“Momma? Christmas is Jesus’s birthday, right?” She asks as we open the box that holds the new pillow, a gift from DaySpring to our family.
She knows the answer. I have given the same answer over and over.
She jumps up and starts searching our Christmas tree for the reminder and proclaims, “We need more Jesus on our tree!”
She’s right. We always need more of Him.
We light Advent candles and hide baby Jesus.
Then we seek Him.
My kids search, we offer clues. We pepper our dinner time with reminders of the manger and questions about the foretelling.
It’s hard, redeeming Christmas. It’s difficult to find baby Jesus in Christmas these days. This season has become more about stuff and such and He is crowded out of His own day with each passing year.
I’m on the hunt for an advent conspiracy. I want to take back Christmas from our mixed up world who celebrates a day without The Celebrated One. I hope you’ll join me.
If you are sharing about the Redeemed Christmas Line this month, link up below!
ABOUT KRISTEN WELCH
Kristen writes at her parenting blog, We are THAT family, and offers an honest mixture of humor and inspiration. Her first book, Don't Make Me Come Up There, a book for busy Moms, will be in...
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Hiding baby Jesus and then seeking him is such a great idea. I’ll have to put that on my list for next year when hopefully we’ll have littles in the house :)
My kids love a craft with meaning -we just HAVE to make that sign you have above the mantel there. So fun!
Wonderful reminder and so touching. I have facebooked it and hope my friends and family will reading it… Thank you :)
It truly hard to find the meaning behind the season! With all the hustle and bustle–I just want to sit back & get redeemed–think more of Jesus!
Beth you are so right about keeping our focus on our Beautiful Saviour.
This is a fantastic idea! We make a point of reading the Christmas story after decorating the tree. I have three special ornaments, Jesus, an angel and a star. This is how we add Jesus to our tree. But, it’s important to find him other places, too.
You bet, even in the most simplest thing He is smiling at us.
I love your daily encouragement on focusing on Jesus. Thank you!
May I ask where you got the sign over the fireplace. And how big is it, the statement on it is soo true.
Thank you so much for that beautiful Christmas reminder today. It reminded me that when my youngest daughter was 2 (she just turned 22) she used to steal the baby Jesus out of the manger on the mantle and run off and hide it. Too bad I didnt have the werewithall to make that a wonderful searching/finding Jesus game then.
I will remind her of it today.
Thanks! Happy Jesus’ Bday to you and yours,
LIna
What an astute little girl! There’s hope for the future. Yes, we need to dethrone Santa and not let Him usurp Jesus as Lord of Christmas. He can have a place, but if he becomes the focus, then he’s become a Christmas idol.
Personally, I wish Christian carols services could be different to the worldly ones and be Santa-free!
My family couldn’t agree more. We’re keeping it very low key this year. Forget the mall, won’t catch us there. Our nativity comes out first. Our tree will go up now that bed delivery for which we needed to leave space, has been accomplished. We want so badly to have a nativity outdoors. If we wanted Santa, snowman, penguin or any of the dozens of inflatables out there, we’d be set. We would have to make it ourselves, which would be really cool, except it requires remembering (our weakest trait) to do it in warmer weather. We hear “Happy Holidays”, we answer “Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.” My exception this year was to someone I know is Jewish and I wished him a good Hannukah. What can we do?
Janet
My grandson asked (he’s 4), if we were going to have balloons for baby Jesus’ birthday. I told him great idea!
With the whole family gathered around the table we sing Happy Birthday to Jesus before dessert during our Christmas Dinner. It’s a tradition that began with my mother’s family when she was a little girl. My mother has been gone many, many years, but the tradition and keeping the focus on Christ continue!
My heart goes out to your little girl. I remember feeling the same way as a child. It’s hard to focus on what really matters because of the market-driven craziness Christmas has become. Blessings to you and yours and have a wonderful Christ-centered season.
We too are taking back Christmas. I have made Christ the center. There is not a tree this year because in the childrens eyes it is “santa” instead we made a huge star lite it and but a big manger scene under it this is in the center or our house. We put another smaller but significant nativity above our picture window with lights drawing attention. WE are doing minimal gifts and all of them are for the whole family not individual. A birthday cake will be made with a message (I am baking a red velvet cake) here is the lesson. Red velvet cake starts out as a chocolate cake (sin) then you add the red food coloring (Christs blood shed for us) Then after you bake it you put a white chream cheese frosting on it (we are washed white as snow) then add a few red sprinkles over the frosting (We still have sin in our lives but it does not matter because christ still covers us)
Sorry I forgot to post my review, here it is…
http://teampipkin.blogspot.com/2013/01/dayspring-december-review.html
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