“Are you ready for Santa?!” So many people have asked my children this question over the past 2 weeks. We smile awkwardly everytime because our girls don’t know what they mean. Woops!

Personally, my goal every year is to focus on Christ’s coming in the month of December, preparing my heart for Christmas. I want my kids to do the same. I want them to know why Christmas is a celebration. Because God came to us. To rescue us. Because we needed him to. Without Jesus, there is no hope for us as sinners. We will perish apart from God.

But, with the birth of Jesus comes great, great hope.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”
John 3:16

In our Santa-centered Christmas culture, I have found that it takes real effort and creative energy to get children most excited about Jesus! But I’m here to say it’s not impossible. 🙂

My kids are 3 & 1.5, and numbers are fairly (or maybe completely) meaningless to them. An Advent countdown just didn’t do much to get them excited. After it flopped, I started googling and found an idea that I decided to try.

One week before Christmas, I stole all of our nativity scene characters and let my Addie (age 1.5) help me hide them around the house. Every day, one character makes “their journey to Bethlehem”, returning to the stable. I told the girls that each day, there will be a new person or animal arrive at the stable, and on Christmas Jesus will arrive because Christmas is all about him being born!!

You guys–they have LOVED it. (Also, it was very fun dramatizing the disappearance of the characters.) Nevaeh (age 3) gets a sheepish smile on her face when I remind her to go see what is happening in “Bethlehem.” Addie points and gawks everytime she walks by the table with the nativity set. And anytime anyone says Jesus or God, she points enthusiastically at it. Each day, I try to surprise the kids by having the new character there in the morning, but even when I forget, they have fun “helping them travel to Bethlehem.”

We’re only 3 days away now, and our family is sooo excited for Christmas day! What a joy to experience anticipating and celebrating Christ’s birth with little kids. They help me stay focused on things that matter. I’m so thankful.

I would love to hear any ideas you have about preparing for Christmas and celebrating Jesus!! Merry Christmas!!