EquippedMama

Hey there, Mamas.

Do you wish that you could make Christmas truly meaningful for your children? Do you have dreams of making beautiful lifelong memories, snuggling under blankets on the couch sipping hot chocolate and eating homemade tasty treats? Do you want your children’s memories of Christmas to be filled with joy, twinkling lights and glitter? Do you want them to always cherish that Christmas morning rush of bounding out of bed to find a host of beautifully wrapped gifts waiting for them?

Of course you do. You want what is good and happy and beautiful for your children.

While these things are good, never trade the truly meaningful for its surrogate. Do not let the month of December and all the business of the Advent season rob you of the opportunity to disciple your child and teach them the true wonder of Christmas. It is worth the time.

At the end of the day, your children won’t remember if you bought frozen cookie dough or made yours from scratch. It won’t deeply impact their adulthood if you bought ornaments from your local Dollar Store or if you crafted each by hand. However, the moments that you take to teach them about the wonder if the Incarnation can forever mark their lives. What does it mean that God became flesh? Why does it matter that Jesus was born of a virgin? How is this good news of great joy? These are questions that you have the privilege to answer. Delight in this reponsability.

How?

1. Read the Nativity account, as written in the Gospels. If you don’t know where to start, start here. Sit your children beside you and take several days to walk through the first few chapters of the book of Luke. If your children are a bit older, perhaps spend some time in all four Gospels and help your child understand the details provided by each author. If you don’t understand what you are reading. there are some truly fantastic resources to help you get started. One resource I recommend is here, just search the Bible passage and you will receive helpful notes to aid your understanding.
2. Find a Family Nativity Story which tells the story of Christ’s birth from the perspective of an onlooker. A couple really great options are Jotham’s Journey and Tabitha’s Travels (available on Amazon and other platforms). These books give great springboards for family discussion and require no preparation prior to reading.
3. Learn Christmas Carols. So many of the old Christmas Carols are rich in Biblical truth and tell so beautifully of the Messiah’s birth. Learn one or two as a family this Christmas. Sing along to a recording or plunk out some notes on the keyboard, but help your children put these tunes in their hearts.
4. Practice Corporate Prayer as a family. Don’t let the Christmas season pass without spending time thanking Jesus for His sacrifice. Let your children hear you pray, and invite them to join you, if they like. This may seem simple, but it is an important habit for your children to begin developing.

May this be a truly meaningful and spiritually rich season for you and your family. Happy Advent Season, Mama.

EquippedMama