| Christmas is not about the presents under the | | | | non-profit) - and each member in the family (even |
| tree, the decorations and the lights, the concerts | | | | the kids) will donate money, items, and time in |
| or the fancy meals. It's not about shopping, snow, | | | | putting together these care packages for people |
| caroling, or Santa Clause. True Christmas is found | | | | in need. Deliver it anonymously, or in person so |
| in the first syllable of the very word itself, who is | | | | children can feel and see the joy of giving. |
| all too often forgotten. Christmas is about Christ! | | | | 12) Christmas Lights Drive: As a family, hop in the |
| And while all of the festivities, traditions, and | | | | car and make it a yearly tradition to just drive |
| activities that accompany this holiday are certainly | | | | around neighborhoods and downtown looking at |
| appropriate and extremely fun, we must ensure | | | | Christmas lights. Take candy, of course! |
| that we never forget the significance of why we | | | | 13) Read the Christmas Story: Perhaps make |
| celebrate in the first place. And perhaps true | | | | Christmas Eve the night to talk about the 'true' |
| Christmas is discovered, enjoyed, and made | | | | meaning of and significance of Christmas. Read |
| evident only when our actions reflect the actions | | | | the account of Christ's birth from the Bible, talk |
| and character of Him whose birth we | | | | about it, or perhaps even for fun - have the kids |
| commemorate. He loved His lambs, He fed His | | | | act it out. Then, the 25th can be the day of fun |
| lambs, and He continues to feed His lambs; our | | | | and presents. |
| great opportunity is to allow Him to feed His | | | | 14) Mini Tree: With little kids, allow each of them |
| lambs through the service and giving of you and | | | | to have their own little Christmas tree that they |
| me. | | | | can decorate however they want - and they can |
| Below is listed not only giving and service | | | | keep it in their rooms. |
| opportunities that help us participate in the true | | | | 15) Giving Tree: Set up a tree at the local schools, |
| meaning of Christmas, but also fun Christmas | | | | Churches, and community centers. Have paper |
| activities and traditions that can be enjoyed by | | | | ornaments on each tree with a random items |
| families and people everywhere: | | | | that people will donate. Items could be: food, |
| 1) Purpose of the Holiday: First and most | | | | clothes, toys, books, money, toiletries, etc. Then, |
| importantly, ensure that in the midst of all the fun | | | | have a large box where people can come back |
| festivities, parties, gift exchanges, traditions, | | | | and drop off their donated items. Then, give |
| delicious meals and chocolate, and especially the | | | | these items to local families/individuals in need. |
| anticipation of Santa Clause - that you make time | | | | Give them to the local Salvation Army, |
| to remember Him, and the real Reason why we | | | | Orphanage, Homeless Shelter, or Non-Profit. |
| celebrate this season! | | | | 16) Dec 1st Kickoff: Make the first day in |
| 2) 'Adopt a Family': Find a local family that may be | | | | December the official day the family starts |
| struggling or has very little, and anonymously give | | | | Christmas celebrations and decorations. Make |
| them Christmas. For 12 days, drop off food one | | | | some hot cocoa, popcorn, turn on the Christmas |
| night, clothes the next, books, toys, kind notes, | | | | music, and get the family together. Decorate the |
| treats, etc. (or just drop it all off at once). | | | | house, put up the tree, and just spend the night |
| 3) 'Draw Names': On Dec. 1st, each child will draw | | | | playing games and having fun together. |
| the name of another sibling or parent - and that is | | | | 17) Gift to Christ: Each year as a family, and |
| who they have to get a present for Christmas | | | | especially personally, determine something you will |
| that year. One year, have it be a funny gift; the | | | | do as an expression of gratitude for what Christ |
| next year have it be a 'no-cost' present where | | | | did for you. Break a habit, develop a talent, mend |
| everyone can not spend money; another year | | | | a relationship, or become a better person/family |
| each person has to actually make/create their | | | | in some way. |
| gift; or just buy the gift for the individual; etc. | | | | 18) Christmas Giving: As a family, do one or |
| 4) Yearly Ornaments: Each year, every child will | | | | many of the following each year: visit a nursing |
| get to make/create a new ornament to hang on | | | | home or homeless shelter and take small gifts for |
| the tree. | | | | people, make a meal or treat for a new neighbor |
| 5) Hang Mistletoe: Enough said right! | | | | or someone in need, invite a widowed woman or |
| 6) Family Sleepover: On Christmas Eve, the whole | | | | someone who is alone to share a meal, shovel |
| family will campout together in the same room. | | | | snow for Elderly neighbors, etc. |
| Obviously this can't be in the room with the tree, | | | | 19) Christmas Culture Night: Learn about how |
| but upstairs/downstairs or in a bedroom - all the | | | | other cultures, countries, and religions celebrate |
| kids (and Dad/Mom) will sleep out together. | | | | Christmas. |
| 7) Yearly Christmas Tree Outing: All the men and | | | | 20) Yearly Christmas Fun: Yet, in the midst of it |
| boys each year will go out on Dec. 1st and find | | | | all - have FUN! Every year, make it a tradition to |
| the Christmas tree. While gone, the women will | | | | do one or many of the following fun activities: go |
| make a warm meal for everyone to eat when | | | | sledding, make snowmen, go to the beach, go |
| the guys get home. That evening, everyone will | | | | skiing, ice skating, a performance, to a cabin, have |
| decorate the tree, listen to Christmas music, | | | | a Christmas movie and popcorn night, have an |
| make the house festive for the season, and just | | | | extended family or neighborhood Christmas party |
| play games and spend the evening together. | | | | gift exchange, etc. Perhaps one night you can |
| 8) Nightly Christmas Stories: For each night in | | | | specifically set aside as 'Christmas Family Night' |
| December, read a Christmas story or book, a | | | | and just be together. Get Pizza, rent a movie, |
| holiday poem, the symbols of Christmas, or the | | | | play games, have a campout in the family room, |
| words to a Christmas carol. | | | | etc. |
| 9) Christmas Eve Present: Allow each child to | | | | Perhaps it was the great Dr. Seuss who summed |
| open one present on Christmas Eve. | | | | it up best when he so perfectly penned: "And the |
| 10) Nativity Sets & Ginger-Bread Houses: | | | | Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow, |
| Each year as a family, make a new Nativity set | | | | stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so? It |
| (or have each child make their own). Use paper, | | | | came without ribbons. It came without tags. It |
| play dough, cardboard, cardstock, etc. Also, set | | | | came without packages, boxes or bags. And he |
| aside one night to make Ginger Bread Houses | | | | puzzled and puzzled 'till his puzzler was sore. Then |
| together. | | | | the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before. |
| 11) Secret Santa Care Packages: Identify a child | | | | What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come |
| who is sick at the hospital, some children from | | | | from a store. What if Christmas, perhaps, means |
| the orphanage, various people at the homeless | | | | a little bit more." Thus, Christmas and giving is not |
| shelter, family in need, or even a child in a | | | | determined by price, but in how we give and act - |
| developing country (work with your local | | | | the season's about Christ! |