our family’s Christ-centered Christmas

How to have a Christ centered Christmas.

Table of Contents

I have looked forward to this post for months as it’s been penciled into my blog schedule. Yet I have lost count of the number of times I’ve sat down and tried to write it. Although Christmas literally means “the Christian celebration of Christ’s birth”, talking about how our family strives to have a Christ-centered Christmas can come off as judgmental. As if I’m telling you this is the right way to celebrate Christmas. So I guess that’s how I’ll start–with a disclaimer. Our family chooses to celebrate the holiday season by having a Christ-centered Christmas. That’s what works for us. It does not mean that the way that you choose to celebrate Christmas is wrong. This post contains affiliate links, all opinions are my own.

How to have a Christ centered Christmas.

simplifying our season

For our family having a Christ-centered Christmas means to simplify our holiday season. Simplifying the season is something that I’ve been working on the past few years. I think that the term simplifying confuses some people. When I’m talking about simplifying our season I’m talking about refocusing and reprioritizing. As I plan out our Christmas festivities and the various things that we have planned I ask myself three questions. First of all, does it allow us to spend quality time together as a family? Secondly, is this a tradition we truly look forward to all year? Thirdly, does it bring us closer to the Savior? Because ultimately Christmas is about Christ, everything else is extra fluff. Sure, it’s nice and it’s fun. However, it might not have any real value, especially during a time of year that tends to be overly busy.

How to have a Christ centered Christmas.

Christ-centered giving

A couple years ago I shared some of the major ways that we focus on the Savior. I try to share the things we do during this time of year to make our Christmas more Christ-centered. I mentioned that on Christmas morning each member of our family has three gifts waiting for them under the tree. Each of us opens something joyful, something needful, and something meaningful. These three gifts represent the three gifts that the Wise Men brought to the baby Jesus– gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Did you know that each of these gifts that were presented had a special meaning? Gold was a gift meant for royalty. Myrrh was a common incense that represented Christ’s humanity. Frankincense was a incense that was used in the temple and represented His divinity.

By following a similar gifting pattern our family has been able to simplify our gift giving. But it has also helped to keep this aspect of Christmas centered on Christ. As we each take turns opening our gifts we talk about which gift it is that we’re opening–joyful, needful, or meaningful. This helps to reinforce why we’re opening our gifts. It also slows our busy Christmas morning down so it’s more than a flurry of wrappings and discarded trinkets. I use a grid system to keep organized as I purchase Christmas presents and I made one for you too! Take a look and you’ll notice there are four columns, I use the last one to keep track of stocking stuffers. Obviously you can feel free to use it in any way that works for your family.

How to have a Christ centered Christmas.

some ways our family has a Christ-centered Christmas

  • When planning our holiday activities we ask if each activity will allow us to focus on family, traditions, and Christ. In this was we can simplify our season.
  • When we decorate the tree we discuss the importance of the star on top.
  • We read Celebrating A Christ-Centered Christmas  with our children. We’ve adopted some of the traditions and practices found in A Christ-Centered Christmas.
  • Before we do anything else on Christmas morning we read the Christmas story from the book of Luke.
  • When opening presents we do so one at a time and discuss the meaning behind the gift we’re opening.
How to have a Christ centered Christmas.

Over the years as I’ve shared about our Christ-centered Christmas I get the same remarks in my inbox over and over. “I love this idea! I’ve been wanting to do something similar but I’m not sure how my husband/kids/extended family will take it”. I totally understand that, it can be tricky. Having kids who don’t “believe” in Santa Claus means you constantly have to remind them that “everyone celebrates and believes differently”. After all, despite what others sometimes think I would hate if my kids “ruined the magic” that another family has worked so hard to create.

Family members have often thought we’re silly over the years. That’s okay though, what’s most important is that you and your spouse are on the same page. Our family is lucky because we’ve always celebrated our Christmas this way so it’s all our kids know. Others who are used to having their Christmas a certain way might need to be sat down and talked to if you want to make a change.

How to have a Christ centered Christmas.
How does your family mingle your yuletide fun with the birth of the Savior to have a more Christ-centered Christmas? Is this something you’re working on or you don’t worry about too much?