7 min read
Since having kids I have been thinking a lot about what kind of traditions we want to cultivate as a family. Christmas especially is a time with many opportunities to create rituals and set a culture how we celebrate this holiday. As parents there are a million things we could do to make the Christmas season special. I think it is important to be intentional so you don’t end up completely overwhelmed and end up with a bunch of practices that are more stress than joy or that don’t represent your own values at all. To me, it is important to celebrate a Christian Christmas.
Today I wanted to share some of the ways in which we celebrate Christmas and Advent that represent our faith in Jesus and the cross-cultural nature of our family.
The reason for the season: celebrating Christian Christmas
As a Christian it is important to me that Christmas is when we celebrate the fact that Jesus became man to live among us and die for our sins so that we could have life to the full. I love Advent – remembering how people used to wait for the Messiah and that their hope was fulfilled. Today we are waiting again for him to return and I am always encouraged during Advent to put my hope in the renewal Jesus will one day bring. Here’s a few things I do to celebrate a Christian Christmas.
The Shepherd on the Search
This year I bought a “Shepherd on the Search” set. It consists of a toy Shepherd (we named ours David) and a book that tells the Nativity story from the perspective of a Shepherd boy who was looking for Jesus and finally found him. During Advent David is looking for Jesus in lots of different places (under the sofa, beheind our coats, in the Christmas tree… etc.). And each morning the girls had to find David. Sometimes he brought someone with him – a donkey, an angel, or Mary and Joseph. And on Christmas day he brought Baby Jesus – because he had finally found him!
This is basically a Christian alternative to ‘Elf on the Shelf’, way less creepy and a fun way to remember to look to Jesus during Advent.
Nativity set
Those people and animals David brought with him were part of a wooden nativity I had bought this year. It’s a really cute set that the girls can play with. I try to eliminate most Santa related decorations and instead want to have seasonal decor that represents what we actually celebrate.
Re-iterating the reason for the season
Another thing we do is that we keep talking about the reason we celebrate Christmas. I am collecting various books that tell the nativity in different ways and we have been reading them throughout Advent.
Santa – yay or nay?
We have decided to not tell our Children about Santa. (Or the Christkind or Father Christmas or any other cultural variation of the same tale). The girls know that we and their relatives buy them gifts – we don’t tell them that some bearded man drops them through our chimney or anything like that.
My main reason is that in my opinion Santa is a distraction from Jesus. Also, I wonder if my kids would question everything I told them about God once they realise that Santa isn’t real. To me, a Christian Christmas needs more Jesus and less Santa.
The other reason is that I find Santa extremely anti-feminist. In the majority of cases women are responsible to research, buy and wrap gifts. And who gets the credit? A white old man. Of course!
All that being said – I think everyone figures out their own ways of doing things and how they want to celebrate Christmas. And if Santa is part of the magic for you, go for it!
Cross-cultural Christmas
There are a couple of differences between how Christmas is celebrated in Germany and England.
For example, in Germany the main day of celebrations is the 24th – people get together in the evening for a meal and to exchange gifts. In England presents are unwrapped on the morning of the 25th and the celebratory meal is eaten around lunchtime.
There are also a number of small traditions from each country we have come to cherish. It’s important to me that our kids are familiar with typical aspects that are common in each culture. Especially as we’re living in Germany I am trying to implement some typical English ways of doing things.
When we celebrate
I am a big fan of waiting until the morning of the 25th to exchange presents, there is a lot more time and having a meal is a lot more relaxed when kids aren’t itching to finally open their gifts.
We had a bit of a mixture this year, which I actually loved. On the 24th we went to church in the afternoon, which a lot of people do on Christmas Eve. The girls were part of a kids choir and it was so sweet.
Afterwards we were invited to my brother’s house for Raclette together with my parents. The kids received some gifts from aunts, uncles and grandparents but we waited with ours until the following day.
The food
This year Edd and I made quite a lot of mince pies! We both love them and they are such an essential part of English Christmas.
Also, we made a roast dinner on Christmas Day and it was amazing! British cuisine hasn’t got the best reputation but a roast dinner is so much better than potato salad with sausages.
Adventskranz
Something that I haven’t seen a lot in England but that is extremely common in Germany is the “Adventskranz”. A wreath out of evergreens that is decorated with Christmas baubles, acorns and four candles. With each Advent Sunday you get to light another candle. I love candles and this is such a simple way to induce something special into our everyday life during December.
Advent calendar
Advent calendars are popular in both England and Germany. Something I haven’t seen as much in the UK are DIY versions, which are quite common over here. I love picking out small gifts and treats for each day and the joy they had opening their little presents each day was so sweet.
Traditions can evolve
Even though I think it is good and important to be intentional about traditions, there’s no pressure to create some perfect Christmas. (It doesn’t exist anyway.) You can try new things and abandon practices that no longer fit. Traditions evolve! As our kids grow older we will most likely change how we do a few things. Nothing is set in stone.
What a privilege we get to celebrate the birth of Christ and to be able to do it in a way that works for us and brings us joy!
What about you?
I would love to hear how you celebrate Christmas, which traditions are important to you and what new habits you’re hoping to adopt in the future. It’s so interesting to me how everyone has their own special rituals and favourite aspects. Feel free to leave a comment with your experiences and thoughts!
This post is day 3 of my 12 days of blogmas challenge. Read more here.
No Comments