Picture this: It’s early December, and your toddler is already buzzing with excitement over Christmas. Between the twinkling lights, wish lists, and presents, it feels like the season’s true meaning is getting buried under a mountain of distractions. You want your family to experience the joy of Christmas, but more than anything, you want to ensure your children understand that it’s about celebrating the birth of Jesus. How can you help your little ones embrace the significance of Christ’s love in the midst of all the holiday hustle? Can you relate?
Christmas has become very commercialized and it’s up to us to make sure we keep Christ in Christmas as we are raising our little ones. If we don’t, the world will be happy to convince them that the true meaning of Christmas is about magic, Santa, and presents because the enemy is working hard to remove Christ completely.
Here are 8 practical Christ-centered ways that we can celebrate Christmas with young children.
1. Read the Christmas Story Together
One of the best things we can do during the Christmas season is teach our children the true reason why we celebrate Christmas. This special season is a time for us to reflect on the miraculous birth of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world. That was the day, He made His first appearance in preparation for His assignment to save us from our sin and bleak destiny with eternal death. As a result of His birth, death, and resurrection, we now get to choose to accept Him as our Lord and Savior and enjoy the promise of eternal life with Him. This is what our children need to know.
Dedicate time to reading the story of Jesus’ birth from the Bible (Luke 2 or Matthew 1-2) as well as a toddler-friendly Bible or illustrated storybook to engage younger children. Read this story more than once during the holiday season and present it in different forms. Read the bible, read a story bible, offer a coloring sheet, play a Christian show that tells the story, play and sing songs about it, act it out with toys, work on fun crafts and activities surrounding the birth of Christ, etc.
Ask your child simple questions about the story to check for understanding. These fun activities will keep the true meaning of Christmas at the forefront.
2. Create Christ-Centered Traditions
Focus on traditions that highlight Christ’s role in the holiday. Don’t be afraid to create new family traditions. In my house, we like to read the Christmas story from the Bible and pray before opening gifts and engaging in the other festivities. This keeps everyone in remembrance of why we are celebrating the holiday to begin with.
You can incorporate setting up a nativity scene, participating in a Christmas play, or singing Christ-centered Christmas carols and hymns. Involve your children in these activities to make them meaningful and memorable.
3. Celebrate Through Giving
Encourage your kids to give rather than focus only on receiving gifts. The Bible says it is better to give than to receive. (Acts 20:35) Provide opportunities for your child to practice giving. You can involve them in selecting gifts for others or donating toys to children in need. Include your toddler in baking cookies or treats to give to someone else. Explain that giving reflects God’s love in sending Jesus to us.
4. Keep Decorations Christ-Focused
Choose decorations that point to Jesus, like nativity sets, stars, candy canes, and Scripture-based ornaments. At my house, we avoid things with Santa Claus, Frosty the Snowman, The Grinch, etc. because we don’t want those fictitious characters to receive God’s glory. Christmas is about Jesus, not the other commercialized characters. Those characters are not bad, but they shouldn’t be front and center, receiving more glory than Jesus. We must ask ourselves, “Do my children know more about Santa than they do Jesus? Do they know who the Grinch is but the details are blurry when it comes to Jesus and His story?”
5. Prioritize Worship
Attend a Christmas Eve or Christmas Day service as a family. If there isn’t one available, worship God together in your own home. Sing songs that get your mind and heart fixated on God’s goodness in sending His son Jesus to the earth for us. During this season, play Christian Christmas music at home. These activities will fill your children’s hearts with the true meaning and miracle of Christmas. You can even explain that worship is a great way to say “thank you” for the gift of Jesus.
6. Teach Through Hands-On Activities
Spend time with your family. Be intentional about spending more time together. Spend quality time with your children. You can include doing hands-on activities together like simple crafts. Make a paper nativity diorama or a construction paper star. Bake cookies in the shape of the nativity scene or act it out. Engage your children in activities that help them “see” and “touch” the Christmas story.
7. Pray as a Family
Begin or end each day with a prayer of thanksgiving for Jesus’ birth. Model a heart of peace, gratitude, and worship during this season. Your kids will learn simply by seeing you live it. Teach them how to pray for others who need extra love this season. Pray on Christmas day before opening gifts. Teach your children that they can put God first in this way.
8. Incorporate Christ-Centered Music
Be sure to include Christ-centered Christmas songs in your holiday playlist. Play hymns and worship songs that celebrate Jesus’ birth, like "Silent Night" and "O Come All Ye Faithful." You can play this music in the car, as background music during dinner, during playtime, etc. You can even find Christ-centered Christmas lullaby music for nap time. Consider having a dance party or sing-along to make the music engaging for toddlers.
Wrapping Up Christ-Centered Ways to Celebrate Christmas with Young Children
As moms, we have the beautiful responsibility of shaping our children’s understanding of Christmas. By integrating Christ into our traditions, we can teach them that this season is about more than lights and presents—it’s about the Savior who came to bring hope and joy to the world. Remember, it’s okay to keep things simple and focus on the heart of the holiday. By pointing your littles to Jesus, you’re planting seeds of faith that will last a lifetime.