I was totally turned off Christmas this year when I read a story about a lady who pepper sprayed several people in a store on black Friday so she could get the good deal. I couldn't help but think...seriously?! It's CHRISTmas!! It was then that I decided I definitely wanted to do something different this year for Christmas and make the season focus more on Christ. I remembered a book a friend sent me last year and got super excited to re-read it. It's titled: A Christ Centered Christmas by Emily Freeman. The book suggests taking time to focus on the specific individuals from the Nativity scene during the holiday season and on what they teach us about our relationship with Christ.
So, I put white paper over the fireplace and had the boys draw a Stable and for the next few weeks we are going to talk about the nativity story and add the characters as we talk about them.
First we are going to talk about are the wise men. I love the phase, "Wise Men Still Seek Him". The Wise Men did SEEK out the Christ child. It took them a while, but using the scriptures and signs they found the Child and brought him gifts. Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh. We decided our kids will get three gifts from us this year, just as Christ received three gifts. One that is joyful, one that is useful, and one that is thoughtful. The Wise Men also taught us that we must PROTECT OUR RELATIONSHIP with Christ in this world. When they left the child and returned home they returned a way they hadn't planned. They did this to PROTECT the Child. Likewise, we too must try our best to protect our relationship with Christ sometimes taking a path we don't plan on taking.
We hope that when our kids open their gifts this year they will enjoy hearing why we chose the gifts we did and how each is joyful, useful or thoughtful.
3 comments:
What a great idea. I'm going to have to look for that book.
That book is very insightful.
I love my Black Friday Shopping and have never been in a crazy crowd. I just love to shop and that's like an "extreme" version! lol!
We too are buying our kids the three gifts that represent the gifts the wisemen brought Christ. They'll get one from Santa too....plus the traditional new pair of pajamas that they open on Christmas Eve. It is SO much more meaningful and simple this way! I LOVE the Christmas tradition of gift giving. I was thinking about it the other day. Christmas is a CELEBRATION. We love and need Christ all year long but Christmas is when we joyfully celebrate Him...just like Thanksgiving. We aren't grateful one day a year...but that's when we joyfuly celebrate our gratitude.
Just some thoughts.
Love ya! :)
I am interested in what you choose for those gifts. This is very fascinating. What a wonderful idea.
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