I love everything about our very merry Christmas traditions because to our family Christmas carries so much meaning beyond the busyness of shopping, giving, entertaining or traveling. I never realized how important holiday traditions were until I had children. I couldn’t help but reminisce about Christmas traditions growing up in Cote d’Ivoire in West Africa. Those very merry memories bring such nostalgia that Hubby and I decided to be intentional in creating our very merry Christmas with our children.
The true meaning of Christmas is the birth of Jesus and as Christians, we take the celebration of Jesus’ birthday for what it means with a birthday party and gift giving. He is the reason for the season so we honor Him the best we can by keeping Him at the center of it all. We usually bake a birthday cake that our girls love to decorate or get a personalized “Happy Birthday Jesus” in His honor. There is something sweet about enjoying a piece of cake while watching our favorite Christmas movie “It’s a wonderful life.”
Our very merry Christmas traditions involve a Christmas kit we purchased a couple years ago from Family Life, called What God wants for Christmas. Slowly but surely we started a surprisingly wonderful Christmas tradition with our children. For seven nights before Christmas, we enjoy reading about the nativity story. Our children have the opportunity to open one box each night to reveal one nativity figurine. It’s a beautiful and special time of anticipation for our girls. We love to see their excitement each night as we learn together the true meaning of Christmas and what God really wants for Christmas.
Our very merry Christmas traditions include our backpack give away. The gift is special because it epitomizes the giving nature of God’s love to us and our family gift to Jesus by blessing someone less fortunate. We fill up a backpack with toiletries, winter accessories, energy bars and a Bible for a homeless person. Every time we give the backpack away, we feel blessed to be used by God to show His love wrapped in a backpack.
Our very merry Christmas traditions is all about celebrating the birth of our Lord and Savior and there is really no substitute for the WELLthy MOMents and the legacy of faith in action we get to create every Christmas with our girls. Hubby and I are intentionally take time off to enjoy time with family and friends this season so I am taking a well needed break from blogging to recharge and refuel my creative tank. Here’s to a very merry Christmas and see you in the new year!
What fun family Christmas traditions do you celebrate?
