Celebrate a Christ-Centered Christmas This Year

Once again, I was favored by the book folk at Shadow Mountain with a new holiday release!  They sent me the book, the review is all mine.

I love Santa. Our holiday decor is Santa-centered.  We purchase a new Santa every year.  The kids leave notes and cookies, they make out their lists...pretty much December 25 right after they open whatever he brought that morning.  I love the spirit of giving and generosity and the whole Santa ethos.  My kids still believe.  When they say "Suzie down the block says Santa doesn't bring her anything because he isn't real" my response is "How sad. Suzie's parents must have told him to skip their house.  Aren't you glad YOUR parents love you more than Suzie's love her?"  I'm SERIOUS about this business, y'all.

I don't want to be misunderstood--I love Jesus.  We believe fervently in Jesus.  But Christmas for us has always included Santa.  Some of my friends may have hinted that their families put more emphasis on the Savior and I may have rolled my eyes at them because my precious snowflakes know the difference.  Right? RIGHT?

When I read the opening paragraph to Celebrating a Christ-Centered Christmas I was struck by her line "..Megan said one simple sentence that forever changed the way our family celebrates Christmas. 'Mom,' she began, 'I believe in Santa Claus, and you believe in Jesus Christ.'"

Well crap.  That kind of hit a little too close to home.

Emily Belle Freeman uses the nativity to teach small lessons, perfect for family night, about the Savior.  Each piece of the nativity is brought out and correlates to a lesson to help the family remember that Jesus is the reason we celebrate this holiday.*  While we may not implement all of the lessons this year, for sure we are going to talk about the ideas behind Joseph and Mary--service and faith.  And maybe our traditions will grow to include more of the Savior when we celebrate His birth.  And maybe I will repent of my eye rolling.**





*You thought I was going to make a rhyme.  No.
**Probably not.  Sorry, Jeri Lynn.