Making Meaningful Christmas Memories

It is hard to remember a Christmas party with friends or staff when I haven’t asked the guests to share their favorite Christmas tradition or express a fond memory of Christmas past.  Many are similar, some inspirational and others worthy of adopting.  As parents and grandparents, we enjoy creating those special moments that become cherished lifelong memories that are perpetuated from one generation to another.  Often these memories create a feeling of belonging and security.  Through these traditions, children learn something of family values and culture.  As Christians, we have an opportunity to teach compassion, love, and generosity -attributes that embody the spirit of Christmas and remind us of its true meaning.

Baking and enjoying cookies or other treats are a tradition most families experience.  Exchanging gifts, holiday meals, and pajamas on Christmas Eve are also among the more common Christmas memories.  When taking out the Christmas decorations, the endearing shouts of “I remember this” is heard.  Questions like, “Can we make a gingerbread house like we did last year” and “Are we going to that place to see Christmas lights again”, tells you they remember and enjoy these traditions.  In addition to the activities that make the season fun, consider making meaningful Christmas memories that include doing for others.  Focusing on the gift of God’s Son, look for ways to share the story of God’s love, joy, peace and hope in your community.

Memorable and Meaningful Activities

As you begin the Christmas season, here are some ideas for memorable and meaningful activities to do as a family.

• Deliver the baked cookies or treats that you make, to the elderly, widowed, and disabled in your neighborhood or church family.
• Participate in a Christmas Shoebox drive through a local church or school. This is something Covenant Academy promotes, encouraging our students to work for the money spent on the items for the box, so that they are truly a part of the giving.
• Instead of having an abundance of gifts to open on Christmas morning, considering giving just three gifts as a reminder of the gifts the wisemen brought baby Jesus.
• Make a family video singing a Christmas song and sharing words of encouragement, to send to loved ones far away.
• Read Luke Chapter Two aloud from the Bible, before opening gifts on Christmas Eve or Christmas morning.
• Sing old Christmas carols the nights leading up to Christmas and discuss the meaning and story shared in the songs. Go Christmas caroling in your neighborhood or visit a nursing home or shelter.
• Invite someone who would otherwise be alone, to join you for Christmas dinner.
• Visit a Christmas light display. Our family drives through a specific neighborhood (in a convertible), where residences go all out decorating their homes in support of Hospice.  Our heads turn every which way to take in all the creative, animated, and musical house displays.  Giving a donation to Hospice makes this fun activity meaningful as well.
• Visit a live nativity scene. Many churches have a live outdoor display on Christmas Eve - perfect for young children.
• Attend a Christmas Eve service. Some dear friends take a family picture in front of the decorated Christmas tree at church every year and text the picture with a merry greeting to friends on Christmas day.  I always enjoy receiving their text in the midst of our busy morning.
• Celebrate the Advent season with special activities for each night of December. Look for Advent ideas online that are appropriate for the age of your children.
• Serve as a family, at a soup kitchen or homeless ministry during the holidays.
• Express gratitude. In our family, opening gifts Christmas morning is a long process because we give and receive each gift, one at a time with love and gratitude.
• Use your pile of Christmas cards as a prayer list to pray for each family.
  

  

• Take treats to those working on Christmas Eve or Christmas day-like firemen, police officers, and health care workers. What a blessing and happy surprise this will be for those giving up their day with family to serve the community.

As you celebrate the Christmas season, consider how you can be “others” oriented.  This will help to make your Christmas memories meaningful and bring joy and hope to those in your corner of the world.

Several of these ideas came from friends, sharing the love of Jesus at Christmas.  You can bless others by sharing your tradition or idea with a comment below.

Merry Christmas