Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year, and it also holds an insane amount of significance, as it is in remembrance of one of the most transcendental moments in history. Here are 6 ways to make meaningful Christmas traditions that remind you of what it’s all about.
1) Attend a Live Nativity
Each year a church near us does a live nativity scene, and it is one of the most beautiful and thought-provoking traditions we do. Watching the story unfold and singing the hymns along with strangers provides a sense of togetherness and hope, which should be the markers of the Christmas season. Here’s to hoping you have one near you! Look for signs around town or scour the internet for hints on where you could find one.
2) Do an Advent Devotional
Aligning your quiet times with the seasons and celebrations throughout the year is a great way to meditate on certain themes and needs that Christ fills. I have loved this type of cohesion in my own life, and it helps bring awareness and energy into your devotional time. Find an Advent devotional you’re excited about. Here’s a shameless plug for one that I have personally written, but if this doesn’t quite fit you, find one that does!
God With Us: A meditative & art-inspired guide to Advent
3) Read the Christmas Story
Ya know, I have this on my Christmas bucket list every year, and somehow it slips through the cracks. Make a plan to read it with your family, or on your own time, and make it a priority. This year I plan to pair it with a video to help imagine all of the pieces. Here‘s one from the creator of The Chosen, a popular TV show based on the life of Christ, from the viewpoint of a shepherd. (Also, It’s a dramatized account, so this is not 100% line for line with the Bible, chill).
4) Attend a Christmas Eve Candle Light Service
The candle light services for Christmas Eve are a classic, but not always a given. It’s sometimes hard to haul the whole family out of the house, so here’s your little nudge to brave the cold and light those churches up. You really can’t beat the ambiance.
5) Make Gift Giving Special
Gifts can often become a list that turns into Amazon shopping carts, and then guys in blue vests at your door step. Which is suuuupppeeerrr handy, not bagging on that process one bit, however, don’t let your gift giving just be a process, make it an art. An art of appreciation, love, and genuine generosity. Giving gifts is a metaphor for the gift we’ve been given through Jesus, a child born for us, who would die for the whole nation of Israel and all of the scattered children of God (John 11). He literally gave his life. You can give a little bit of time/money/thoughtfulness. So consider how you could make the whole gift giving process more intentional. Last year, my in-laws chose a word for each of their children and their spouse that describes them, a characteristic they genuinely loved about them. That might be weird for your family, but it’s a little example of re-centering a philosophy of gifts that is so important when “things” and “wants” start creeping in on the focus of Christmas.
6) Sing
One of my family members loves to sing. It’s her absolute jam. Literally. Well, one year us kids decided to gift her a special time of the whole family singing. Ya’ll, it is one of my very favorite memories, and was so special. We weren’t, like, great. Hah. But singing is so powerful. So beautiful in and of itself. It is a perfect way to express the joy and gratitude that is Christmas. Print out some lyrics, get out the guitar, or put on the Bose and sing along together. Heck, you might even feel like dancing.
Merry Christmas, ya filthy animals.
