Picture of the lake by our house...Joel and I are always looking for new traditions to incorporate into our Christmas with the kids. This year we added two that we are really excited about and plan to continue for years to come.
Both of these were not our original ideas - one was in a Christian Magazine at our church and the other I got off crosswalk.com.
So the first was a change in the types and number of gifts we give our kids. First of all, you need to know that we have never really done a whole lot for Christmas partly due to finances but mostly because Christmas is not about us or our kids - it's Jesus' birthday and so we want our kids to know that it's all about HIM! We do big birthday celebrations for our kids and so Christmas is a big celebration about Jesus. However - in reading this article about 3 gifts for Christmas I was enthralled and thought that made so much sense! Jesus received 3 gifts - Gold, Frankensense and Myrh. The article went on to say how this couple decided to do the equivilent with their kids - 3 gifts with important meaning. The "gold" gift is something more expensive that your child has asked for. The "Frankensense" gift is something that helps them grow spiritually and the "Myrh" gift is something that they wear.
So - Christmas morning Joel went over the gifts that Jesus got and then explained the use of each, followed by telling the kids that they were getting the 3 gifts! It was so fun and we loved it!
The second tradition we are adding involves a unique way to teach your children to pray. We actually haven't started this one yet but will be this next week! You save all the Christmas cards that you get and put them in a basket on your dining room table. Then starting shortly after New Year's each night at dinner as the family is arround the table - you take a card out of the basket. As a family you talk about how you know that family, memories you may have with them, etc. and then you pray for that family together. I have always felt bad about just discarding all the beautiful cards that people send and just LOVED this unique idea! Don't worry if you didn't send us a card - we will pray for you anyway! LOL
So there are the two new traditions we have added this year. I would really like to hear about any traditions that your family may have so that perhaps we can add to ours and feel free to begin these with your family as well!
1 comment:
Sounds good. We usually do the three gift thing but not the card thing that way. Another way to do the card thing is when you get them. We have done that and then put the card on the tree. Way to go. Miss you.
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