I’m participating in the Keeping
Christ in Christmas Blog Carnival, hosted by Arma
Dei:Equipping Catholic Families, Raising (&
Teaching) Little Saints, Truly Rich Mom and
the Catholic
Bloggers Network. We'll be sharing different
ways, tips, stories and real-life experiences that will help us focus on Jesus
as the Reason for the Christmas season. Please scroll down to the end of the
post to see the list of carnival entries (available starting December 20th).
I mentioned briefly in one of last year’s Christmas posts about the importance of keeping Christmas focused on family time and
Jesus. I want to take this opportunity
to explain how this is an extension of our overall family philosophy that spending
time interacting together as a family is a priority. My husband and I believe that our children
will reach their best potential if they spend the majority of their non-schooling
time interacting with other family members.
This is why our children do not watch television after school or during
breaks. This is why my husband comes
home for dinner every night. This is why
we always attend mass together as a family.
We have taught our children that Advent and
Christmas are about waiting for Jesus and celebrating his arrival. I will explain more about how we do this
later in the post. Of course, my
children know that we buy gifts to exchange with family members, and they look
forward to opening the gifts they receive.
However, they don’t really think much about that part of Christmas. Every year, their grandparents and uncles ask
them what they would like to receive, and they rarely have an answer
prepared. They just don’t spend time picking
out the toys they want to receive, making a list, or dropping hints.
I believe their nonchalance is the result of
another family philosophy: an absence of materialism in our home. For many reasons, we live frugally, buying
only what we need, and avoiding excess.
While we sometimes buy ahead when things are on sale, we often wait to
buy seasonal clothing and shoes until that weather arrives. We try to buy seasonal produce, avoiding
costlier out of season items, such as watermelon in winter. From these habits, the children learn that
everything has it’s time, and you get what you need when the weather or season
arrives. On Christmas Day, you open
presents: no need to spend much time thinking ahead if you aren’t in charge of
the buying (which the children are not).
Something that really helps to minimize
materialistic thoughts in our home is the limited television and internet time
our children have. They rarely watch
television programs and the commercials that accompany them. When they do watch, we are all watching
together, and the commercials are muted.
We are also planning to watch less live television and watch programs
with the children through cable on-demand service to avoid even more
advertisements. The less encouragement
children see to become consumers, the less likely they are to ask for the
latest toys and gadgets. In fact, we
have only recently re-subscribed to cable after taking a year off to save money
and the children did not even notice the cancellation. And while they certainly know about most of
the trendy toys, they rarely ask for them, preferring to play with the ones
they already own. Keeping the children
away from internet sites and games sponsored by toy companies in the guise of
entertainment also prevents them from focusing on the next new toy that is
being promoted.
So, how do I keep the kids busy during all this
technology free family time? During Advent,
I organize faith activities in a calendar.
You can read more about this and some of the specific activities we
have done here. We also bring home many
books about Advent and Christmas from the library. Find a list, along with more faith activities,
here. We mark our progress through
Advent with a family Advent wreath. Also, each of my children makes a wreath that
they can “light” on their own with paper or yarn “flames.” They made the wreath pictured below two years
ago.
I also keep the kids busy with crafts and learning
activities focused on Jesus during the Christmas season through Epiphany. This year, we are planning to do similar
activities; if I have time, I will post about them.
I look forward to your thoughts about these
topics, so leave a comment if you have something to say.
I am not yet returning to full time blogging, but I
wanted to participate in this special carnival that reflects a key part of our
family life this time of year. I am
still trying to use my free time to revise my poetry manuscript, and I’m making
slow progress. I hope to make more
progress during the semester break, and to post now and again.
Thank you for visiting, and Merry Christmas.
Carnival Links:
Carnival Links:
Homeschool Mosaics: Keeping Christ in Christmas
Joy: Keeping Christ in Christmas: Advent Interruptions
The Breadbox Letters: Interrupted by Glory
TwentyTuesdayAfternoons: Keeping Christ in Christmas/ The Season of Giving / A Wee Bit of Beach Holiday Angst
The Learning Basket: Staying With the Nativity Story
Tercets: Keeping Christ in Christmas
Rosary Mom: Keeping Christ in Christmas
Ate Maui: Hoping and Bringing Hope
Written By the Finger of God: 12 Traditions for Keeping Christ in Christmas
Dominique's Desk: Keeping Christ in Christmas
Felix at Fifty: What Jesus Wants for Christmas
Mommy Bares All: Birthday Cake for the Birthday Boy on Christmas Day
Between Now and Later: Keeping Christ in Christmas, I am trying...
Lique's Antics: Family Antics: Christmas Reflection
Life of Fortunate Chances: Our First Ever Christmas: Keeping Christ in Christmas
The Mommy Journey: Keeping Christ in Christmas
Roller Coaster Ride: How to Remind Your Kids of Jesus Christ This Christmas
Cymplified: Christ -Centered Christmas: Cymplified!
Mountain Grace: Keeping Christ in Christmas
Touring Kitty: Grown-up Christmas List
Mommy Chinkysoup for the Soul: A Very Special Christmas
City Girl, Country Home: Finding Jesus in a Flurry
Coffee Moments with Sam: Christmas Unwrapped: 5 Presents Our Kids Truly Deserve
Raising Lifelong Learners: Keeping Christ in Christmas
The Diary of a Sower: Keeping Christ in Christmas: Celebrating the Golden Days
Arma Dei: Equipping Catholic Families: Keeping Christ in Christmas
Raising (and Teaching) Little Saints: Keeping Christ in Christmas
Truly Rich Mom: The Greatest Gift of All This Christmas
Joy-Filled Family: CHRIST in Christmas
Blueberry 010: Keeping Christ in Christmas: Jesus is the Reason for the Season
Deeper Truth Blog: Keeping Christ in Christmas Carnival
Holy Ducklings: 10 Ways to Make Advent Special for Your Little Ducklings
Green Eggs and Moms: Keeping Christ in Christmas: Green Eggs & Moms Style!
Joy: Keeping Christ in Christmas: Advent Interruptions
The Breadbox Letters: Interrupted by Glory
TwentyTuesdayAfternoons: Keeping Christ in Christmas/ The Season of Giving / A Wee Bit of Beach Holiday Angst
The Learning Basket: Staying With the Nativity Story
Tercets: Keeping Christ in Christmas
Rosary Mom: Keeping Christ in Christmas
Ate Maui: Hoping and Bringing Hope
Written By the Finger of God: 12 Traditions for Keeping Christ in Christmas
Dominique's Desk: Keeping Christ in Christmas
Felix at Fifty: What Jesus Wants for Christmas
Mommy Bares All: Birthday Cake for the Birthday Boy on Christmas Day
Between Now and Later: Keeping Christ in Christmas, I am trying...
Lique's Antics: Family Antics: Christmas Reflection
Life of Fortunate Chances: Our First Ever Christmas: Keeping Christ in Christmas
The Mommy Journey: Keeping Christ in Christmas
Roller Coaster Ride: How to Remind Your Kids of Jesus Christ This Christmas
Cymplified: Christ -Centered Christmas: Cymplified!
Mountain Grace: Keeping Christ in Christmas
Touring Kitty: Grown-up Christmas List
Mommy Chinkysoup for the Soul: A Very Special Christmas
City Girl, Country Home: Finding Jesus in a Flurry
Coffee Moments with Sam: Christmas Unwrapped: 5 Presents Our Kids Truly Deserve
Raising Lifelong Learners: Keeping Christ in Christmas
The Diary of a Sower: Keeping Christ in Christmas: Celebrating the Golden Days
Arma Dei: Equipping Catholic Families: Keeping Christ in Christmas
Raising (and Teaching) Little Saints: Keeping Christ in Christmas
Truly Rich Mom: The Greatest Gift of All This Christmas
Joy-Filled Family: CHRIST in Christmas
Blueberry 010: Keeping Christ in Christmas: Jesus is the Reason for the Season
Deeper Truth Blog: Keeping Christ in Christmas Carnival
Holy Ducklings: 10 Ways to Make Advent Special for Your Little Ducklings
Green Eggs and Moms: Keeping Christ in Christmas: Green Eggs & Moms Style!
You can read my 2013 post for Keeping Christ in Christmas, about joining church ministries, here. You will find the 2013 blog carnival list of links at the end of the post.
In 2013 I am linking with: Christmas in July
Wonderful ideas. This is a great blog party idea. Thanks for sharing at my Our Favorite Things Link Party.
ReplyDeleteGreat job keeping the focus of Christmas right where it should be! I love the paper plate advent wreath! What a great idea, will definitely be doing that next year!
ReplyDeletethat wreath is great. thanks for sharing that! maybe we can also do that on the next yuletide season.
ReplyDeleteThank you all for visiting. I wish I remember where I first saw the idea for that wreath; we make a slightly different version every year.
ReplyDeleteChris, I wanted to comment on your post, but the comments are disabled. We also really enjoy singing Christmas songs; my children sing them for months after.
Nice post! Thanks for sharing in the Carnival and at Catholic Bloggers. You will be very blessed by the way you are raising your kids...and a great inspiration for others.
ReplyDeleteI've visiting from the Keeping Christ in Christmas Carnival. I think you have "hit the nail on the head"--to keep the kids away from TV and other media as much as possible. When my kids were younger, it was so much easier. We don't have cable and they would only watch PBS occasionally. Now, my daughter likes all the old TV shows (like Leave it to Beaver) on Antenna TV. My son, on the other hand, is a teenager who would prefer to text his friends or play on his iTouch. He isn't really into crafts although he does like to play board games and he loves all types of sports. I try to limit his time on the iTouch, but at the same time, I know that as a teenager, he needs to start making choices for himself. He will still read alot, fortunately, but I wish I could encourage him to spend more time drawing. (When he was younger, he would draw for hours.)
ReplyDeleteI would love to hear more of your ideas for Christmas and Epiphany, as we won't be doing school during that time and I want to find some non-media ways to keep them busy.
Thank you for sharing!
Cheryl
http://www.diary-of-a-sower.blogspot.com
Feliz y Santa Navidad. Hoy estamos de fiesta, nos ha nacido el Salvador del mundo, el que puede entrar en nuestros corazones y limpiarnos.
ReplyDeleteUn abrazo.
This is a great post, Elisa! And I totally agree with you on kids and materialism! You are a great mom! Merry Christmas!! And many blessings to you and your family during this wonderful Christmas Season!
ReplyDeleteWonderful post, full of helpful ideas. I really liked the Epiphany Star link. The Advent Wreath (pictured) is also a wonderful idea that I plan to use for my 1st Communion Class (next year). Thank you for sharing...
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry for the late comment. Thanks for joining the blog carnival, Elisa! :) This is a wonderful post! :) We did the Advent wreath, similar to yours (with the handprints) last year and the year before too! :) May your family be blessed by all the intentional things you do — esp. in sharing our faith with them! :) God bless always!
ReplyDeleteQue el Señor sea este Nuevo Año el centro de nuestras vidas y nos la llene de bendiciones. Que nos enseñe y nos fortalezca a dar testimonio de su amor.
ReplyDeleteUn abrazo.
This is a lovely post and a very important message. The craft ideas are great too and I have pinned this.
ReplyDeleteThank you for linking up with Motivational Monday Christmas in July.
Thank you for pinning this post, Joy, and for featuring the manger in your list of Christmas Popsicle stick crafts.
ReplyDelete