Here’s how to bring the magic and meaning back into Christmas for kids this year. Go beyond the commercialisation and materialism to show them true Christmas spirit.
It’s not unusual for your children to have an entire wish list of gifts at this time of the year. We all love new things and even your little ones will remember the avalanche of presents that appeared last Christmas (topped perhaps only by their birthday).
While we know there’s more to Christmas time than just presents, we need to consciously teach our children this important point. Want to bring back the true meaning of Christmas to your kids? Or are you simply looking for ways to make sure the Christmas season is magical and memorable?
Read on to find out how to teach children the meaning and story behind Christmas.
Teaching children the meaning behind Christmas
The allure of Christmas for many a child lies in Christmas morning. It’s the day they’re allowed to open the many presents sitting under the Christmas tree.
Christmas, at its core however, is about giving, not gifts.
While nobody wants to be the Grinch, the holiday season is actually the perfect time to teach our children about entitlement (or the lack thereof). We don’t always get what we want, and Christmas gifts are a great opportunity to (gently) teach children this important life lesson.
How do you navigate the “nag factor” from your kids, while still making Christmas day magical and fun? Resident psychologist Collett Smart has the answer.
Extend the spirit of giving to those who need it and cultivate a sense of compassion in your children from an early age. Children who volunteer are also more likely to grow up to be adults with empathy and stronger emotional intelligence.
There are many different Christmas-related projects to get involved in, including:
- Operation Christmas Child: providing gift-filled shoeboxes to children in developing countries
- The Smith Family’s Toy & Book Appeal for children in need around Australia
- Donating items to New Zealand’s The Foodbank Project
Teaching children the story behind Christmas
Christmas originated as a Christian holiday. Put simply, Christmas is a way for Christians to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ—God becoming human—in order to rescue humanity from eternal separation with God.
The date of baby Jesus actual birthday has long been a point of contention in the Christian world. Whether it’s actually on December 25th however, is beside the point. The point is, Christmas gives us the opportunity to talk to our children about the story of Jesus’ birth.
Want to go deeper into the story of Jesus’ birth?
Advent for Kids, with 31 short and easy readings (one for each day of December), is the perfect book to explore with your child.
