Celebrating the Christ in Christmas

This is one of my (and almost everybody's) favorite times of the year!

We've got the tree up and decorated, Michael's felt tree has already been "de-ornamented" and the wreath is on our door! (Lights go up next Monday!)

 

Josh and I have been married for almost 4 years (on December 20th!) and I feel like we are still trying to settle into our own Christmas traditions.

 

This year we are trying an Advent Jesse Tree. Some ladies in my ward got together and did an exchange of ornaments to represent symbols and to go along with the devotions from this book.

 

 

I've wrapped and numbered all of the ornaments and Michael will get to unwrap one a day and hang it on our tree as we talk about and read the scripture that goes along with it.
I'll post pictures as we go and let you know about our experience.  

 

This is where we're keeping the ornaments for now. Most people hang them on a line before unwrapping but Michael would have a hay day with that and they'd be unwrapped all at once!

Another "tradition" we'd like to focus on is service.  We are, of course, putting presents under the tree for the kids and family and we've bought a couple toys to donate but we haven't figured out anything else to do.  It would be nice to find ideas that don't need to be bought or are low cost.

 



Yes, that is sanitizer. Its become part of our decor since the twins came home. Clean hands, less germs!

Michael's "de-ornamented" felt tree.

Little People Nativity! Michael LOVES it!

Here are some great ideas that I heard at a Christmas relief society meeting a year or 2 ago, some of them we do and some we don't but they are all fantastic!

 

-Advent Sunday Candle lighting

-Making Ancestor Ornaments

-Making birth to resurrection ornaments

-Straw in the manger for service. Children get to add straw to the manger for acts of service they've done and try to fill it up and give baby Jesus a nice, comfy bed!

-Advent Nativity set: give one piece leading up to Christmas with the birth of baby Jesus

-White Stocking to write down a gift for Jesus: service and leave in the stocking to read next year

-A book a day about Christ or service for children

-Make your own nativity out of Salt Dough

-12 days of Christmas for family or "widower"

-Letter in stocking to spouse

-Family or neighborhood nativity play

-Create a gift to Christ box and put it on the tree. Each family member can write down things they did (anonymously) or acts of service they were given. Open on Christmas morning!

-Birthday cake on Christmas Eve! We did this our first year married!

-Go see temple lights or Christmas lights

-Unwrap a picture of Jesus

-Give children a spiritual or religious gift for Christmas

What are some service and/or Christ-centered traditions you have?
It's always fun to hear what other people are doing to celebrate!