It's always bothered me that Christmas immediately follows Halloween in the commercial world, but I have to admit that I, too, have Christmas on the brain right now. I've learned that I need to really plan ahead if I want to do it right and not just fall back on generic traditions. I'm hoping to change a few things this year to make it a little less "holiday" and a little more "holy day." Christmas has long been sacred to me, and I try to create that sort of spirit in our home, but I still think I could make an even greater effort- especially with my children growing older and absorbing so much from their surroundings. Here's what I hope to do differently this year:
No more Christmas letter. Is that Scrooge-ish? While I enjoy reading Christmas letters from friends and family, I'm just as happy to receive a card or picture with no letter. I can't abandon the Christmas card tradition altogether, since I really enjoy hearing from the people I love, but I'm ready to dismiss the letter that always creates such a mental block to getting the entire project in the mailbox. This change is for me- to eliminate any unnecessary triggers for frustration and overload during a season that should be filled with peace!
No more List-Making. For my children. Of course I have to keep a list in order to keep track of what I'm doing, but a good friend mentioned this week that she no longer asks her children to make a list of what they want for Christmas. This is her way of reducing the amount of focus on "receiving." I've noticed in the past that when I ask my children what they want for Christmas or their birthday, they actually get a blank look on their face. It reminds me that children do not naturally go through life wanting things. We (and society) are the ones who plant those desires within them. I could literally see how the simple act of my asking them for a list caused a shift to take place in their minds. I had planted seeds of desire and nourished the idea that they must certainly want things and need things. I think I'll take my friend Jenni's approach from now on and avoid nurturing those desires, and instead trust my instincts to know what they would enjoy based on their interests, personalities and talents. Maybe this will leave a little more room for their minds to dwell on the most joyful parts of Christmas, and allow them to be surprised and delighted with whatever they do receive.
Nativities, Nativities! I read about someone last year whose only Christmas decorations are a collection of nativities that they set up throughout the house. Doesn't that sound perfect?? I have a very nice nativity set that I bought while studying in Jerusalem, but it's not one that I particularly want my children to play with. I'm thinking this year, at the beginning of the season, I will gift each of my older children their own nativity set to keep and carry with them after they leave home one day. My mom had two nativity sets. One was porcelain and off limits in the living room, but the other was resin and set up under the Christmas tree-- free for my brothers and sisters and I to handle and play with. I have many memories of studying the figures and faces and coming up with different arrangements for how I envisioned that first Christmas Eve. I'm taking things a step further by giving each of my children their own set, but I'm hoping that it will become a personal treasure, and turn their hearts to the birth of the Savior as they handle it, play with it and rearrange it over and over again throughout the season.
Heartfelt Giving- In years past, we've sought ways to help other people monetarily at Christmas time. Sub for Santa, Angel Trees, Toys for Tots, etc. These are convenient and good ways to help families in need. My friend Molly really took things further when she commented this week that she's started to feel like she needs to seek more heartfelt opportunities for her children to give to others. Going shopping for another child or family is nice, but we have no idea who they are, and ultimately it's Mom and Dad who are writing the check at the end. Do our children really feel what it means to truly give of themselves at Christmas? Maybe my children are still too young to understand this. Maybe they should still be learning to give and sacrifice within our own family before we branch out to the community. But I would like to try something different this year and see what comes of it. I think I will suggest that we pray daily as a family to know how we can give of ourselves to someone in need within our own circle of family, friends and neighbors. At this moment, I have no idea what the answer will look like come December, but I'm excited at the prospects. I suspect those prayers will be answered. Thanks, Molly.
These are a few of my baby steps towards making Christmas a Holy Day rather than a Holiday.
What do you do?
I am sincerely interested in any ideas or traditions you've developed towards the same goal.
Also- does anyone know of a good place to buy reasonably priced nativities?
Also Also- Can you suggest any children's Christmas books with a Christ-centered theme? I try to add a new one every year to our collection.
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11 comments:
Deseret Book actually has quite a collection of nativities.
I LOVE nativities. My mom has close to 100--all different styles and mediums, with several from different countries.
The DC temple visitor's center usually has a huge display of local members' person sets. A local stake may do it too.
When my parents were first married, they made a nativity set out of wooden dowels. We were allowed to play with that one. As each of us have married and had children of our own, they've made replicas. I could take pics if you want--are you or Creighton handy with power tools?
Make that 'members' personAL sets.'
I hate typos.
Hey Tricia, Fischer Price has a nativity for kids that is really cute. It's great for the little kiddos.
Great ideas Tricia! I started collecting nativities several years back when I realized mine were not touchable and I really wanted my kids to be able to pick up and handle the nativities as they play acted with them. Deseret book is a good place to start for inexpensive ones, but I even found a cute felt one at Walmart a few years back that would be perfect for your little ones. I also have a wood block nativity made from 2x4's and felt that you could copy. There is a creche display in Apex, NC each year at the stake center near the Raleigh temple that is fun to go to...maybe we should make that a fun trip to see Sarah!
Your post makes me think of a favorite Christmas quote: The magic of Christmas is not in the presents but in His presence.
One tradition that has worked well for us is the manger & straw. We have a very simple wooden manger (actually came from a Christmas Enrichment years ago) that arrives in the family room on December 1. Each time someone does something nice for another person (can be within the family or not), that person puts a piece of straw in the manger. The idea is that we fill the manger with our good deeds all thru December so the manger is ready for the baby Jesus on Christmas morning. And we really do put a little baby doll in the manger after the kids go to bed on Christmas Eve. =)
I have wonderful childhood memories of playing with the nativity set, and I would love to find a good unbreakable one for my kids. Let me know what you end up getting. I think I'm going to make a Christmas Countdown of some sort with a scripture or story or song about Christ in each pocket. We will pick one each day. We have a book called "Room for a Little One", by Martin Waddell. The pictures are beautiful.
Off the top of my head, I can't think of one Christmas book, but I know we have some. I love "This is the Season" (might not be what it's called) but it's the primary song and it has paintings by Simon Dewey and quotes by apostles and prophets to go with each page. We read it with my extended family on Christmas Eve and take turns. I cry every time. It goes through all the different members of the nativity.
Speaking of: Playmobil has a kids' nativity that my kids love. And there is a little people one, too.
I'll look through my books when I get them out and see if that's what it's called.
Thanks for your inspiration on your blog and this last weekend!
Love you!
bret and i have totally been talking about this stuff lately (ever since my halloween stress). i read the hundred dollar holiday - that really got me thinking. i'm toying with the idea of having no holiday decorations except the ones we MAKE during the season - thus creating sentimental value and a memorable activity. yeah - i'm not really talented when it comes to making things so maybe they'll all be disposable decorations. i DO like the idea of nativities, though, and already own two sets - one totally easy for kids to play with - made out of brass.
I'm horrible about Christmas. Well, and every holiday for that matter. I don't even own one Nativity.
My big idea this year is that the kids do chores (we have a chart of chores that they can do for money) and they can choose to keep the money or to "donate" it by marking on a chart the chore and money earned. Around the week of Christmas we will add up the money they've donated and Mom and Dad will add some of their money and then we will choose a donation to make to Heifer International. That's the organization where you can buy a cow, goat, pig, chickens, honeybees, sheep, rabbits etc. (or buy a share in the animal if you can't afford to buy a whole one) to be given to a poor family to better their circumstances. Heifer International donates the animal and trains the family on how to care for it and the families are strongly encouraged to pay it forward by donating offspring from their animal to other needy families in their community. We will see how much money we have and decide as a family what we would like to get.
Last year Chuck's family gave service in other's names instead of presents. Were you at church for his talk last Christmas about it?
Read about it here. http://gatesservice.blogspot.com/2009/12/history-of-gates-family-season-of.html
It was by far the best Christmas ever for me.
As for Nativities, I have also started collecting ones that my girls can play with. Their favorites last year were some block ones I made. I'll show them to you sometime. I also have a finger puppet set that is great for them to tell the story.
Hey Tricia! I just saw that you have a blog and have enjoyed catching up with you on it. :-) I've been thinking lots of the same things as you lately!
Over the years The Friend has had lots of versions of advent calendars that have a scripture from the Nativity and/or activity to do each day. We do that and I like how it gives us a focus for each day. One day might be a scripture about service and then it says to take a treat to a neighbor. One day might talk about Jesus' family and then says to write a letter to a grandparent.
It helps to put a piece of candy with each day too!
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