Keeping Christ in Christmas

[Afal]

Singing Happy Birthday to Jesus is a great way to remind us that we are celebrating His birth.

My problem is fitting the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir into my lounge!!!

[Afal]

My friend actually writes (in icing) on her Christmas cake the words:

Happy Birthday Jesus!

[Hunterpoet]

as well as getting Christian-themed ornaments, etc.

Yes, I believe that our decorations should be Christ centred. Although Father Christmas pictures/ornaments etc are not totally banned from my home, they are almost banned as Christmas for me is not about Father Christmas at all!!!!

Well, I put up with Father Christmas decorations, for the sake of the kids. But, personally, I would not choose to have them in my home, if I were the only decision-maker

A merry and Christ-centred Christmas to you and yours

For the sake of the children is exactly why you should abandone "father christmas".

[~pearl]

I really like this thread! Always looking for new ways to celebrate our Lords birthday. I like the idea of baking a cake My daughters junior church group puts on a Christmas program and one of the songs their singing is Christmas without Christ. Really fitting this year as everywhere we turn they are trying to take Him out.

[Shad]

as well as getting Christian-themed ornaments, etc.

Yes, I believe that our decorations should be Christ centred. Although Father Christmas pictures/ornaments etc are not totally banned from my home, they are almost banned as Christmas for me is not about Father Christmas at all!!!!

Well, I put up with Father Christmas decorations, for the sake of the kids. But, personally, I would not choose to have them in my home, if I were the only decision-maker

A merry and Christ-centred Christmas to you and yours

For the sake of the children is exactly why you should abandone "father christmas".

Exactly

Kids are the most impressionable before their teenage years and yet it's those exact years that we are teaching them it's ok to believe in false idols like Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny just because we think it's cute. People have this misconception that Satan can't be behind Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny because they aren't dark and evil but don't you think Satan expects us to be looking for that and instead takes the form of something we as humans consider cute or harmless?? Think back to the Garden Of Eden was the apple in the form of something evil?? No it clearly states that Eve found the apple to be pleasing to her eye. In other words there was nothing about the apple's appearance that made bells go off in her head.

Satan has very subtle ways of manipulating the human mind and causing us to think something as cute and cheerful as Santa or the Eater Bunny can't be bad. When you think about it though the reason Satan was cast from heaven was because he desired to be worshiped as God and to have the power god had. So he was cast down to earth where low and behold on the 2 most holy christian holiday's Christmas and Easter there just happens to be Santa Claus and The Easter Bunny to take our focus away from the real reason for those holidays so in a sense Satan is causing us to turn our attention away from God and towards these idols we have come to associate with each holiday.

All through childhood we teach our kids to believe in Santa, The Easter Bunny, The Tooth Fairy ect.... and then want to know why they turn away from Jesus and to worldly things once they grow older. It's because we've installed those values into their heads that earthly things were more important than Jesus.

[forrestkc]

I think that going to a Midnight Liturgy / Service, assuming your church has one, is a great way to keep the Christ in Christmas.

[Vickilynn]

Shalom,

I posted this in the "other" thread and thought it was a good help for those looking for positive ways to celebrate Messiah's birth.

This website has some great unit studies for homeschool, but of course they can be done as a family for Christian edification: http://www.athomeschool.com/unitstudy/chri..._symbols_02.htm

Christmas Tree And Ornaments

History

* Christmas Tree

o Many legends concerning the origin of the Christmas Tree

o Legend #1

+ Germany, before Jesus was born, people would decorate evergreen trees during winter solstice ceremonies.

+ St. Boniface (8th century) was a missionary to Germany.

+ He used the three points (triangle) of the Christmas Tree as a symbol for the Trinity.

+ Legend about St. Boniface says that one day he came upon some people who were going to sacrifice a child to one of their gods, symbolized by an oak tree. In order to save the child's life, St Boniface cut the oak tree down with an ax. A fir tree sprang from the stump of the fallen oak. St. Bonficae then told the people that the fir tree stood for the eternal life of Christ. This legend is most likely a story that symbolizes how he replaced the worship of the gods (the oak tree) with Christianity (the fir tree).

o Legend #2

+ (16th century) Martin Luther was walking home from a Christmas Eve service in the forest. Some say he saw the stars shining through the evergreen trees. Others say he saw the stars reflected off the icicles. The lights reminded him of Jesus, the Light of the World. He cut a small tree and took it home. He placed candles on the branches to reflect what he saw.

Legend #3

+ Germany, used as prop in medieval play about Adam and Eve

+ called "Paradise Tree"

+ preformed annually on Dec 24th

+ apple trees no longer had their leaves or fruit, so evergreen trees were hung with apples instead

+ later wafers were hung on the tree to symbolize the eucharist (communion)

+ eventually cookies and sweets replaced the wafers

o Legend #4

+ Reform Church (now Lutheran Church) in 1800's, tree is often biblical reference to cross, evergreen because of everlasting life. They decorated it with roses, representing Rose of Sharon, and single candle at the top representing Light of the World (Christ).

o Read more about Christmas Trees

+ The Chronologic History of the Christmas Tree

+ The History of Christmas Trees

+ The Christmas Tree Legends

* Ornaments

o early trees decorated with fruit, nuts, flowers. later cookies and other foods and candles were added.

o Star or Angel on top of tree

+ both in night sky the night Jesus was born

o Lights

+ stars of the heavens

+ (16th century) Martin Luther was walking home from a Christmas Eve service in the forest. Some say he saw the stars shining through the evergreen trees. Others say he saw the stars reflected off the icicles. The lights reminded him of Jesus, the Light of the World. He cut a small tree and took it home. He placed candles on the branches to reflect what he saw.

o Glass Bulbs

+ German glass blower developed first glass bulbs to replace heavier ornaments

o Tinsel

+ legend, poor family unable to afford decorations for their tree, spiders covered the tree in webs during the night. some traditions add that either the Christ Child or the rising sun turned the webs to silver

+ The Christmas Cobwebs by Odds Bodkin

Modern Christian Symbolism

* Christmas Tree

o evergreen: symbol of eternal life

o tree: biblical reference to cross

* Ornaments

o Ornaments in general remind us of all of the beautiful things Jesus did

o Star or Angel on top of tree

+ Star of Bethlehem (the one the wise men followed) and Angels who announced Christ's birth

o Lights

+ Jesus is light of the world

o Ball Ornaments

+ our world was created by God; the different colors remind us that the Gospel is for all different nations and peoples on the earth

o Tinsel

+ Generosity and kindness to the poor

Bible Verse

* Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. (John 5:24)

Activity

* Put up and decorate your christmas tree.

Advent Calendar

* Christmas Tree or Ornament

Music

* O Tannenbaum

Resources

* The Little Fir Tree by Hans Christian Andersen

* The Story of Three Trees

* Christmas Tree Coloring Page

[Afal]

I think that going to a Midnight Liturgy / Service, assuming your church has one, is a great way to keep the Christ in Christmas.

[sweetycakes]

as well as getting Christian-themed ornaments, etc.

Yes, I believe that our decorations should be Christ centred. Although Father Christmas pictures/ornaments etc are not totally banned from my home, they are almost banned as Christmas for me is not about Father Christmas at all!!!!

Well, I put up with Father Christmas decorations, for the sake of the kids. But, personally, I would not choose to have them in my home, if I were the only decision-maker

A merry and Christ-centred Christmas to you and yours

For the sake of the children is exactly why you should abandone "father christmas".

You're absolutely right...

What I meant to say was that we don't have, or buy, any 'Father Christmas' ornaments or other things, or put any up around the house....... except, for example, if one of us receives a Christmas card with father Christmas on it, then that will get displayed along with the rest.....also, quite often simple gifts such as boxes of chocolates are adorned with pictures of father Christmas at this time of year.....and we don't ban those from the house, either.

I have taught the kids in my family (and extended family), for many years that father Christmas doesn't exist, and so they have grown up with that, and agree.

[Emily~Anne]

I have two 11 x 13ish size pictures of Santa Claus. They are from my childhood. My father LOVED Christmas. And it was great having him home for Christmas as he worked out of state and was usually only home on weekends. He died 23 years ago, when I was 9. I have the pictures because they bring back wonderful memories. I really miss my Dad.