6 Inspirational Ways to Teach Your Children the True Meaning of Christmas

November is the perfect time to plan for a Christ-centered Christmas. You can set aside time to teach your children the true meaning of Christmas.

December Devotions

I love to reread the Christmas story every year and want to pass that joy on to my children. Not just the baby born in Bethlehem part, but the whole story that begins with a priest and his barren wife.

Here are my favorite parts of the Christmas story:

• Jesus Is God (John 1:1-5)
• Zachariah Receives a Promise (Luke 1:5-25)
• Angel Appears to Mary (Luke 1:26-38)
• Mary Visits Elizabeth & Unborn Baby John Leaps for Joy (Luke 1:39-45)
• Mary’s Song (Luke 1:46-56)
• John the Baptist Is Born (Luke 1:57-66)
• Zachariah’s Song (Luke 1:67-80)
• Joseph’s Dream & Decision to Stay with Mary (Matthew 1:18-25)
• Joseph & Mary Travel to Bethlehem; Jesus Is Born (Luke 2:1-7)
• Shepherds Hear & Spread the News (Luke 2:8-20)
• Jesus Is Dedicated (Luke 2:21-24)
• Anna & Simeon Prophecy Over Baby Jesus (Luke 2:25-38)
• Wise Men Visit (Matthew 2:1-12)
• Jesus Escapes with Parents to Egypt (Matthew 2:13-15)
• Family Returns & Settles in Nazareth (Matthew 2:16-23)

Do you want to have simple devotions with your children?

Read the passage. Ask children what they like about the story. Pray for one another. Sing a Christmas carol. Super-simple! Yet effective!

Christmas Picture Books

No one is ever too old to listen to a well-written, beautifully illustrated Christmas picture book. Some are just cute and fun! Others pack an inspirational message! I like both!

Since I’m talking about Christmas inspiration, though, I will share my favorite Christmas picture books with a meaningful message.

• Humphrey’s First Christmas by Carol Heyer
• A Fruitcake Christmas by Max Lucado
• The Legend of the Candy Cane by Lori Walburg
• The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey by Susan Woiciechowski
• The Story of Saint Nicholas: More Than Reindeer and a Red Suit by Cheryl Odden & Voice of the Martyrs

For more inspirational Christmas books, read Inspirational Christmas Picture Books Your Children Will Love.

Simple Service Projects

God love us so much that He gave! (See John 3:16) Christmas is all about God’s gift to us: Jesus came to seek and save the lost.

Our response: we just have to give, too! That’s why we give presents to one another and reach out to the needy and hurting.

We can show love to those who are struggling financially, physically, and emotionally this Christmas in simple ways. It’s so fun to communicate God’s love to others at Christmas!

Here are some practical ideas:

• Invite unbelievers to special church events (cantatas, concerts, plays, parties)
• Decorate an elderly person’s home for Christmas (and put everything away after the New Year)
• Bake and distribute cookies to your neighbors with a Bible verse about God’s love attached
• Go Christmas caroling in your neighborhood as a family
• Fill a shoebox for Operation Christmas Child
• Provide gifts/food for a needy family you know
• Visit hospital patients on Christmas Eve and pray for them if they are willing
• Sing Christmas carols at a nursing home
• Offer to shop and wrap presents for home-bound friends (or help them order online)
• Include lonely folks in your family celebrations

Sing Christmas Carols

Sing Christmas carols with your children—not just the first verse—sing them all! There is so much great theology packed in these old carols.

Here are some awesome Christmas carols to get you started:

• O Come All Ye Faithful
• Joy to the World
• God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
• Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
• The First Noel
• It Came Upon a Midnight Clear
• Little Town of Bethlehem
• Do You Hear What I Hear
• O Holy Night
• Silent Night

Would you like to know what I listen to in my car at Christmas time? Here is My Favorite Songs Christmas Playlist.

Act Out the Christmas Story

Pull out the bathrobes and towels to use as costumes. Make some construction paper crowns. Hang a bright yellow star from the ceiling. Now you’re ready to act out the Christmas story.

For extra fun, videotape it and watch it together. Save it and watch again in 5 years.

Try a Christmas Unit Study

December is a great time for out-of-the-box learning with a Christmas Unit Study!

We build a unit study around a living book or learning about Christmas in another time or place. Our unit studies include gift-making, wrapping, decorating, baking, and other Christmasy fun! We learn about Christmas in other times and places.

Would you like to learn more about unit studies at our house? Read Celebrate Christmas with Unit Studies.

Until next time, Happy Homeschooling,

Warmly,

Meredith Curtis

Meredith Curtis, homeschooling mom, writer, speaker, and publisher, loves to encourage families in their homeschooling adventure. She is the author of Celebrate Christian in Germany Unit Study, Celebrate Christmas in Colonial America Unit Study, Celebrate Christmas with Cookies Unit Study, and HIS Story of the 20^th Century series. You can check out her books, curricula, unit studies, and Bible studies at PowerlineProd.com. Read her blogs at PowerlineProd.com and listen to her at Finish Well Radio.