25 Meaningful Ways To Prepare For Christmas

25 Meaningful Ways To Prepare For Christmas

By Movieguide® Contributor

It’s all too easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season.

Between decorating the tree, stringing festive lights on the house and buying gifts for loved ones, it’s important to remember the true meaning of the holiday. Taking the time to slow down and instill family traditions is the perfect way to keep everyone’s eyes on the true reason for the season. This list offers old and new ideas, and Movieguide® added our suggestions to inspire families to prepare for Christmas in meaningful ways.

1. Read parts of Luke 2 aloud as a family throughout December to celebrate the birth of Jesus all month long.
2. Write a letter to Jesus telling him how you will honor him in the coming year (can replace a letter to Santa).
3. Pray a prayer of gratitude before opening Christmas gifts.
4. Sing Christmas carols for the elderly at a nursing home.
5. Grab the glitter and make personalized Christmas ornaments for loved ones.
6. Donate money or time to a charity of your choosing.
7. Place a jar somewhere in your house in which to put thank-you messages to each other.
8. Go for a walk with family or friends to enjoy the Christmas decorations in your city or neighborhood, paying special attention to the Nativity scenes.
9. Bake Christmas cookies and hand-deliver them to a lonely neighbor.
10. Attend a Christmas Eve service at your local church.
11. Count down to Christmas Day with a Christ-centered advent calendar.
12. Set out a Nativity Scene in your home.
13. Have a family movie night with a film about the true meaning of Christmas.
14. Turn off the lights and sing “Silent Night” by candlelight.
15. Invite someone who doesn’t have a family over for Christmas dinner.
16. Bake a cake and sing “Happy Birthday” to Jesus.
17. Participate in a toy drive at a local store.
18. Have the kids get dressed up and act out the Nativity for friends and family.
19. Facetime a relative living far away and allow the children to present a video home tour of Christmas decorations.
20. Make a gingerbread Nativity (instead of decorating a gingerbread house).
21. Take a Christmas family portrait.
22. Look at the sky to contemplate the star of Bethlehem and talk about the Three Wise Men with your children.
23. Gather around the Nativity and sing Christmas carols to baby Jesus.
24. Have children donate unused toys to local charities.
25. Plan to ban all cell phones and enjoy Christmas morning with no distractions.

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