Celebrating Jesus' Birth with Your Kids

Christmas activities for toddlers and preschoolers that focus on Jesus’ birth have been on my mind all season. So, I've been making a huge effort to build our Christmas celebrations around Jesus’ story, not the legend of Santa Claus.

My initial idea led to a Christmas tree design in which the kids would paint construction paper ornaments for Jesus. Even with that change, I was still searching for more ways we could celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior.

In the middle of my brainstorming session, I got an email from a friend. What to my wondering eyes should appear, but an inspired message about a Christ-centered celebration idea!

My friend, Peggy, wrote that her grandson Logan helps her pick out a present and bake a cake for Jesus, and then they blow out birthday candles for Him. It confirmed that my girls’ heartfelt ornaments they made for the Christmas tree are the perfect gift for baby Jesus.

The family project was a lot of fun and the girls grasped the message that Christmastime is not about presents, nor Santa Claus, Frosty the Snowman, or Rudolph. This year, they had a new focus for the season – our Lord Jesus, who was born in a manger.

Want to start this tradition in your home? Just follow these steps and you will be celebrating and teaching your kids in no time.

To decorate your family's Christmas tree with your children, simply cut construction paper into circles and hearts. Have your children pick their favorite shapes and paint them in their own way. Then, string the ornaments with yarn and let them add them to the family Christmas tree.

They will love decorating the tree. And even more so, they will love that this was their gift to Jesus for His birthday. These homemade ornaments make it a special family memory because it’s a labor of love.

While the cake baked and the girls painted the ornaments, I told them the story of Jesus’ birth again.

And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you are born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord?  And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger. Luke 2:9-12

Sage, my eldest daughter, even joined in by helping me explain the Christmas story. As a mom, I was so proud and happy that she understood the meaning of this season, and could help share the story with her younger siblings.

When the cake was ready, the girls helped me frost and decorate it. I am by no means a baker and the cake was imperfect, but as I listened to them tell each other that they needed to make the cake pretty for Jesus, the moment was perfect. They even sang “Happy Birthday” to Jesus as they added candy canes and sprinkles on the top of the cake.

I look forward to our new Christmas traditions as a family. And I’m confident that our Christmases will be more meaningful and memorable as we put Jesus as the center of our celebration.

How do you show your children the true meaning of Christmas? Share your favorite holiday traditions.