Table of Contents
- Why is it important as a Christian Family?
- What family traditions do you have for Christmas?
- What Christmas traditions are biblical?
- How do Christian families celebrate Christmas?
- What do Christians do on Christmas Eve?
The wonders of Christmas time come with so much fun, excitement, hustle and bustle. Sometimes, we fill our entire month of December with “all things Christmas,” and I know for sure that I am always looking forward to all of the traditions for my family. The matching Christmas pjs, the holiday lights, the cookie decorating, the Christmas movies, the Elf on the Shelf, and so many more amazing activities can make up a full schedule for the holidays. But are you filling it with the most important Christian Christmas Traditions? Today, I am sharing all about the importance of Christmas traditions and the 3 Best Christian Christmas Traditions for Families.
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Why is it important as a Christian Family?
Spoiler alert! The season of Christmas should be an important time in a Christian family’s life because Christmas is all about the birth of our Lord and Savior.
Don’t get me wrong. I LOVE the secular activities during the Christmas season, and I am married to someone who I fondly call “Mr. Christmas” because he starts playing Christmas music in July.
However, filling your Christmas season with so many secular activities that there is no room to truly celebrate the birth of Jesus and focus our attention on adoring Him is doing a disservice to you and your family.
I think the key here is a good balance during the Christmas season when it comes to Christian Christmas traditions and secular traditions.
I would suggest heavily focusing your December around a solid Christian Christmas tradition that centers your family’s attention on the manger, and then sprinkling in some fun activities lightly throughout the month.
What family traditions do you have for Christmas?
Family traditions can be so beneficial to the entire family. In a 50 year research review, the American Psychological Association’s (APA) Journal of Family Psychology found that regular family traditions, including Christian Christmas Traditions, “are associated with marital satisfaction, adolescents’ sense of personal identity, children’s health, academic achievement and stronger family relationships.” 1
With the benefits in mind, I encourage you to think about Christmas traditions that you can do every year for your family. Do Christian Christmas traditions that create memories that your children pass down to their children.
So, what family traditions do you have for Christmas? The best Christian Christmas traditions for families should be ones that help point everyone in the family towards celebrating the birth of Jesus.
What Christmas traditions are biblical?
Christian Christmas Traditions are ones that have the focus be on Jesus, and there are so many meaningful traditions that you can start this year if you do not have any family traditions. Here are a few good ideas:
- Setting up a Nativity (especially one that can be played with like this one)
- Reading the Christmas Story in the Bible as a family
- Singing Christian Christmas carols
- Sending Christ-centered Christmas Cards to others
- Giving to support Christian based non-profits like Samaritan’s Purse
- Having an Advent Calendar
I want to encourage you to look for easy ways to turn secular Christmas activities that you love into Christian Christmas traditions.
For example, if you love making decorated sugar cookies each December, choose cookie cutters that are in the shape of angels or animals from the manger scene. Retell the birth of Jesus using the cookies and enjoy eating them as a family.
*Christmas Nativity Cookie Cutters
Another example is if you love reading Christmas books with your children, try choosing ones that focus on the birth of Jesus instead of Santa.
I encourage you to pick a few and really spend quality time on each one to build quality family memories for your Christian Christmas Traditions.
How do Christian families celebrate Christmas?
Like I mentioned above, Christian Families really need to celebrate Christmas by implementing Christian Christmas traditions that keep Jesus’ birth as the main focus.
Over the decade I was a Children’s Pastor, I came across many Christian Christmas traditions for families, and I found three that I really love. I personally have all three of these in my home, and I have gifted each one to many families over the years.
Any of these activities can turn into Christian Christmas traditions for your family that will be sure to bring wonder and awe to your Christmas season, and all of these will help keep the focus on Jesus.
Adorations of the Manger: A Christmas Hymn Study with Ornaments
This Advent Bible Study is best for families with a wide age range of children or those who really want to dig into scripture during the holidays.
I love singing Christmas songs, and like I mentioned above, my husband turns on Christmas music in July. So, I was thrilled when I learned about a Bible Study that centers itself around the Word of God and classic Christmas carols.
Adorations of the Manger takes a look at both the Bible and Christmas hymns to explain the true meaning of Christmas for all ages within your family.
There are five different age groups for the Bible study beginning at 2 years old all the way up to parents. Everyone will be studying the same thing each day on their own developmental level, and this is sure to be an awesome thing to talk about at your dinner table after using your Dinner Questions Printable Cards.
The best part is that you can order these beautiful wooden ornaments to put onto your tree that go with what you are studying each day. Love the look this creates on your tree, but also love the visual reminder of what you are learning.
This is the Christian Christmas Tradition that I personally will be using for my family this year, and I cannot wait.
Adoration of the Manger
Related Blog Post: 54 Fun Dinner Questions for Families
The Giving Manger
The Giving Manger is best for families with elementary to high school kids, and it is so wonderful at helping family’s shift the focus of Christmas from getting to giving.
This Christian Christmas tradition comes with a beautiful story that explains the tradition, and it comes with a wooden manger, pieces of straw and a Baby Jesus.
Throughout the month of December, each time someone in the family does an act of service or a kind thing they get to put a piece of straw on the manger. By the 25th, the manger will be filled with straw and ready for the Baby Jesus to be placed inside.
Overall, I really love that this helps children learn that Christmas isn’t about getting all of the gifts, and it helps them open their eyes to other’s needs.
The Giving Manger
Shepherd on the Search
Shepherd on the Search is best for families with young children, and it reminds me of a better version of Elf on the Shelf.
The Shepherd on the Search kit comes with a book that you read to your children whenever you would like to begin the activity, and the Shepherd doll moves throughout your house “searching” for your nativity scene.
Here is how my family used this activity as a great Christian Christmas tradition last year:
Before beginning, my family and I set up our nativity, and we read through the Christmas story. About a week before Christmas, we read the book about The Shepherd on the Search, and we talked about how the Shepherd was searching for baby Jesus. Each night after our children went to bed, we moved the Shepherd around the house as if he was “searching” for the manger. On Christmas morning, the Shepherd found our nativity set which thrilled my children.
Overall, this is a really sweet way to keep the excitement and focus on Jesus, and it was so easy to do.
Shepherd on the Search
What do Christians do on Christmas Eve?
On Christmas Eve, there is such a wonderful opportunity to create Christian Christmas Traditions. Most Christians celebrate Christmas Eve by going to a Christmas Eve service at their local church. I think that creating one or two traditions with a Christmas Eve service being the central tradition is a really wonderful idea.
After (or before) you attend your Christmas Eve service, here are some wonderful suggestions for the family to do to finish out a Christmas Eve tradition:
- Decorate Christmas ornaments as a family
- Sing Christmas carols together
- Go see Christmas lights
- Eat a special meal together
- Read Christmas books as a family
- Watch a fun Christmas movie
It is my hope and prayer that in the midst of the busyness of the Christmas season that you are able to keep your family’s focus on Jesus!
Do you have Christian Christmas traditions for your family? I would love to hear about them. Post in the comments what those traditions are.
If you liked this blog post, check out these other posts:
How to Help Siblings Get Along from a Biblical Perspective
54 Fun Dinner Questions for Families
10 Best Podcasts for Christian Moms
Footnotes
- (Fiese, B. H. (n.d.). Family Routines and Rituals May Improve Family Relationships and Health, According to 50-Year Research Review. American Psychological Association. Retrieved October 29, 2023, from https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2002/12/rituals)
A great reminder of what the holiday is truly all about. Practicing these traditions make the holidays more meaningful, while fostering giving. rather than receiving.
Thank you for reading, Susan! Glad you enjoyed the post, and yes, keeping the focus of the holidays on giving instead of receiving is so important! Merry Christmas.