The holidays are almost here, and that means juggling school concerts, baking cookies, gift lists, and about a thousand other things. Yet in the middle of the hustle, there’s a deeper longing: to make sure our kids don’t just remember the presents under the tree, but the presence of God in our homes. This season is the perfect time to slow down, create traditions that point our hearts toward Jesus, and remind ourselves that Jesus is the greatest gift we can share.
S. Dominick
When our kids were little, we had a couple of cherished Christmas traditions. A couple of weeks before Christmas we’d set up the manger creche, where it would sit empty, waiting. Then a week before Christmas, each night an animal or two would wander into it while the kids slept, the shepherd boy showed up one night, and then Mary and Joseph arrived with their donkey— All of this brought the anticipation that Jesus was coming. Finally, on Christmas morning, the kids would race past the presents under the tree to see Baby Jesus. The joy on their faces is a memory we will never forget.
Another Christmas tradition involved what we did after Christmas with the tree, creating a visual heart connection between Christmas and Easter. When the Christmas season came to an end, we wouldn’t throw out the tree – We’d save it to transform later for Easter. When the week of Easter arrived, we’d cut all of the branches off, removing the smaller needle laden branches, keeping only the longer branches. We’d put the tall, now branchless, trunk back into the Christmas tree stand, and then add branches horizontally at the top to form a cross, attached by tying crisscrossed twine around them and attaching to the trunk (a nail on the back side of the trunk is handy to help attach the twine). We’d spend time in scripture, reading the Easter story together, and finish with a special meal. It was a beautiful reminder that the story of Jesus doesn’t stop at His birth, but points to His death and resurrection- A powerful way to help our kids see the full purpose of His life, and love for us.
Traditions have a way of shaping the rhythm of family life. They become the stories our children carry into adulthood, the memories they’ll share with their own families one day. When those traditions are rooted in faith, they do more than bring joy—they plant seeds of truth and hope that last far beyond the holiday season. Whether it’s lighting Advent candles together, reading scripture before bed, or simply pausing to pray before decorating the tree, these small acts remind us that Christmas is about more than lights and gifts. It’s about the light of Christ shining in our homes and hearts.
This Christmas season, we pray that your home will be filled with laughter, love, and the kind of traditions that point your family back to the heart of Christmas—Christ Himself.
