Traditions & Celebrations

Traditions & Celebrations Episode 386 with Denise Mira

Are you looking for something to make Christmas meaningful? How about traditions and celebrations to start off the holiday right? Join Felice Gerwitz with Denise Mira as they share special traditions that won’t break the bank.

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Denise Mira, author of No Ordinary Child: Unlocking the Leader Within Your Child, has been married to Gregory for 39 years. They are the parents of five extraordinary home-educated sons. Denise has traveled extensively, inspiring revolutionary change in households as she shares her impactful message for families. She is passionate about helping moms and dads raise No Ordinary Children! Find more inspiration and free tools for success at DeniseMira.com

Traditions – Celebrations

Traditions & Celebrations – What is the true meaning of Christmas and how can your family traditions bring this to light
Everything good – every perfect GIFT comes from God. James 1:17 so we organically marinate in this concept – Bible and prayer isn’t a religious exercise. It is our LIFE, our first thought, the foundation of our lives so that spills over into our holidays.
Advent calendars come in so many forms these days! incorporate family prayer and scripture reading and memorization in its daily joyful use
Highlight the nativity scene-elevate it -kids love playing with these Fisher-Price, Playmobil or surely there’s a complete set at the Goodwill or Dollar Tree to be had-this can be a time of reading from the Bible the story of Christmas while setting up the pieces, chatting about what it must have been like, really making it real.
Bake Jesus a birthday cake and PRAYFULLY give him gifts (each child gave thought to and contributed something they could give to Jesus by gifting it to a single mom/kids and laid it at the Nativity during a celebration of family worship and prayer)
Santa has never been a focal point or dominant in our decor or chatter – it’s not the religious unpardonable sin, but you get my drift. He’s more of a jovial fictional character who needs Jesus.
Make homemade faith-based ornaments, Christmas cards and/or wall hangings
Buy a kids puzzle 100 or 1000 piece depending on ages on Amazon for the table that is faith-based.
Muppet Christmas Carole movie is an all-time fav and illustrates so much we can apply to life as His disciples in the earth – it could be a whole unit study for the holidays!
Baking for elderly people in our lives-they just can’t cook anymore! seriously our neighbors relied on our holiday goodies for anything homemade
Toys for tots type drives-involve the kids in contributing for NEW items so they feel the pinch as they give (God so loved that He gave)
Attend a candlelight service even at a different church than your own if yours doesn’t do it
Christmas Veggie tales
My friend has lots of grandkids and they all act out the Christmas story as she reads it with a few costume props at their Christmas gathering
My brothers fam makes homemade cards and a traditional butter toffee chocolate candy each year -all the kids sign their name to the card the oldest stamps or whatever-very low cost but it’s their way to give something affordable to lots of people to share Christ’s love and an authentic Christmas catch up letter is often included.
Christmas Eve has always been our ‘ya’ll come celebration’ where we include lots of unsaved friends, lonely people, military singles, everyone brings an appetizer to share. It’s always a rich, warm and loving time of outreach.
Hang a string of lights or flameless candles in each kid’s room-if a tree is available that’s fun too but that might not be doable. the string of lights or cheap LED light votives at Dollar Tree can serve as a teaching on Jesus Light of the World coming to a dark place to shine and we take on His mission to our world and the lights serve as night lights and cozy up to their rooms.
Review the modern-day miracles Jesus has done in your family or loved one’s lives. Choose one each evening-have the kids ponder and come up with some it’s amazing what they are in touch with that God has done! Write them down, reflect, thank Him, set them at His manger.
Ask your kids who is on their heart to help this Christmas. You may be surprised what they come up with – do all you can to accommodate what’s on their hearts to bless those people! They will ‘own it’ and it becomes so real to them.