Simple Family Christmas Traditions // Family of Six

[@fivemjs]

My parents got rid of the tree 22 years ago and instead replaced it with a sweet little major filled with straw. They explain to the grandkids that we don’t exactly know when Jesus birthday is but we as a family are gonna celebrate it as it’s traditionally remembered on Christmas. They do the whole nativity on Christmas Eve and pass out bags to each of the kids that my mom calls their shepherd bags. They usually have pajamas and stuff in them. Then the next day my mom tells the grandkids “baby Jesus has been born!”. My mom hands out these gold hearts to the kids and each of the kids come up to the baby Jesus and give him their heart. When our nine-year-old daughter passed away in 2014 they got a special gold heart with her name engraved on it and it stays with Jesus. And then there’s three rounds of gifts which symbolize the three gifts that were given by the Wiseman. There’s no Santa or elves or reindeer or anything and at first when they switched everything over it was kind of hard to get used to but now I think it’s the most amazing precious thing in the whole world and I’m glad that my kids grew up experiencing it

[@tommygirlkelly13]

We do a reverse advent calendar- start Dec 1 with an empty box and every day we put something in there food/socks/hygiene items and then during boxing week we donate it to a shelter and/or food bank. It has become such a tradition that my kids wanted to do one by themselves so we were also to bless two places last year.

[@ivoryroseproductions3935]

One of my favorite things to do this time of year is to bake bread or cookies and take to our neighbors. There are so many lonely people who are really hurting this time of year and just need a little hug from God in the form of something made and given from the heart. ❤️

[@kimberlybyma9028]

I recently heard about hiding a star every night for the kids to find in the morning (instead of elf on the shelf). It's something she did in her classroom and now does for her kids. It is a talking point for the anticipation of Christmas and the wiseman following the star to worship Jesus.

[@AN-jw2oe]

I LOVE this idea! I have always disliked the elf on the shelf concept, both for the extra “busy work” and the creepiness/lying factor (for people who pretend the elf moves by itself).

[@kawaiiheather5696]

I started doing an advent calendar just like yours for the first time this year and inside I have our daily verse and prayer and the activity we're doing that day. So cool to hear that you are doing that too ❤

[@hollydegroot6510]

We make a new ornament for the tree every year. It is so wonderful to watch your collection grow and reminisce on the memories of building them. Also we string popcorn and cranberries for the tree and countdown paper chains.

[@lilja3210]

We started this sweet tradition in our family 6 years ago: At the beginning of Advent we set up only the stable of our Christmas crib and put all the figurines in the advent calendar. Our 3 kids are still very excited about it and we don't have to stress about what to put in the advent calendar :D

[@sydneygrogan7267]

So we didn’t really do Christmas in our house but we celebrated with both sets of grandparents. But now we celebrate with my husbands family Christmas Eve, our home Christmas Day and then my family the following day. Leading up to all that we go see Christmas lights, make tons of baked goods (cakes, cookies, holiday trail mix, etc) and pass them out in our community and church families, we also watch a Christmas movie on our sabbath prep evenings. We let the kids make card and ornaments and give them to their friends, neighbors, and family. We read a series of books outside of our family worship times and we also sing “psalms, Christmas Christmas songs, and other incarnation worship songs”

[@rb7454]

Sending you love: thanks so much for your Christian witness ❤️💪🏼👍🏻🎄

[@laurenk0498]

We just started the Shepherd on the search this year. It has a story book to go with it. The little Shepherd is looking for Jesus; the kids get to find him each morning, and he ends up in the nativity on Christmas Day.

[@Bonnieuxful]

Having joined a Messianic congregation, I now celebrate Hanukkah as well as Christmas. It’s beautiful lighting the Hanukiah for 8 nights. It’s great to teach about the Hanukkah victory and how that saved Jews lives so Miriam, Mary could be born and eventually give birth to Yeshua, Jesus‼️😃🙏🏻🕎🌟🎄🕎🌟🎄🌟🌟🌟

[@mariannacoomes1094]

I grew up Russian American and we celebrate Christmas on the 25th of December and 7th of January (with the old calendar) so we keep the tree up through New Years!

[@kaitlync15]

Christmas book each day! We have biblical ones we read at breakfast & general ones during the day. Christmas cookies. Drive around to see light drinking hot coco. Bless others through extra tips at restaurants, paying for someone’s groceries in line. Cinnamon rolls Christmas morning.

[@teribartusek1125]

Right, I also have gotten a Spirit-filled Word to keep our eyes on Jesus, to focus now on His return in the clouds and our Revelation focus... instead of the "Christmas " scene, I also thought about while in prayer, that Christ, the Lamb of God was probably born in Spring time, while the shepherds were in the fields watching over their sheep. God bless you in your traditions and knowledge of God!

[@jcav7]

The “twaddle” edit was hilarious 😂

[@SimpleGiftsFarmhouse]

Love this! We do a christmas book each day! I don't have enough for each day yet but I supplement from the library. I just go on and put holds on our favorites! An Orange for Frankie always makes me cry too! Other favotites include Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree, One Wintry Night, Christmas in Noisy Village.. My kids are older so we also like a longer chapter book read aloud. This year we are reading I Saw Three Ships by Elizabeth Goudge. We have also enjoyed A Tree For Peter by Kate Seredy. I also always give my kids books for Christmas gifts. We really love books around here! We also are Charlotte Mason homeschholers. One thing my kids love doing is cutting paper snowflakes! We usually have a day when everybody cuts lots out and then we hang them all over the windows. We also always do at least some baking together which is messy and fun and a great opportunity for me to practice patience! Since my kids are older and doing quite a bit of school all year, I always plan our terms so we have a longish break in December to focus on Advent school. We do a Christmas hymn, poetry, artwork, and study Handel's Messiah. One other thing we have really enjoyed almost every year is an event called Bethelehem Revisited that several churches in our area put on. It really brings the Christmas story to life!

[@ashleighoverturf3599]

For decorations on our small tree instead of ornaments we string popcorn and dried oranges...

[@howletthome5910]

As a family, we did a different type of Advent Calendar where we drew a line across a large piece of paper and put the 24 numbers on. It was Mary and Joseph's journey to Bethlehem, and as each day went by, we would move Mary and Joseph along closer to Bethlehem. We would also read a bible verse each day with it.

[@lavendersbluefarm7738]

We bake Jesus a cake (gingerbread cake is delish!) on Christmas Eve or Christmas day! Also I ring a special bell to call the kids over when it’s time for the advent opening. Loved this video! Also so glad I’m not the only one that doesn’t do pjs 😅

[@aprilhollander8015]

Find an outdoor skating rank. We did that for the first time and our kids loved it.

[@sharonizzard4410]

Oh yes and I made the ornaments for a Jesse tree one year and I do that too, adding an ornament and reading the relevant scripture each day to some branches with lights on!

[@kristasmith1013]

A great book is The Tale of Three Trees

[@dede-dx8js]

a simple Christmas

[@Rjpck5000]

My favorite tradition from my family that we now do with ours. Is you aren't allowed to get up in the morning until you hear either Christmas music or years that we had a model train under the tree the train whistle.

[@lynnmarieportanova9017]

advent candle wreath and cookie baking are our favorites beside our advent prophecy book we read every year. just found your channel and love it!

[@hollydegroot6510]

Oh! We also choose a child or two’s ornament from the local community giving tree (or fill a shoebox with Samaritan’s purse)

[@sabl6381]

CdA is one of my absolute favorite places.

[@AN-jw2oe]

We love making a birthday cake for Jesus and singing “Happy Birthday” to him. Last year it was a chocolate cake and this year it was tiramisu! 😂 I also find it very helpful to know that there is no pressure to keep doing something even if you loved doing it in the past. We did gingerbread houses every year but this year was especially busy so am not sure if we will get around to it, and I think our kids may be disappointed but will be okay if we don’t get around it. Am thankful they are learning to be flexible despite having some expectations. And next year mama will plan to have them do it earlier in the month before all the craziness begins! :)

[@churchcartoons1333]

We like to do a Night in Bethlehem and dress like biblical times, eat foods like grapes, olives, flatbreads etc, pay taxes, sign a census, make a simple well for the water with a ladle and talk about the Nativity and what it might’ve been like

[@katewagner5606]

I've only watched a handful of videos so far but I could tell straight away you were pursuing a life of truth, beauty and goodness BEFORE you said "Charlotte Mason" in this video. haha cracked me up when your husband made that face. Totally something my husband would do with my CM speak. I can tell your convictions are so similar to mine as I have heard you on several occasions work out and process aloud different ideas. I about checked to see if it was me in the video when you said you put an extra vitamin hahah. Totally something I would do and everyone would make fun of me but I felt the intent so deeply. Excited to start following along and the timing of when I did. The Lord knows! We are using the CMEC this year as this year is our first formal year with our oldest and we have thoroughly enjoyed the feast that the Lord has enabled and graciously allowed us to partake in!

[@justineleigh400]

what sweet memories!

[@deborahwittmann1464]

A couple Christmas Books you might enjoy: josie’s gift and the crippled lamb

[@followerofChrist26]

You both are awesome and have strong faith! I’m so glad that Jesus Christ is the center of your home. I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I believe that Jesus Christ is the most foundational and fundamental part of coming to earth to receive a body and to be able to return to our Heavenly Father and live with our family for eternity. The Temple is what allows families to be sealed for time and all eternity because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. I hope you all continue to feel the Holy Ghost and enjoy Jesus Christ all year! Happy New Year! 🎉

[@Lunashomestead]

Hello, we did the wooden train tracks 2 years and they been loving those. This year we are also doing magnetiles 😀 One thing we do for all December I make them a hot cocoa bar. I make my own sugar free recipe to avoid all the extra sugar because I have a little one with ADHD (Cocoa powder, Monkfruit Sweetner and powder milk). I put it in a cute container and they have a cute Christmas mugs, then everything goes inside a wooden box that I decorated specifically for this purpose. We keep all the month of December and I put it away until the next year.

[@amandaaguirre8387]

Love these! We’ve been trying to be so intentional about the traditions we bring into our home and these are great. Any new traditions you’ll be doing this year?

[@vickyfisher-bz4jj]

Don’t get the whole patriotic thing in Thanksgiving thing that’s just an American thing but I do like your other suggestions with a really beautiful one thing I do from the UK is I would do Christmas pyjamas for the whole season or Christmas and I will get them to look like Christmas, but they’re not the kind just like winter pyjamas

[@lanalutsyuk3994]

Thank you for sharing! I’m from Ukraine and back in my home country we would put the tree up for New Years, so one year here in America we tried waiting and not opening gifts for Christmas but opened them up on New Year’s Day 😃 it was a great experience and brought back great memories of the good old days 😃

[@samanthab5006]

We're expecting our first this June and we're planning to go with some advice we'd gotten regarding gifts: something they want, something they need, something to wear, something to read. Both of our families go way over the top with gifts and Santa for my nieces and nephews. I pray that if we're consistent in setting expectations that it will not introduce tension every year. Do your kids ever get anything from a family member that you don't agree with and how do you handle that?

[@rebeccafalkner2876]

Listening to the beginning where Elisha is speaking - If you are of the belief that God came down, how is Jesus his son? I understand this is a theological difference between many of us Christians and am curious about this perspective.

[@Bonnieuxful]

Jesus, Yeshua the Son came down to earth. God is Jesus’ Father💕🥰💕🌟👑🌟

[@triciaoquinn9238]

Why don't yal start a Church?