Christ-Centered Christmas Traditions for Families
If you’re anything like me, it’s easy to quickly get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the holidays! The season can quickly become focused on gifts, decorations, and holiday parties. For Christians, Christmas holds a much deeper meaning. This is a special time of year to reflect on the birth of Jesus. As God’s gift to the world, Jesus brought love, joy, and peace. It certainly takes intention to slow down and keep Christ the focus of the Christmas Season (read more about the Calm(er) Christmas preparation plan here). These Christ-Centered Christmas traditions keep the focus on Christ and create meaningful memories for your family. Below are some wonderful Christmas traditions that will remind your family of the true reason for the season.
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Christ-Centered Advent Calendars
Advent calendars are a popular way for families to count down the days leading up to Christmas. Christ-centered Advent calendars emphasize the story of Jesus’ birth. These calendars often include Bible verses, prayers, or activities that encourage reflection and family time. Each day leading up to Christmas, families can read scripture, say a prayer, or engage in a faith-based activity that draws them to the true meaning of Christmas.
The Giving Manger
The Giving Manger is a beautiful tradition that helps families focus on kindness and generosity during the Christmas season. The concept of the Giving Manger is simple. Each time a family member performs an act of kindness or serves someone else, they place a piece of straw in the manger. By Christmas Day, the manger is filled with straw, symbolizing the ways the family has shared the love of Christ with others throughout the season.
This tradition is a wonderful way to emphasize that Christmas is about giving, not just receiving. It encourages children and adults alike to think beyond themselves and to be intentional about serving others in the name of Jesus. Place a piece of straw for anything from a small act of kindness or a larger gesture of service. The Giving Manger encourages love and service to others as Christ has loved and served us.
Read the Christmas Story Together
Reading the Christmas story from the Bible is one of the simplest, yet most profound Christmas traditions. On Christmas Eve or Christmas morning, gather your family together and read the account of Jesus’ birth from the Gospels. For younger children, an illustrated children’s Bible can bring the story to life.
Visit a Living Nativity
A living nativity is a wonderful way to experience the Christmas story in a tangible way. Many churches and Christian organizations host a living nativity where actors and animals portray the events of Jesus’ birth. Walking through the scenes of the nativity allows families to feel as though they are part of the story. If there are animals involved, there are often sounds and even smells too that bring the Christmas story to life!
Serve Those in Need
One of the most powerful ways to celebrate Christmas as a family is to serve those in need. Jesus came into the world as a servant. We can share His love with others during the Christmas season. Whether it’s volunteering at a local shelter, donating to a food bank, or delivering meals to homebound individuals, serving others is a tangible way to live out the message of Christmas.
Involving your children in service projects helps them understand that Christmas is not just about receiving gifts, but about sharing with others. It’s a way to teach them compassion, generosity, and the joy that comes from helping those who are less fortunate. We have participated in the Angel Tree Program many times. It’s easy to include children in this service project. They like to pick out gifts for a child the same age as a child in our family. This always seems to make a big connection for them and hopefully passes on a legacy of service at Christmas time.
Happy Birthday, Jesus Cake
Many families celebrate Jesus’ birth by baking a “Happy Birthday, Jesus” cake on Christmas Day. This simple but meaningful tradition serves as a reminder that Christmas is a celebration of Jesus’ birth. As you gather around the table to enjoy the cake, you can take a moment to sing “Happy Birthday” to Jesus and reflect on the significance of His birth.
This tradition is especially fun for children, as it helps them understand that Christmas is about celebrating Jesus. You can involve your kids in the baking and decorating process, making it a special family activity that they will look forward to year after year. My friend, Allison Gordon, of Preshie Pie Ceramics (IG handle @preshiepie) makes the most adorable cake toppers and even has one to celebrate the birth of Jesus.
Christmas Lights
Christmas lights are a symbol of the light that Jesus brought into the world! Many families enjoy driving around to look at the beautiful light displays in their neighborhoods. To add a Christ-centered focus to this tradition, you can take time to reflect on Jesus as the Light of the World while enjoying the lights.
Before heading out to see the lights, read John 8:12. Jesus says, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” As you admire the twinkling lights, discuss how Jesus brings light and hope into a dark world. We love to make hot chocolate in to-go cups to take on our Christmas light night as a fun sweet treat!
Christian Children’s Books
Reading Christian children’s books during the Christmas season is a wonderful way to teach kids about the true meaning of the holiday. There are many beautiful picture books that tell the story of Jesus’ birth in a way that is accessible and engaging for young children.
This is personally one of our favorite Christ- Centered Christmas traditions. We keep a basket of our favorite Christ-Centered children’s books around for kids to read throughout the season. They always look forward to pulling these out the day we decorate the tree! (They are also the last thing we put away during our Christmas Clean up!)
Gingerbread Nativity
Building a gingerbread nativity is a fun and creative way to celebrate the birth of Jesus with your family. Instead of making a traditional gingerbread house, you can build a nativity scene out of gingerbread, with cookies representing Mary, Joseph, baby Jesus, and the other figures from the nativity story.
This hands-on activity is a great way for children to engage with the Christmas story in a fun and memorable way. As you build the nativity, you can talk about the significance of each character and how they fit into the story of Jesus’ birth.
Prioritize Church Attendance
Although it’s not always as flashy as some of the other traditions, attending church during the Christmas season is one of the most important ways to keep Christ at the center of your celebrations. Churches that celebrate the Advent season usually have a special Advent wreath lighting portion of the service that kids will enjoy. Many churches hold special Christmas Eve or Christmas Day services that provide an opportunity to worship and reflect on the birth of Jesus.
We always look forward to singing “Silent Night” by candle light at the close of our church’s Christmas Eve service. We do it each year and although I know it’s coming, I always get a little choked up at the beauty of the moment and the power of worshiping together with our church and family!
Gifts for Neighbors
One way to spread the love of Christ during the Christmas season is by giving gifts to your neighbors. This tradition helps build a sense of community and allows you to share the joy of Christmas with those around you. The gifts don’t have to be extravagant—simple treats, homemade cookies, or small tokens of appreciation can brighten someone’s day and show them that they are loved.
Advent Wreath
The Advent wreath is a beautiful Christian tradition that symbolizes the coming of Christ, the Light of the World. The wreath typically consists of four candles, each representing a different theme of Advent: hope, peace, joy, and love. A fifth candle, often placed in the center of the wreath, represents Christ and is lit on Christmas Day.
Each week of Advent, families can light one of the candles and reflect on the corresponding theme. This tradition provides a structured way to prepare spiritually for Christmas and reminds families of the hope and anticipation that surrounded Jesus’ birth.
Shepherd on the Search
Shepherd on the Search is a Christ-centered alternative to the popular “Elf on the Shelf” tradition. Instead of focusing on mischievous antics, the Shepherd on the Search encourages children to look for the shepherd as he journeys through the house in search of the baby Jesus. Each day, the shepherd moves closer to the nativity scene, reminding children that the birth of Jesus is the true focus of Christmas.
This fun and interactive tradition helps keep the focus on Christ while engaging children in the anticipation of His birth. It’s a great way to incorporate faith into a beloved Christmas activity.
