For Parents of Little Ones

Illustration by Dan Burr

Trees, lights, presents—Christmas is a magical time of year! But if we’re not careful, the true reason for the celebration, the birth of our Savior, can get lost in the hustle and bustle. By remembering Jesus in our outings and activities, we can help our children learn that Christmas is about Christ. Remember, traditions don’t have to be a big production to be meaningful.

• Listen to and sing sacred carols together. “Silent Night” can become as familiar as “Jingle Bells.”

• Display a nativity your children can touch or play with. You could even help them make a nativity from sock puppets, felt, or paper to act out the different scenes.

• Watch a live nativity, or act it out as a family! (For script ideas, visit lessonhelps.lds.org and click on the category “Plays and Programs.”)

• Use an advent activity from the Friend to get ready for Christmas. For example, page 10 of this month’s magazine has a song-a-day activity you could use. The December 2015 Friend included a lovely poster called “The Road to Bethlehem,” with different readings for the two weeks leading up to the holiday. (Find past issues online at friend.lds.org.)

• Tell stories during Christmas about the Savior’s whole life, not just His birth. Let your children choose from the variety of videos at BibleVideos.org.