Books or traditions to help DS learn the real meaning of Christmas?

I want DS to grow up learning about the real meaning of Christmas as does DH. esp because he works in retail and he has grown to loathe the holidays because of what they now stand for. We want Christmas to be different. We are Christians, DH Catholic and I am Protestant and we both grew up going to church and know what Christmas is and how it's important to give, etc but while we were talking about real Christmas, it sort of sounds fake also....a tree, stockings, mistletoe, snowmen, etc, etc. While I think there are good messages to send with the secular but non-materialistic stuff about Christmas, like Christmas is about traditions like tree decorating, we share ornaments as a family, giving is better than receiving, mistletoe could be about DH remembering the love we have for each other and for our DS...etc etc and all that is good

BUT we are Christians. THAT is why Christmas is a holiday. I hate how commercial it is, I hate the generic Christmas songs and "holiday" stuff. That's great in the neighborhoods and stuff so that everyone is included regardless of religion or beliefs, and I know a lot of people who aren't Christian who have a tree, who decorate with the lights and I don't want to be that family that just does these things because that's what you do for the holidays and it's fun and pretty.

I'm not going to stop the tree and lights and etc because let's face it, it has become a tradition that my family has done for generations and it's fun and those secular aspects of the holiday do offer valuable lessons for us and our children BUT how do also start to focus on the REAL aspects of Christmas besides going to church on Christmas Eve? We never did a manger or advent calendar growing up, do those things help in teaching them about Jesus? About why he came? Are there lessons to teach or things you do to help get this main message of Christmas across?

Message edited 12/5/2011 12:04:46 PM.

Re: Books or traditions to help DS learn the real meaning of Christmas?

make sure you have a nativity scene and an advent calendar. take him to church.

there are some holiday shows that spotlight, Linus' scene in Charlie Brown Christmas, and also the Christmas Spectacular.

O Little Town of Bethelehem
It Came Upon a Midnight Clear

listen to christmas hymns like Silent Night, Little Drummer Boy (also has a cartoon).

but I always wanted to say this: Santa Claus came from a religious tradition. the idea of santa claus hold close to very christian ideals...giving, loving thy neighbor, being thankful, being charitable.

Saint Nicholas was a real person. connect those dots.

good luck.

Re: Books or traditions to help DS learn the real meaning of Christmas?

Its really nice to see this post, I feel 100% the same as you. I am Catholic (as is DH) and I absolutely want DD to grow up knowing the true meaning of Christmas. I loathe how commercial it is now and how everyone, Christian or not, feels almost forced to celebrate it.

I grew up going to Catholic school and attending Mass weekly, so there was no question for me as to what Christmas was about. I was actually quite surprised to learn that people celebrated it without the religious aspect. We always had the nativity set under the tree, midnight Mass was our yearly tradition and we grew up knowing Jesus was the main guy of the day, not Santa. Of course we had the tree, decorations and gifts too, but we knew that that all came second. DD will have the same.

My mom actually just bought DD this book, it's perfect for little kids . . .
http://www.amazon.com/Story-Christmas-Patricia-Pingry/dp/0824918452

Re: Books or traditions to help DS learn the real meaning of Christmas?

My DS goes to Catholic school (kindergarten) and we attend Mass regularly, so he definitely knows what Christmas is all about. However, as crazy as this sounds, the best discussion I ever had with him about the "real" meaning of Christmas as opposed to all the hype and commercialism came after we read his current fave holiday story, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, lol. We were talking about how Christmas still came for the Whos despite the Grinch's attempt to take away all their decorations and presents because the Whos knew that those things were just for fun, and they knew what Christmas was really all about.

Re: Books or traditions to help DS learn the real meaning of Christmas?

Our advent calendar is a nativity scene, I make the advent candles out of construction paper and we "light" one every Sunday, I have a little Advent prayer book that I read to DD every night (even though she obviously doesnt understand it yet!). Every night we read a Children's story of christmas, and O Little Town of Bethlehem. Another great book, while not religious, is The Spirit of Christmas.

I was very aware of the true meaning of Christmas growing up. . . actually we were not allowed to open presents until after church somehow I survived

Re: Books or traditions to help DS learn the real meaning of Christmas?

We got DS the book Christmas in the Manger. It is very basic but it was a good introduction. He has learned more at school.

Re: Books or traditions to help DS learn the real meaning of Christmas?

DH and I just spoke about this today. How commercialized and materialistic it has all become and different ways we can teach our boys about the true meaning, spirit of Christmas.

We plan on raising our children "in the church" as we were. They will know the true meaning behind Easter, Xmas, Halloween, because we will teach them, as we were taught.

They will go to mass and catholic school. They will know that Dec 25th was the birth of Christ, they will know the story of Bethlehem.

We have a children's Bible, that I already started reading to them.

As soon as they can walk they will be hand delivering toys to less fortunate children.
They will know that giving is better than receiving. They will know just how fortunate they are, and appreciate their privileges.

I hope to instill in them the same morals and values that mine and DHs family have set in us. If they grow up to be half the man their Daddy is, they will be lucky

Re: Books or traditions to help DS learn the real meaning of Christmas?

We do an advent calendar to count down to the birth of Jesus. This year's happens to have bible verses, but they don't always. My 2 kids share 1 calendar and take turns opening the door.

This year I also started an advent book countdown as well. I wrapped 24 Christmas books and each day the kid who didn't open the advent calendar gets to pick the book and open it, then we all read it together. Most of them are religious based, last night's was about the camels who carried the wise men's gifts to Jesus. There are also some secular classics mixed in, Saturday was The Grinch Who Stole Christmas.

We light our advent wreath each night. I have a book I read to the kids that has a daily reflection and prayer, as well as a gospel reading each Sunday. This is our book

We have a big nativity scene and my kids are involved in setting it up. We talk about the people as we set them out, why they were in the stable, who the 3 kings were, the Star of Bethlehem, etc. They often look at it and ask questions.

Message edited 12/6/2011 8:10:25 AM.

Re: Books or traditions to help DS learn the real meaning of Christmas?

Our advent calendar is a nativity scene and each day we keep explain to her what we are counting down to and so on. We also have a nativity scene and take her to church. Last year I bought two childrens books about the real meaning of Christmas (Christmas in the Manger and Christmas Night, Fair & Bright) so we read those to her as well. And some of the best reading material we have are actually the little booklets about Christmas our church gives out each year. I know she may not get it all now, but she will eventually.

Re: Books or traditions to help DS learn the real meaning of Christmas?

I didn't mention this in my last post but I remember as a child going to churchs that put on reenactments of the Christmas story. Some of them were quite elaborate and had live animals in it. I don't know of any ones currently going on but I imagine they must still do them.

Re: Books or traditions to help DS learn the real meaning of Christmas?

I agree with the Nativity and advent calendar. don't put the Baby Jesus in it until Christmas Morning (if its attached, like mine is we cover him with a cotton ball). In the advent calendar put a mix of fun activities with religious/charity.

Here are a few of ours:
- do a good deed for a stranger
- Read the story about the birth of Jesus
- Buy toys to donate to a charit
- write a card/letter to someone in the army
- At dinner, describe what you love about each person.
- donate gently used clothes and toys to a charity
- write a letter of love to your godparents

St. Nicholas Day is today, 12/6 so you could read up on him and do an activity similar to the story.

On Christmas make it about Jesus' birthday
- we get gifts in honor of Jesus (the way they get gifts on their birthday too.)
- have a birthday cake for Jesus (sing happy birthday to jesus)

Re: Books or traditions to help DS learn the real meaning of Christmas?

I read a blog where the woman does Elf on A Shelf with her kids. However, her elf only comes for 10 days, and each day he brings the next part of the story of Jesus and Christmas.

She feels like she is turning something commercial and fun into something where her children are learning about Christmas and the true meaning. They all read the letter that the elf leaves each night and they talk about it.

Re: Books or traditions to help DS learn the real meaning of Christmas?

There is a really cute book called "Who's coming to our house" about the animals in the stable preparing their home for the arrival of Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus. They are waiting for him to come, just like we do during advent. Also, Little People have a Nativity set that my mom is buying for DD. It's really cute.

Every year when I was little we made a tradition of putting baby Jesus in the manger and saying happy birthday to him on Christmas morning. We also went to Christmas Eve mass which I like better than going Christmas morning.

Also, maybe you can have DS pick out an inexpensive you to donate to your local church's outreach program and explain about the spirit of giving.

Re: Books or traditions to help DS learn the real meaning of Christmas?

Oh, an also leave up Christmas decorations until 1/6 bc really the Christmas season starts on Christmas and "Little Christmas" on 1/6 is when the wise men arrived with their gifts for Jesus so maybe you can talk about this.