10 Ways to Keep Jesus at the Center of Christmas

Keeping Jesus at the Center of Christmas

The Christmas season is upon us. The darkness of this time of year is now lit up with twinkle lights. The cold breeze is made warmer by that hot cup of cocoa. Friends and family begin to gather around fireplaces and tables to enjoy good food and even better company. Christmas time is truly so special but if we’re not careful, we can get swept up in the hustle and bustle.

Before we know it, January arrives, and we find ourselves packing away decorations, taking down the tree, and wishing we had savored the season more. Yes, I need this reminder too! I want this season to be fun, memorable, and intentional —and I want to make sure that, at the center of Christmas, we remember what it’s truly about: celebrating and being thankful for the birth of Christ.

So, let’s be intentional! Soak it in. Move a bit slower. And fix our gaze on Jesus. Here are some ways our family is aiming to keep Christ at the center of Christmas this year, and I hope these ideas can help your family do the same.

10 Ways to be Intentional as a Family this Christmas

Find an Advent Devotional.

This is a wonderful time of year to start a family devotion time. If your family already has a devotional routine, an Advent devotional can be a fun way to switch things up and keep everyone engaged. And it is so easy because there are many fantastic Advent devotionals available—and some are even free.

A great place to start is Lifeway.com, which has many Advent resources for kids and families. We’ve enjoyed a variety of books and calendars over the years, including Jesus Calling: The Story of Christmas, The Advent Storybook, The Way to the Manger, and The Littlest Watchman. Lifeway.com also offers a free family Advent guide to use this season. The center of Christmas is the birth of Jesus Christ – so why not spend some time talking about the best gift we could ever receive?

Additionally, here are Advent devotions that our staff have written, specifically for families:

  1. Advent Devotional: A Season of Love
  2. Advent Devotional: A Season of Peace
  3. Advent Devotion: A Season for Joy
  4. Advent Devotion: A Season of Hope.

Discuss the Reason for the Season at Meals.

We use dinnertime as an opportunity to keep Jesus at the center. If you’ve ever gotten Table Topics Cards in a Chick-fil-A kid meal, you know how these can spark great conversations. We even created a list of Holiday-Themed Family Conversation Starters to help everyone participate in meaningful discussions around the table.

Use Christmas Decor to Point to Jesus.

Jesus at Center of Christmas

Many of us display a manger scene as part of our Christmas decorations. Use it as a way to explore the story of Christ’s birth with your kids. Each day, focus on a different part of your nativity scene, and refer to the Bible for details about that aspect of the story. Family Life also offers an ornament set with a devotional book, so you can incorporate this tradition on your Christmas tree.

Discuss Christ-Centered Christmas Movies.

We love Christmas movies! (Don’t tell anyone, but we sometimes sneak them in during July, October, or even March!) In December, we watch Christmas movies almost every night. So, you better believe that almost every night in December we are pulling out some little Christmas show to enjoy. We love them all, and you might be surprised at how many films offer opportunities to talk about Jesus with your kids.

Of course, the ones that more directly focus on the story of Christ. A few of our favorites are below!

Use Christmas Music to Point to Jesus.

Don’t let Christmas music pass you by without a conversation! This is probably one of the easiest ones because many, many Christmas songs shine a light on the true meaning of the season. So, put on some tunes and discuss the lyrics with your kids.

Plug into Church Activities.

Engage with your church’s holiday events! Many churches have Advent events which can offer meaningful traditions for your family. Our church, for example, holds a kids’ Christmas musical every year. The kids begin rehearsing Christmas songs in October to perform on stage for a full worship service in early December. Rehearsing songs about Jesus from October to December helps keep Christ in our minds, and these songs often linger in our hearts long after the performance.

Attending the Christmas Eve service at our church as a family is another tradition of ours. We also read the account of Jesus’ birth from Luke 2 together before bed, a ritual that roots us in the reason for the season and keeps Jesus at the center of Christmas.

Serve and Give Back to Others.

Many families, including ours, make a point of giving to others during the holidays. For us, Operation Christmas Child has become a staple and a cherished tradition, with shoeboxes filled and donated before Thanksgiving, providing a wonderful way to kick off the Christmas season.

There are so many other organizations with Christmas service projects that the public can get involved with. So, explore ways to serve and give back, such as volunteering or donating gifts to families in need. Reflecting on the meaning behind these acts of kindness is a powerful way to keep Jesus at the center of Christmas. It helps kids understand that Jesus came as a humble servant to others and ultimately gave us the gift of salvation, even when we didn’t deserve it.

Pray for Families as you Receive Christmas Cards in the Mail.

Receiving Christmas cards in the mail during December is something we always look forward to. It does make me laugh when my kids don’t recognize some of the people, often from way back in our past. If your kids don’t recognize some faces from years past, share a story or two about each family.

Make it a tradition to pray for a different family each night—whether before dinner or bedtime—as a way to extend the spirit of love and gratitude.

Bake Through the Bible at Christmas.

The Bake through the Bible at Christmas cookbook contains 12 Bible stories, told in a simple, engaging style, that take kids through the events of the first Christmas. Each story is supported by a baking activity that reinforces the main teaching, along with questions to discuss while baking, and a simple recap to use while enjoying what you’ve made.

My kids LOVE to help me bake anytime of the year but especially at Christmas. This is a really fun way to engage as a family, and keep Jesus at the center of Christmas, and the center of your holiday baking!

Give the Gift of Camp for Christmas

With each Christmas season, families also face the dilemma of deciding what to put under the tree for kids to unwrap on December 25th. “What could possibly top last year’s gifts?!” Well, worry no more. We know the perfect gift – the gift of a Camp experience.

If you register for an overnight or family camp before December 15th AND you fill out this form, we’ll send you a one-of-a-kind Summer Camp Starter Pack including items such as an exclusive WinShape Camps beanie, sunglasses, and fanny pack to place under the tree!

I hope we all take time this season to reflect on the true meaning of Christmas. Jesus truly is the greatest gift of all, and demonstrating this to our kids is a valuable investment in their faith journey. If you have other ideas, please share them in the comments on Instagram or Facebook. Let’s encourage each other to keep Jesus at the center of Christmas and the focus of our families this season.

Written by: Amy Lowe – Director of WinShape Camps for Girls and WinShape Camps for Families