Ideas for Christ-centered Family Christmas Traditions

These great ideas are share by Sherilyn Hanson Veropalumbo who lives in Utah

Christmas Traditions to start:

1.  Each family member draws names within family to do service for the person whose name they draw, and give one gift to that person on Christmas day.
2. Everyone gives a gift to Christ
3. Everyone make list of things they done they weren’t proud of or habits they want to quit and we burn that list as a promise to Christ that we give that one thing up the next year, and we burn it over a bonfire of smores or hot dogs
4.     On  Christmas Eve open one gift each of their choice* so that the kids have a more giving attitude on Christmas Day when you go do service!
5.      Let All kids get to choose if they want to use their Christmas money each year to give to orphans or for themselves after they are 8 years old.  (For parents who don’t tell their kids that Santa exists)
6. Christmas Caroling at nursing homes or any other people who might not have anyone to be with at ChristmasI
7. Cut down Christmas tree each year as a family, (or go pick one from a farm if you live in an area where trees aren’t free), and all decorate together.
8. Each family member choose and hand make your own tree decorations that remind you of Christ or symbolize a story of Christ or choose one each year to make and all work together as a team to make them to teach them teamwork which is really good to make habits that keep them employed later in life. J (When family decorates Tree together, have each person show their ornament and explain what it means to them)
   1. White lamb
   2. Heart (love)
   3. Dove
   4. Manger
   5. Star
   6. Kings crown
   7. White robe
   8. Crown of thorns
   9. Clouds (Christ came down on clouds after resurrection and will come again in 2nd coming)
   10. Throne
   11. Temple
   12. Altar
   13. Holy of holies
   14. Gold cup (last supper)
   15. Bucket of water (woman at the well)
   16. Oil vial (priesthood)
   17. Flower (garden of eden)
   18. Candle (light of the world)
   19. Round stone (symbol of the stone in front of His tomb)
   20. Stack of white clothes folded (tomb)
   21. Little scriptures (his word)
   22. Water (baptism or walking on water)
   23. Angel wings (symbol of his unseen presence)
   24. Chunk of gold (gift to Christ from wisemen)
   25. Frankensence
   26. Myrh
   27. Donkey (mary rode one before giving birth to Christ)
   28. Missionary name tags when the boys serve missions!
   29. Shield and sword (armor of God)
   30. Pictures of each prophet (explain their roles to kids)
   31. Manna (40 days in wilderness, fed manna by God- symbol that God always loves us even when we are being punished for doing something wrong)
9. All tell our favorite story of Christ on Christmas before we open all our presents (short and sweet for the young kids), and say a prayer afterwards
10. Make egg nog, Christmas shaped sugar cookies, wassail, ginger cookies, pumpkin bars, fudge, whatever your favorite Christmas treat is…and teach the kids how (let them help) (You could even choose a culture each year and make something that is unique to that country to have at Christmas again broading their understanding of different people when their young to make them more understanding and loving towards others)
11. Christmas morning do some type of service:
12. Soup kitchen
13.    Orphanages
14.    Nursing Homes
15.    Homeless people hitch hiking or under bridges (they are very easy to find in big cities such as SLC).  Bring them holiday goodies.
16.    Visit widows or anyone else who may be alone

12. Whole family do genealogy together when kids are old enough, and go to the temple to be baptized for the ancestor of each family member’s choice (try to find out more about that person), and definitely do more if you have more names!  (You never run out of genealogy- there are always cousins, aunts, uncles on all which way sides of every single line!)
13. Always watch first presidency Christmas devotional (try and attend at the SLC conference center if possible or stay home and drink wassail or hot cocoa in their favorite flavors or creamers)
14. Each year, the kids get to pick their favorite picture of Christ and have it framed.  Use small frames if your idea is to let them keep all of them as a collection
15. If you know how to knit, teach children how to do it and make sweater or stockings for someone they want to do something nice for.