Helping Your Family Focus on Christ During the Christmas Season

Aubrey De Jesus • December 11, 2023

Christmas has become so commercialized, that for Christian parents it can be hard to keep the “gift-mentality” out of the season. Don’t misunderstand me; there’s nothing “wrong” with giving gifts during Christmas. Even Paul says, “You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God.” (1 Corinthians 9:11) When we give gifts to those around us, it is an expression of thanksgiving to God. The problem comes when gifts become the focal point of the season, especially for our children. 

So, how can we keep our family focused on Christ this Christmas season? Firstly, decide as a family to make it a priority. This includes talking with our children about why Christ’s birth is so important. God Himself, the Creator of heaven and earth, the One who is all-powerful, humbled Himself and came to earth as a baby with the intention to one day die for the sins of the world. This is not something to be taken lightly, and it is our responsibility to impress upon our children just how amazing and awe-inspiring this is. Helping our children fully understand the sacrifice He made will help them better appreciate this time of year.


Reading books about the true Christmas story is another way to keep it at the forefront of our minds. One thing I like to do with my children is to wrap up 25 Christmas picture books, like an advent calendar of sorts, for them to unwrap and read every day leading up to Christmas. You can check out books from your local library or simply buy one or two every year to build up your collection. (I personally buy one for each of my boys every year and the rest I check out from the library) Reading a Christmas book every night will keep the story fresh in their minds and reinforce the importance of the Story. Some of my favorites include The Animals Speak by Marion Dane Bauer, The Little Drummer Boy by Ezra Jack Keates, Sounding Joy by Ellie Holcomb, The Christmas Promise by Alison Mitchell, and All the Colors of Christmas by Matthew Paul Turner. 


Another way to incorporate the Christmas story into your season is to do an Advent devotional as a family. This can include reading portions of the Christmas story together (nightly or weekly), singing Christmas hymns, or going through a devotional book together like the Family Advent Devotional: Bible Study Book. 


Finally, setting up a nativity scene in your home is a great reminder for kids; for little ones, you can even get a toy version for them to play with! I really like the Fisher-Price Little People Nativity set, and it has lasted our family many years. I encourage my kids to use the characters to act out the story; you can also have an older child retell the story to a younger sibling using the set. 


However you decide to incorporate the true Christmas story in your home, it will still serve as a reminder for all of you about the magic of Christmas: a story of love and promise. 

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