Teaching children the meaning of Christmas

Christmas is everyone's favorite time of the year. Almost all homes and establishments are adorned with glitters and other sparkly items. For some, this season means expensively wrapped gifts, great food, and parties. With the rampant commercialism, however, the true spirit of Christmas has been forgotten by many of us.

 As parents, we are responsible in reminding our children on the real meaning of this season. Christmas is a joyous celebration of the nativity of Jesus, who suffered to save the world. Christmas is not just about the much-anticipated arrival of Santa Claus or gifts.

There are parts of Christmas that we can actually see, hear, and touch more than what meets the eye. There are reasons behind the customs and traditions we observe during this season. There are symbols, whose meaning we need to show to our children.

Fig tree.

The unchanging pure green color of the Christmas tree represents the everlasting hope of mankind in Jesus. Its needles point heavenward as a gentle reminder that man's thoughts should turn towards heaven.

Star.

The brilliant star we see at the top of our fig tree is a heavenly sign of the promise made long ago. God promised a Savior for the world, and the star was the sign of the fulfillment of that promise. God always fulfills His promises; we just have to see the light, just like the wise men did on the night Jesus was born.

Candle.

The glow of the candle symbolizes Christ as light of the world; when we see this great light, we are reminded of Jesus who fills our lives with light. It is also a sign of gratitude for the gift of God's Son.

Wreath.

The beautiful green wreath tied with a bright red bow reminds us of the real nature of love. The bow symbolizes the bond of perfection, which is love. Real love never ceases, like God's love which has no beginning nor end. 

 Santa Claus.

The jolly old man symbolizes the generosity and kindness we feel during the month of December. It represents the spirit of belongingness and the joy of sharing and receiving.

Holly leaf.

It represents immortality. It symbolizes the crown of thorns worn by Christ. The red holly represents the blood shed by Him. It is the color of the life-giving blood that flows through our veins. Teach your children that color red reminds us of that most wonderful gift God gave us.

Gift.

God so loved the world that He gave us His only Son. This is God's special gift. Wise men bowed before the Holy Child and gave Him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. We should always give gifts in the same spirit as that of the wise men.

Sugar Cane.

The tiny red and white cane is in the form of a 'J' to represent the precious name of Jesus, who came to earth. It also symbolizes the Good Shepherd's crook, which He uses to reach down into the ditches of the world to lift out the fallen lambs or those that have gone astray.

 Angel.

It was the angels who announced the glorious news of the Savior's birth. The angels sang 'Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace and good will toward men.'

Bell.

Just as the lost sheep is guided by the sound of the bell, the Christmas bell is meant to guide us too to God. The silver symbolizes guidance and return. Teach children to follow the true Shepherd who sees us all as precious in God's eyes.

Make this special season an opportunity to teach our young children that Christmas is about a baby born in a manger and one day died to save the world from sins. It is an ideal time to remind them that the greatest gift we could ever receive is the gift of Christ. (Source: http://projectbritain.com/Xmas/meaning.htm)