Three Ways to Help Your Family Prepare {Spiritually} for Christmas
As a mom of 4, my humble attempts to awaken my kids to the wonder of Christ when Santa can seem way more exciting
Greetings Glory Carriers!
Well, December is here. And this year, the way the calendar fell, that means Advent is here too. As I was reading a sample of a little Advent devotional I came across recently on my Kindle, I was smacked in the face with these words:
“Don’t let Christmas find you unprepared. I mean, spiritually unprepared.”
Yikes. I went from delightfully reading to desperately panicking in seconds: What does it mean to be ‘spiritually prepared’ for Christmas? What does it mean to help my family be ‘spiritually prepared’ for Christmas?
I did a quick inventory: my gifts were bought (well, almost), the tree was up, the lights were hung (check, check, check). I even dutifully wore the liturgical color of purple for the season of Advent on Sunday at church (does that count?). But I realized I hadn’t really given much thought to what is means to prepare, really prepare spiritually, for Christmas. And help my family do the same.
My stomach started to churn. Is yours?
If I am honest, it can feel like yet another thing ‘to do’ among a long list of other ‘to do’s’! I am probably not the only one thinking, In additional to all the gift buying, food cooking, cookie baking, and friend/family gathering, now I have to be responsible for helping my family prepare spiritually for Christmas too?
I am getting exhausted and overwhelmed just thinking about it.
But it doesn’t have to be that way. I don’t think. Bear with me here. That little book spurred me on to think about ‘bite-sized’ tips to help families prepare spiritually for Christmas. Key word: Bite-sized. Perhaps just try and take away one thing - yes, just one! - you can apply faithfully this year to make your preparation for Christmas more meaningful.
Because you know what? Keeping our homes grounded and growing in the things of God, no matter what the season, is what being a Home of Glory is all about. You ready?
Three Practical Ways to Help You and Your Family Prepare {Spiritually} for Christmas
1. Create conversations that raise awareness of our need for a Savior
My friend recently confessed that in growing up in a Christian home, she has never really understood the depth of her need for a Savior. Another friend, on the other hand, after battling with addiction for years, knows and relies daily on her desperate need for her Savior, the very giver of her sanity, health and life. Most of us probably fall somewhere in between. But remember Jesus’ words,
“It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” (Mark 2:17)
We all have various forms of ‘sickness’ in our hearts, minds, bodies and souls that need Jesus’ healing touch. Spend time this Advent first by asking God to deepen your awareness of your own sin sickness and need for Jesus - as a Savior. And then spark some conversations with your children in whatever age appropriate ways make sense.
For example, for my three oldest kids ages 8, 6, and 4, I can ask questions (as we go about life in the car, around the table or during our set devotion time):
Why do you think Jesus was sent into the world to save it?
Do you think you need a savior? What in your life makes you think that?
What is it that Jesus is saving us from?
How can we celebrate Jesus being our Savior this Christmas?
Whatever your conversations end up being, trust the Spirit to lead you as you seek to trickle little treasures of Truth about the reason for the season. You may be surprised what insights your children bring forth! And you can use these as teaching moments or a gauge of how much your children are understanding the gospel message at this point in their journey.
Remember, it doesn’t have to be perfect or overly formal. Just experiment with asking some questions about what it means to need a Savior. And see what happens!
2. Build God-centered anticipation and expectancy into your home
I confess the most exciting thing about Christmas growing up for me was the anticipation of not knowing what might show up under the tree from Santa Claus on Christmas morning. This is not a bad thing, it can be part of the wonder of the season.
But regardless of where you land on being pro or anti ‘Santa Claus’, all of us our shaped to some degree by material and secular influences. It is the world in which we live. Thus, we can be asking how we can create excitement about Christmas beyond material things. Or rather, how can we connect the material things to the spiritual meaning? This may take some imagination and creativity, but surely there are ways.
For our 4 kids, who are still pretty young, so far we have incorporated the following traditions (and are always open to new ideas) as a way of bringing deeper meaning to the season and connecting up the material with the spiritual:
Participating in a weekly Advent candle lighting activity with Bible readings, prayers and songs. We have used these simple Free Advent Readings the past few years and find they are perfect for families with children 5-10 years of age. We printed them out and do our candle lighting + readings around the table after dinner on Monday nights throughout the Advent season. It is one of our favorite traditions (that I also did as a child), that signals to our children “Christmas is about waiting for the arrival of our Savior” in such a beautiful way.
Something to note: This is by no means a “picture perfect” tradition free of chaos and frustration. My kids are usually arguing about who gets to light the candle first, and are more focused on the candles half the time than the actual readings! Not to mention my two-year-old running around causing a raucous. But we press on, and as we do - very imperfectly - I believe God does bless our humble efforts of showing up and trying to do something meaningful. And these are memories being made in our children that are having a shaping influence on their experience of the season.
Choosing an Advent-specific family devotional resource to read through daily (or at least a few times a week). Some recommendations I can make are:
Including nativity scenes in our home as visual reminders to talk about the birth of Jesus
Raising awareness of those in your community who are less fortunate and then creating a family project of giving to the poor and needy among you. We have a group of families we buy gifts for every year and personally travel to their homes to give to them. It has been truly a family highlight each year and has ingrained in our kids that Christmas is not just about receiving, but giving the Light and Love of Christ to those who need Him most.
Giving (just) three Christmas gifts to each of your children as a way of incorporating the three gifts brought to Jesus at his birth (see Matthew 2:11) - I will be writing more on this practice in my Notes this week, so do check back!
Beginning Christmas morning by lighting a candle and reading the story of Jesus’ birth from the Bible aloud together. We try to make this is the centerpiece of the morning. The gifts follow as a celebration of Jesus’ arrival!
We don’t always get the balance just right. But we can be intentional in some areas and try our best to add meaning to our merry Christmas. What will you try this year? Experiment, knowing that you can always make tweaks next year and as your kids enter different stages.
3. Be much in the Scriptures
I am always amazed at how when I enter back into the Scriptures (perhaps after a certain unintended time away), it brings life, light, hope and healing to my soul. Friend, is never too late to re-engage with God through His Word. Try reading (alone or with your family) through the two gospel narratives chronicling Jesus' birth: Matthew 1:18-25 and Luke 2:1-21 this Advent. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal something new to you that you haven't seen or noticed before.
Or you can join me in following along the daily prayers and readings on this Book of Common Prayer App. My husband and I have ours set to the morning and evening and have committed to doing the readings at those two times each day (sometimes on our own, sometimes together). It has changed our lives and shaped our souls in profound ways. It can yours too.
Just Do the One Thing
I pray there might be one or two things in these three suggestions that sparked some inspiration in you to act intentionally as you think about preparing yourself and your family spiritually for Christmas this year.
If not, that is okay too. If it is all too overwhelming, just forget it. Leave it all and come back to it next year. As a mom of 4, I know firsthand that there are seasons in life and sometimes you just don’t have the capacity, bandwidth or strength for one more thing. That is okay. There is grace. And you can do NOTHING, and Jesus will still love you all the same. Christmas will come and go and all will be well. So no pressure, please, my friend.
This is one of the first years in a long while (as my 4th child turns 2!) that the fog is starting to lift and I am getting some wind in my sails again. I have a long way to go and there are many things I would like to do that I just can’t yet, due to limitations in this season and the chaos that comes with 4 small children and the life of ministry.
But I have resolved that I can do the one thing. The one or two things that are simple, easy, and will add a sprinkle of meaning to our merry Christmas. We all have to evaluate and discern what season we are in, own it, honor it and do whatever feels right and life-giving (and doable!) for ourselves and our own family.
My one or two things I am committing to are: Advent candle lighting and reading through a child-friendly daily Advent devotional.
What are yours?
Please share them here. May our meaning and joy of Christmas increase as we come humbly, hopeful and spiritually ready (though very imperfectly!) to the manger this year, creating space for God’s glory to shine ever brighter through our hearts and homes. He will honor our humbles efforts, however big or small. So don’t delay, choose your one thing now.
For His Glory from My Home to Yours,
Ali
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Fun Family Photo
