to test out their brand new red sled; or build a snowman with mom and dad.

Later, while mom prepares Christmas dinner, the kids are playing with their new toys. Perhaps dad is helping put together a new jet plane, while a bright eyed girl is re-arranging the furniture in her new doll house yet again. Mom puts on her favorite Christmas CD, and the house is alive with laughter and music.

Grandma and Grandpa arrive to partake in an early Christmas dinner. Grandpa is playing with the kids and Grandma is in the kitchen helping mom prepare for the feast. Turkey, stuffing, yams, broccoli and cranberry sauce begin the menu, followed by a homemade cake with special chocolate frosting – a recipe handed down from great-grandma. Milk and home made cookies for the kids round out the meal.

It’s nearly six o’clock and time to head out for Church services. Everyone dresses in their Christmas finest. Celebrating Christmas is more than just giving presents, it is a time to rejoice.

Back home, they all gather in the living room and turn on the TV to watch It’s a Wonderful Life, but not before they are once again gathered around the table to have a light meal, and another piece of that delicious chocolate cake!

While your Christmas traditions may differ from the ones described above, the fact is that what has just been described is a traditional family Christmas. It is about being together, enjoying the holiday, and celebrating the birth of a child.

Merry Christmas!

Serving the Community at Christmas

The best part of Christmas is sharing peace and love with others. The true meaning of Christmas should bring hope to every man, woman, and child. Doing something selfless for others helps us spread that hope.

Neighbor helps Neighbor.

In many places, snow is a certainty during the holiday season. If you live in one of these areas then you know that digging out after a snow is hard work.

Organize a neighborhood “dig out”. Neighbors who are able-bodied and full of the Christmas spirit can offer to shovel their neighbors’ driveways and front steps. Children can travel around the shoveling route providing hot cocoa breaks for the willing workers. Neighbors who have to work around the holidays will appreciate the Christian charity.

One thing my community likes to do around the Christmas holiday is to canvas the entire neighborhood with luminaries. Volunteers take a day and come together to prepare the luminary bags and set them out curbside in front of every home. About a week before Christmas the volunteers light the luminaries at sunset one evening. Everyone in the neighborhood can look out their windows and enjoy the solemnity of the season. The luminaries are a small service, but they make a powerful statement. They remind us of the light that was born into the world over 2,000 years ago.

Shopping break.

Malls and shopping centers become hubs of activity at Christmastime. One shopping center in my city is so busy that they hire policemen to direct traffic. Everyone is so busy buying, that no one thinks about eating. Here’s another opportunity to help out in the community. A church youth group, women’s circle, or another organization can provide much needed concessions, free of charge, for weary shoppers.

Keep your snack items simple. If I were a shopper I’d be looking for something to give me a boost of energy in a hurry. Donuts or Christmas cookies would be easiest to manage and clean up. Apple cider can be bought from the grocery store and warmed up in large coffee urns heated by electric fuel. There’s nothing like a hot drink and a donut on a cold day. Shoppers will thank you for the hospitality. If they ask why you are doing it, let them know that you are sharing a bit of Christ’s love during the holidays.

Helping out in the community can be fun and rewarding. Explore the needs in your area this Christmas and give lend some folks a hand.

Faith-Filled Gift Giving Ideas for Christmas

Homemade gift baskets can show just how much love we’ve poured into our gift giving this year. A basket can be put together at home cheaper than the same basket could be purchased from the store. My church youth group made homemade gifts one year and the project was a big success. The kids worked hard to create the best gifts they could for the person whose name they had chosen.

A special talent or skill that you possess can be a big help in creating a homemade gift. I like to crochet and sew. One year, I made winter scarves in Christmas colors for a few of my family baskets. I also made a few twin-sized comforters for the children. If crafts are your thing, try your hand at creating handmade jewelry. Whatever your talent, put it to good use.

Many of us are not the creative sort, but there are ideas for you too. Instead of hitting the toy and/or department stores, head to your local Christian store, such as: Lifeway Christian, Family Christian, and Cokesbury Christian stores. You can find interesting gifts from music and jewelry to videos and games. Children will love the videos and games. My kids loved the VeggieTales™ movies and toys when they were younger. The characters were funny and they taught good lessons without being preachy.

If you still haven’t found that special gift, I have yet another idea—gift cards. All of us know at least one individual or family that could use household or personal items more than other types of gifts. If someone on your list needs clothing, then a gift card will allow them to select the very thing they need.

Other types of stores sell gift cards, too. My family and I have given grocery gift cards to friends on fixed incomes or those who were having a hard time making ends meet. My father has even given gas cards as gifts. With the rising cost of petroleum, this is a great idea.

Gift giving doesn’t have to be hard, but it should be thoughtful. As a Christian, even our Christmas gifts reflect our ministry—meeting others at their level of need.

Christian Christmas Coloring Pages For Children

You can find lots of Christian Christmas coloring pages on the Internet that are free to download and then print from your home computer. Use your favorite search engine and type in “Christian Christmas coloring pages”. The search engine will come up with several places where you can find Christian Christmas coloring pages. Pick out the ones you like, print them out and let your child go wild!

Here are a few to get you started:







Here are some web sites that have Christian Christmas coloring pages:

Kaboose.com
PapaJan.com
Coloring-page.net
FreeColoringPages.com
uncommoncourtesy.com
Bible Kids' Fun Zone
Coloring.wsApples4Teacher.com
Kid Explorers

Another advantage to Christian Christmas coloring pages is that you can also use them as templates for craft projects you may want to do. They can be used to follow as a diagram for some type of craft or incorporated into a collage or picture that you want to display on the holiday.

Have your child color several different ones and then make them into placemats. Just glue the picture onto a larger piece of paper and you have a placemat. To make them even more durable, you may want to laminate them too. Laminating machines can be purchased quite inexpensively these days or most office supply store offer lamanating services.

Then enjoy the creation and the holiday as well!

The Christmas Nativity

Beginning in early December, Christmas Nativity scenes pop up in front of churches all over the country. Some depict the baby Jesus and Mary and Joseph. Others display the three Wise Men or “Magi” alongside the baby Jesus and his parents. Shepherds and their flocks are included, too. Still others feature stable animals and angels.

Let’s take a look into the Nativity scene though God’s Word. Two gospels in the Holy Bible contain an account of Jesus’ birth—Matthew and Luke. Both accounts mention that the Christ child was to be born of a virgin named Mary, who was pledged to be married to a man named Joseph (St. Matt. 1:18-25; St. Luke 2:1-7). They traveled to Bethlehem in the land of Judea where Mary gave birth to the Savior.

According to the book of Matthew, Magi visited Jerusalem and asked King Herod where the birth of the prophesied Christ had taken place (St. Matt. 2:1-12). They followed a star which led them to Bethlehem where they visited with the baby Jesus and his parents. In honor of his birth, they presented gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. They never revealed the child’s location to anyone, thus ensuring his family’s safety from King Herod.

The book of Luke does not mention the Magi, but a group of shepherds tending their flocks (St. Luke 2:8-20). An angel of the Lord appeared in the midst of the shepherds and told them of the birth of Jesus and its significance. Following the angel’s instructions, the shepherds found the baby in Bethlehem, laying in a manger, or feeding trough, in the stable, because the inn had no room. After their visit, the shepherds told anyone who would listen about what they had witnessed.

The Magi were wealthy Middle Eastern men who traveled a fair distance to view the Messiah. Their wealth is evidenced by the caliber of the gifts they presented. The shepherds, in contrast, were simple, hardworking men who were given a revelation from God about the baby Jesus. It seems like they represent who Jesus was born to save—the rich and the poor.

Fun Nativity Crafts

The nativity is one of the central themes of Christmas. Nativity scenes are depicted on church lawns, in Christian plays, and outside of homes. Learning about the nativity can be fun for kids when you use crafts to teach them.

The birth of Jesus Christ is the focus of the Christian nativity. He was born to Mary and Joseph in an animal stable because there were no rooms available in the nearby inn. Using a water trough filled with straw for a bed, Mary gave birth to the savior and laid him there. After the birth, the Christ child was visited by shepherds, wise men, and a host of angels. The men followed the North Star to his location in the east.

These are the basic elements of the story. Read the story to your children first to give them an idea of who was involved in the scene. From there, the crafting can begin.

Kids can make their own manger. Using Popsicle sticks and glue, fashion a manger for the baby Jesus. If you don’t want to use real straw, Spanish moss will work just as well. A small baby doll can portray the baby Jesus. Kids may want to paint the manger to make it stand out. Display their mangers in a central location for everyone to enjoy.

Coloring books and children’s websites have free printable coloring sheets that depict the nativity. Give each child a piece of poster board or a cardboard presentation board to work with. After coloring the Nativity pictures let the kids come up with their own nativity scene and paste it to the cardboard. If the children want to paint things different colors, it’s ok. Let them, even if baby Jesus turns out to be purple and Mary and Joseph are green. Let them express themselves through their crafts, no matter how out of the ordinary it may be to you.

A fun nativity craft that the entire family can enjoy is the making of an Advent calendar. “Advent” is the time of the holiday season that is represented by special programs at church on each of the four Sundays before Christmas. Each day beginning with the first Sunday after Thanksgiving, the focus is on the Nativity story. There are a variety of ways to make an Advent calendar. Each day of December through Christmas Day, families do something special pertaining to some aspect of the birth of Jesus Christ. Children can decorate each space on the calendar with a symbol of the Nativity. At the end of each day, the family will gather to look at the symbol for the day and study a certain part of the Nativity story.

The Nativity is important to understanding the spiritual reason for celebrating Christmas. Allow kids to express feelings about the Nativity through their crafts. You can join in too and make it a family affair.