Preparations for the Christmas season begin right after Thanksgiving. Christmas decorations in all shapes, sizes, and colors adorn store shelves just in time for the after-Thanksgiving Day sales rush. Moms and Dads line up for miles outside toy stores, rain or shine, to be the first to buy the hottest new item. By Christmas morning grown ups don’t even want to get out of bed to celebrate the day. This year instead of preparing our wallets and pocketbooks, let’s prepare our hearts to usher in the Christmas season with our families in a faith-affirming way.

Family Worship
The season of Advent (which means arrival) begins the first Sunday after Thanksgiving and extends through four Sundays. Advent celebrates the coming of the Christ child into the world and the significance of this event in the lives of every Christian.

The Advent wreath, the centerpiece of worship, consists of a small wreath (real or artificial), evergreen sprigs, five candleholders, and five candles. Three of the candles can be purple or deep blue, one is traditionally pink or rose-colored, and the fifth candle is white. The candles are arranged in a circular fashion inside the wreath with the white candle, usually called the Christ candle, in the center of the other four.

Worship time can be set aside each Sunday before church or later in the evening before bedtime. Family members can take turns each week lighting the candles and reading a devotional and prayer. A few moments can be set aside for any questions that younger family members may want to ask about the celebration.

Family Fun
Holidays are a time for people to get out and celebrate with family and friends. As a family, host a “Christmas for Christ” party. Involve the whole family in the planning. The central theme, of course, is the celebration of the birth of Christ. Have the children create their own special invitations. Invite Christian and non-Christian friends alike. Do the shopping for game prizes at this time too. If a lot of activities are planned, start early enough to fit everything into the evening.

To defray some costs, have guests each bring a dish and serve a buffet-style meal. Since decorations will already be hung for Christmas, no extra fanfare is needed. If a costume party sounds fun, have guests dress as a person from the nativity scene. Prizes can be given for the best costumes. The games that are chosen should revolve around the theme. People love trivia games, charades, and puzzles at parties. Let the kids take charge of the games while parents organize the buffet.

Don’t forget to end the night as well as you started. No Christmas gathering is complete without dessert, singing of carols, and the telling of the Christmas story. Sharing your faith with your family should be special and fun. You will create Christmas traditions that will be enjoyed for years to come.

Ingredients:

3 1/4 cups granulated sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
3/4 cup real, unsalted butter, softened
3 large eggs
6 to 7 ripe bananas, mashed
1 16 ounce container sour cream
2 1/4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons baking soda
4 1/2 cup flour
1 cup chopped nuts, optional

Directions:
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Grease two large, or four small loaf pans. Mix 1/4 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon in a small bowl. Dust greased pans with the mixture. Combine butter and 3 cups sugar. Add eggs, bananas, sour cream and remaining spices. Mix well; add baking soda and flour. Add nuts, if desired. Divide batter equally into pans. Bake for 55 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean. Serve with fresh whipping cream.

Beginning in early December, Christmas nativity scenes pop up in front of churches all over the country. Some depict the baby Jesus and Mary and Joseph. Others display the three Wise Men or “Magi” alongside the baby Jesus and his parents. Shepherds and their flocks are included, too. Still others feature stable animals and angels.

Let’s take a look into the Nativity scene though God’s Word. Two gospels in the Holy Bible contain an account of Jesus’ birth-Matthew and Luke. Both accounts mention that the Christ child was to be born of a virgin named Mary, who was pledged to be married to a man named Joseph (St. Matt. 1:18-25; St. Luke 2:1-7). They traveled to Bethlehem in the land of Judea where Mary gave birth to the Savior.

According to the book of Matthew, Magi visited Jerusalem and asked King Herod where the birth of the prophesied Christ had taken place (St. Matt. 2:1-12). They followed a star which led them to Bethlehem where they visited with the baby Jesus and his parents. In honor of his birth, they presented gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. They never revealed the child’s location to anyone, thus ensuring his family’s safety from King Herod.

The book of Luke does not mention the Magi, but a group of shepherds tending their flocks (St. Luke 2:8-20). An angel of the Lord appeared in the midst of the shepherds and told them of the birth of Jesus and its significance. Following the angel’s instructions, the shepherds found the baby in Bethlehem, laying in a manger, or feeding trough, in the stable, because the inn had no room. After their visit, the shepherds told anyone who would listen about what they had witnessed.

The Magi were wealthy Middle Eastern men who traveled a fair distance to view the Messiah. Their wealth is evidenced by the caliber of the gifts they presented. The shepherds, in contrast, were simple, hardworking men who were given a revelation from God about the baby Jesus. It seems like they represent who Jesus was born to save-the rich and the poor.

Ingredients:

2 3/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup Crisco
1/4 cup light brown sugar
3/4 cup molasses
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon warm water
1 teaspoon white vinegar
Desired decorations

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Blend all ingredients together until dough is well mixed. Roll out onto waxed paper, or a floured surface. Dough should be about a 1/4-inch thick. Cut into desired shapes. Place on greased and floured baking sheets. Bake for 8 minutes, or until browned. Cool. Decorate with desired frosting, candy pieces and other embellishments.

Ingredients:

1 5-pound duck, cleaned and rinsed
1 large orange, peeled and quartered
Salt and pepper

Orange sauce:
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
Freshly squeezed orange juice from 3 oranges
1 whole bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon thyme
3/4 cup Grand Marnier
Grated orange rind
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Clean duck and remove all excess fat. Rub duck, inside and out, with salt and pepper. Insert orange quarters into duck cavity and place in roasting pan. Cover and bake for 30 minutes. Remove duck. Pierce the breast with a knife or fork; drain excess grease. Reduce oven heat to 300 degrees and return duck to oven for 70 minutes, or until duck is quite tender. Meanwhile, blend sugar and vinegar in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat until sugar starts to caramelize. Add bay leaf, thyme, orange juice, rind and liquor. Cook for five minutes or until well blended; remove and discard bay leaf. Remove duck from oven. Discard oranges; drain any remaining excess grease. Pour sauce over duck. Serve with vegetables, rolls and other holiday favorites.

Picture this scene. Everyone scrambles to get ready. Pajamas are donned and teeth are brushed. Before prayers are said, there’s to be a gathering in the living room. Each person finds a comfortable place to sit. The lights on the Christmas tree sparkle like diamonds. The smell of peppermint and holly wafts throughout the room. Do you smell the cinnamon muffins in the oven? It’s Christmas Eve and everybody is waiting to hear the Christmas story.

A Christian Christmas is not complete without sharing the Christmas story. The story of the baby Jesus’ miraculous conception and lowly birth reaffirms our faith during the holiday season. Recounting the story on Christmas Eve prepares us for Christmas Day. We go to sleep thinking of Jesus and wake up with thanksgiving on our lips.

One individual doesn’t have to be responsible for telling the story. The entire family can get involved. Each member can come up with their own unique way of sharing the story. I like poetry. My contribution could be telling the story in a rhyme. My nephew loves to write rap lyrics. That’s an idea for kids, especially boys. They can set the story to music. Whatever the idea, encourage each other to express what they feel in their hearts.

Sharing the Christmas story doesn’t have to take place before bedtime either. You could rent a video of the Christmas story and invite friends and other family members over early in the day on Christmas Eve and view it together. Add in some hot cocoa and a slice of cake and you’ve created a relaxing afternoon.

Whichever setting you choose for the story telling, ask those who are present to describe how the story makes them feel. For instance, I am grateful that God loved me so much that He allowed Jesus to be born. Looking at what Mary and Joseph went through, I am reminded that it is not always easy following God, but it always pays off.

Jesus was born to save the world. When we share his story at Christmastime, we give special attention to the One whose birth got little attention at the time.

Each November and sometimes before, kids of all ages begin forming their Christmas wish lists. By the time December first rolls around, the list has grown huge. Grown ups aren’t much better. Our lists aren’t as long, but our gift wishes are more expensive! A second mortgage may be in order just to afford everything our kids want. And so begins the spending, shouting, running, pushing, shoving, and snatching that accompany frenzied holiday shopping. How did this happen? Our kids didn’t just wake up one morning with their hands held out and greed in their hearts. “I want! I want!” is a learned behavior. We have lost sight that it is more blessed to give than to receive.

Where It All Begins
As a child, we are not born with knowledge of our actions. All behavior must be learned. Our first teachers are our parents and guardians. Kids imitate what they see. It is up to us as Christian parents to teach our children to follow the ways of God. That includes teaching them about giving and receiving. They say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but if we don’t concern ourselves with giving, how can we expect our children to act any different?

An Unselfish Gift
The story of the birth of Jesus is a shining example of selfless giving. God allowed His only Son to be born, knowing that he would live and die for a world that had turned its back on Him time and time again. God offered His gift of love with no strings attached. We still have the free will to accept or reject His gift.

Actions Speak Where Words Fail
Get kids involved in their communities. Help them see that there are families who don’t have a home or enough food to eat. Several times a year and especially during the Christmas holiday season, help them to go through their closets and gather together clothing and coats that no longer fit. Kids should come along with you when dropping off the clothes at Goodwill or another agency of your choice. Toys in good condition that aren’t played with anymore can be donated too.

Soup kitchens provide hot meals for the hungry all year round. Take your kids and let them help prepare and serve. Even at five years of age they can help you serve. Tell them that Jesus did the same thing for multitudes of people.

Supermarkets and department stores hang paper Christmas trees with the names of children who need gifts for Christmas. Your children will want to choose a tree and help another child like themselves to have a happy Christmas morning. Through your actions, your children will learn that giving unselfishly to another person feels good and benefits everyone. Their Christmas lists may just get a little bit shorter and their hearts will definitely get a whole lot bigger.

Is there such a thing as “the perfect gift”? At Christmastime, shoppers go in search of it. Everyone wants his or her gift to be just what that receiver has always wanted. The things that people really want to make their lives better, can’t be bought from a store. I’m talking about good health, peace of mind, financial security, and long life to name a few.

There is a gift that can provide the missing elements of our lives. Best of all, anyone who knows where to find it can tell you where to get it-free of charge. It sounds too good to be true, but this is one gift that delivers what it promises.

God presented this perfect gift to the world over 2,000 years ago. His son, Jesus, was born in a stable in Bethlehem to a humble carpenter and his betrothed, a virgin named Mary. There was no get-together to celebrate the blessed event, only a star casting down its light from the night sky.

During the Christmas holiday, those who are Christians celebrate Jesus’ birth as the beginning of something wonderful. Without his birth, there could not have been a victorious death at Calvary and eternal salvation for every believer. Jesus’ life upon this earth was short, but he left behind a lifetime of teaching.

God’s love became real through Jesus Christ. Those who longed to know that God cared about them had at last found comfort. I grew up in the church thanks to my grandmother, but it wasn’t until I became an adult that I accepted Jesus’ message and received God’s gift of salvation. Now, I have a friend who will never disappoint me and a Father who answers when I call.

Remember the things I mentioned earlier: good health, peace of mind, financial freedom, and long life? God provides for them all through his Son. I can sleep better at night knowing that He is taking care of me. I also trust my beautiful family to Him, too. Whenever I hear my children pray or see my husband delivering the sermon at church on Sunday, I am grateful for Jesus Christ in our lives.

Would you like to know where to find God’s greatest gift? He’s as close as your knees are to the floor. Tell him that you want him to become a part of your life. Ask him to forgive your sins and make your heart and mind whole again. The greatest gift of all is now yours.

Homemade gift baskets can show just how much love we’ve poured into our gift giving this year. A basket can be put together at home cheaper than the same basket could be purchased from the store. My church youth group made homemade gifts one year and the project was a big success. The kids worked hard to create the best gifts they could for the person whose name they had chosen.

A special talent or skill that you possess can be a big help in creating a homemade gift. I like to crochet and sew. One year, I made winter scarves in Christmas colors for a few of my family baskets. I also made a few twin-sized comforters for the children. If crafts are your thing, try your hand at creating handmade jewelry. Whatever your talent, put it to good use.

Many of us are not the creative sort, but there are ideas for you too. Instead of hitting the toy and/or department stores, head to your local Christian store, such as: Lifeway Christian, Family Christian, and Cokesbury Christian stores. You can find interesting gifts from music and jewelry to videos and games. Children will love the videos and games. My kids loved the VeggieTales™ movies and toys when they were younger. The characters were funny and they taught good lessons without being preachy.

If you still haven’t found that special gift, I have yet another idea-gift cards. All of us know at least one individual or family that could use household or personal items more than other types of gifts. If someone on your list needs clothing, then a gift card will allow them to select the very thing they need.

Other types of stores sell gift cards, too. My family and I have given grocery gift cards to friends on fixed incomes or those who were having a hard time making ends meet. My father has even given gas cards as gifts. With the rising cost of petroleum, this is a great idea.

Gift giving doesn’t have to be hard, but it should be thoughtful. As a Christian, even our Christmas gifts reflect our ministry-meeting others at their level of need.

The best part of Christmas is sharing peace and love with others. The true meaning of Christmas should bring hope to every man, woman, and child. Doing something selfless for others helps us spread that hope.

Neighbor helps Neighbor.
In many places, snow is a certainty during the holiday season. If you live in one of these areas then you know that digging out after a snow is hard work.

Organize a neighborhood “dig out”. Neighbors who are able-bodied and full of the Christmas spirit can offer to shovel their neighbors’ driveways and front steps. Children can travel around the shoveling route providing hot cocoa breaks for the willing workers. Neighbors who have to work around the holidays will appreciate the Christian charity.

One thing my community likes to do around the Christmas holiday is to canvas the entire neighborhood with luminaries. Volunteers take a day and come together to prepare the luminary bags and set them out curbside in front of every home. About a week before Christmas the volunteers light the luminaries at sunset one evening. Everyone in the neighborhood can look out their windows and enjoy the solemnity of the season. The luminaries are a small service, but they make a powerful statement. They remind us of the light that was born into the world over 2,000 years ago.

Shopping break.
Malls and shopping centers become hubs of activity at Christmastime. One shopping center in my city is so busy that they hire policemen to direct traffic. Everyone is so busy buying, that no one thinks about eating. Here’s another opportunity to help out in the community. A church youth group, women’s circle, or another organization can provide much needed concessions, free of charge, for weary shoppers.

Keep your snack items simple. If I were a shopper I’d be looking for something to give me a boost of energy in a hurry. Donuts or Christmas cookies would be easiest to manage and clean up. Apple cider can be bought from the grocery store and warmed up in large coffee urns heated by electric fuel. There’s nothing like a hot drink and a donut on a cold day. Shoppers will thank you for the hospitality. If they ask why you are doing it, let them know that you are sharing a bit of Christ’s love during the holidays.

Helping out in the community can be fun and rewarding. Explore the needs in your area this Christmas and give lend some folks a hand.