Keeping Christ in Your Family Christmas - Other Family Ideas 

(Part 3 in a three part Blog Series... see bottom for links to the series.)

Do you want to help your family stay focused on the Savior this Christmas?  It's totally possible, even while enjoying fun with Santa!  Have a few intentional ways to celebrate will help your family stay focused on the Real Reason for the Season and you will feel the difference in the season. 

If you've been following along with our Keeping Christ in Your Family Christmas blog posts, you know we've already shared ideas that could become part of your family's Christmas traditions through how you decorate and through service.  In the final part of our series, we are sharing other celebrating ideas that will help your family keep Christ in your Christmas.

- Attend a Live Nativity or Create One 

When the kids were younger we would act out the nativity with all the cousins, it was a fun tradition.  Using bathrobes, towels for turbans and a myriad of other everyday pieces of clothing, we created costumes.  Usually one of the adults would read from the scriptures as the kids (and usually a few adults) portrayed the roles in the story.  

Our friend Melodie at Mm-Hmm Shop added her family nativity script to our "Christ Centered Christmas" printable.  Click here to have it emailed to you! 

As the young kids in our family are growing older, we don't have many young kids for our Christmas Eve nativity anymore.   Attending a live nativity has helped us keep that special experience as part of our Christmas celebration.

We our blessed with an outdoor amphitheater in our area.  It houses amazing theater with professional actors all year, but at Christmas, community members portray the story of Christ's birth on the same stage, with lighting and scenery like seasoned actors get. 

We have been attending this nativity for a few years now and it’s always a special experience to focus on the true meaning of christmas.  Last year some of our family even had the experience to be in the show itself…  It was such a neat experience to share with each other and some neighbor friends.  My daughter and I were angels that haroled the Savior's birth, trumpets and all ... what a joy to remember that unique experience!

If you don't want to act it out yourself or don't have access to a Live Nativity, you can always watch a film of the Christmas Story.  I'm sure there are many available.  This one is our family's favorite.

-  Share your testimony of the Savior 

You may not think of it, but every time you share your personal testimony of the Savior, it's strengthened.  Encourage your family to find a way to share their testimony this Christmas season.   They may choose to share it on social media, share it with a friend in person, or gift a reminder of the Savior and include a note with the testimony, but sharing is strengthening.

One way to share your family's testimony is to include Christ in your cards and neighbor gifts.  Don't be afraid to be purposeful in always saying, "Merry Christmas" instead of, "Happy Holidays."  When you choose your Christmas cards, think about if there is a spiritual message or scripture you can share. 

Our Names of Christ Ornaments are a great tie on to your homemade Christmas cookies to remind everyone of the true reason for the season.  They even come with a printable tag!

- Christmas Advent

Count down the days to Christmas with Christ.   When my kids were younger we had a Christmas stocking with a candy cane pocket for each day of December, until Christmas.  I printed scriptures to go along with each day that referenced the story of Christ's birth or Christ himself.  It was a great daily reminder.

My friend Melanie has a Christ Centered Christmas Coloring Advent Poster in her Shoppe that includes read a long verses... color a piece every day upto Christmas.   You can click the photo to jump over to her site and take a better look.

- Christmas Stories

The school teacher in me loves sharing books with my kids!  When my kids were little, it was so much fun to find picture books that fit the season and read them with my kids. 

For Christmas, one of the fun things that we have done is wrap up a picture books in wrapping paper as presents.  The idea is to open a picture book each day (or maybe a new one each week, etc.).  It's a fun way to add to the holiday and get your kids reading.  Even if it's the same books you had last year, it adds excitement to unwrap them... they feel almost new again.

Books are also a perfect way to bring Christ into the season.  Of course, add some of those well known fun Christmas books like, "The Grinch" but also add books that help your children see Christ as a part of Christmas.  

One of my favorite books is the "The Tale of Three Trees."  It's not really just a Christmas story, but a story of Christ and how God's love transforms us.  it's the story of three trees and their dreams of what they want to become.  Each one ends up playing a beautiful part in the story of Christ's life. 

There are books that tie Santa Claus and Christ together like "I believe in Santa Claus"

Here are a few other Christmas book recommendations that I gathered from my Instagram community.  This list is included in our "Christ Centered Christmas" printable. 

• "The Tale of Three Trees" by Angela Elwell Hunt: Three small trees have dreams of what they want to become.  Each one ends up playing a beautiful part in the story of Christ's life.

• "Humphrey's First Christmas" by Carol Heyer:  Grumpy Humphrey is hungry, tired, and cold because his favorite blanket is missing. These men are supposed to be wise; so why are they traveling so far to bring gifts to a baby they don't know?

• "The Crippled Lamb" by Max Lucado: Joshua, a lamb with a crippled leg who feels left out because he can't run and play like the other lambs. But God has a special plan for Joshua's life, as He does for all who feel alone. The little lamb's prayers are answered in an amazing way on Christmas Day."I Believe in Santa Claus" by Diane G. Adamson:   Santa Claus throughout history has been depicted as a kind red-suited man with white hair who loves children, comes in the night, and leaves gifts. These are also attributes of Jesus Christ. Believing in Santa Claus can lead children of all ages to feel the love of Jesus Christ

• "The Legend of the Candy Cane" by Lori Walburg:  The story of a store keeper and a young girl who share the good news of Jesus by sharing candy canes with others.

• "The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey" by Susan Wojciechowski: A sad, lonely and seemingly grumpy woodcarver is ask to create a nativity for a widow and her son... a process which leads to a softened heart and unexpected change.

Have a book that you would recommend?  Please comment below and share it!  I would love to add it to our list!

Candace