I have been thinking a lot about remembering the "reason for the season" and "keeping Christ in Christmas" this year. It seems that every year I fall into the trap of spending. Wanting to give my kids everything they could possibly want for Christmas.This year, things are different.
Not that in the past we haven't tried very hard to remind our kids what Christmas is for. Helping them learn that Christmas isn't for gifts but the gift that was given to us in Jesus Christ. That He is the only true gift, that was given freely.
But I can't help but want everything else too. And it is very hard for me to NOT want to buy everything in the stores. Sheesh, I have issues.
So what are your traditions to keep it simple and meaningful and yet still very happy and joyful?
One tradition we do as a family each year is every Christmas Eve, we sit down in our front room and read the Christmas story from the Bible by the twinkling lights of our tree, and give our gift to Jesus. We have a wrapped gift under our tree that we open up and inside we place our "gift" to Him. Most of the time its trying harder to do better. Better scripture reading habits, or praying more often. Serving each other more. The girls seem to always be striving to get along better with each other. Whatever it is, I feel it is always a meaningful and memorable tradition. Before we decide on our gifts, we read the gift we gave the year before and more often than not, its the same for the new year. I know, we aren't always very consistent. But hey, we do work at it.
Anyway, the other traditions are opening PJ's every Christmas Eve. Driving around different neighborhoods on Christmas Eve looking at the lights.
And every Christmas morning, before we can even open presents, we read about the birth of our Savior that is recorded in the Book of Mormon and have a family prayer of gratitude.
I am so grateful for this time of year to help reel me back in from the chaos of "the world". It helps remind me of the purpose of my life, personally and collectively as a family. It humbles me to know of what that precious little baby did for all mankind. I love Him, I adore Him, I praise Him, and I thank Him. I hope my children will grasp it someday, and not get caught up in the "buying" of Christmas like their mom. I'm working on it.
Anyway, what are your traditions? I would love to hear them and maybe adopt some as my own.
Thanks for sharing!!
