Keeping Christ the Focus of Christmas

I recently did some research for an article for our local homeschool newsletter. With all the commercialism of Christmas, how do we keep Christ our focus? Here's some of what I found, along with some things we do as a family.

Little Acorns Treehouse has a great post about learning about Advent and Christmas.

Noel Piper has written a wonderful book entitled Treasuring God in our Traditions. In the book, she says,

“Christmas is only one small part of a whole year of living, working and ministering in our churches and to our neighbors, of meeting our family’s physical needs, of teaching our children. Just one small part of the year—but with our hearts and spirits open in anticipation and excitement, what an ideal opportunity for remembering and teaching.”

Family Celebrations: Meeting Christ in your holidays and special occasions and Family Celebrations at Birthdays and for other vacations and other holidays and Family Celebrations for Christmas all by Ann Hibbard

Some of the things we do in order to keep our focus on Christ during the Christmas season:

• Set up a nativity scene--a wooden one the little ones can play with
• Set up and celebrate Advent--with a wreath of candles and selected Bible readings
  
• Attend local Christmas programs at other churches
• Sing carols at a nursing home
• Give a gift to a ministry such as a crisis pregnancy center
• Participate in Angel Tree or other giving ministry

Our desire as parents is that our children will see and experience that Christmas is about Christ--that He came down as a baby, gave His life to satisfy the wrath of God for OUR sins. That is the greatest gift!!

What traditions do you have in your family that keep the focus on Christ?