December 4, 2000

FAMILY MATTERS:
Help children see 'reason for the season'
___ Now that Thanksgiving is over, it seems that all our children want to do is focus on what they want for Christmas. We want them to realize how much they have to be thankful for and to understand that Christmas is more than just receiving.

KAY TOWERS Program Coordinator LifeWay Fellowship, Killeen

___Will it help to know your children are normal? With the emphasis in the secular world all around, children are overwhelmed with what's available for Christmas. The media saturate young minds with "wish lists" that grow and grow.
___Let me suggest that your family spend some time each day prior to Christmas talking about the meaning of Christmas. Then, involve the children in thinking of ways they could celebrate the season. You might consider beginning some traditions that would become meaningful through the years:
___ Read and discuss the Christmas story from the Bible.
___ Talk about God's gift to the world and what that gift means to you.
___ Select a Christmas carol and talk about the message of the song.
___ Have the children act out the Christmas story or Christmas carol.
___ Bake Christmas cookies and take them to someone.
___ Make Christmas cards and take them to an elderly person.
___ Compose a Christmas greeting from the family and let the children e-mail the message to out-of-town family and friends.
___ Celebrate a birthday party for Jesus and let them invite their friends.
___ Let them select gifts to give to less-fortunate children.
___I hope your children will begin to feel the joy and excitement of Christmas that comes when they experience the blessing of giving to others.
___As parents, we need to demonstrate to our children what Christmas means to us. They should be able to see the Christmas spirit in our actions as well as in our words. As said many times before, children learn by our example of modeling.
___They will grow to realize the real meaning and joy of Christmas as they come to understand "Jesus is the reason for the season."

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