8 Ways to Keep the Spectacular in Christmas

Does focusing on the true spiritual meaning of Christ mass mean that we ditz the culture around us? Not at all. Rather, it means we live with joy and lights of the spectacular.   

Choose to Focus on the Spectacular in the Following 8 Ways

Today’s children are bombarded with Santa Claus, reindeer, and elf on a shelf. While they may be fun for the imagination, there are true, more spectacular imaginations on which they can think and get excited.

Elf On a Shelf

Fake:  Santa sends Elf on a shelf from the North Pole to watch our children to see if they’re being naughty or nice. That’s rather ominous and scary. “Big brother” watching to catch our children being bad. 

Spectacular:  Our Heavenly Father sends angels from heaven to watch over our children and guard them. How lovely and true for our children and us to think on. 

Tip:  Place angels on the shelf. 

Reindeer

Fake:  Santa’s reindeer fly once a year on Christmas Eve. Movies typically depict a traumatic concern if they’re going to make it. 

Spectacular:  God’s angels fly between heaven and earth continually with everlasting power and majestic glory fighting evil and victoriously guiding our way. 

Tip:  Watch Christian movies on the birth of Christ and glorious, musical angelic announcement to the shepherds. 

Gifts

Fake:  Santa brings gifts once a year. There’s stress if he’ll get the right, longed for gift. 

Spectacular:  God gives us the gift of Jesus’s birth, life, forgiveness, the Holy Spirit, gifts of the Spirit, eternal life, and heaven. He gives us the daily gifts of life, the beauty of the sky, the sun, water, food, life, and one another. He’s gloriously faithful and generous to give us all these gifts. 

Tip:  Open your eyes and others to God’s gifts all around us. It’s proven that people who keep a gratitude journal are more optimistic about life. They’re mindful of God’s daily gifts. Prayers of My Heart  journal has a Month at a Glance section where you and your family can record something for which you’re thankful each day. By daily being mindful of God’s gifts, you and your family will live a more optimistic life. An attitude of gratitude rather than stressing over what you don’t have is one of the greatest gifts God gives us. 

Candy Canes

Fake:  They mark the way to Santa’s workshop

Spectacular:  Staffs symbolize the shepherds to whom the angels announced Jesus’s birth.

Tip:  Hang candy canes on the Christmas tree. Read Luke 2:8-16.

Christmas Music

Fake: “Santa Claus is Coming to Town”

Spectacular:  “Joy to the World, the Lord Has Come”

Tip: Listen to Christian Christmas music and play songs that are filled with the true meaning of Christmas.

Christmas Stories

Fake:  “Twas the Night Before Christmas”

Spectacular:  “Jesus Birth in Bethlehem”

Tip:  Read the Christmas story in Luke 2:1-14 at bedtime and help the family memorize it. My mother helped me memorize it as a child and it lives in my heart. Give your family this gift by memorizing a few verses at a time and adding more verses each year. Read or recite it Christmas morning.

Star

Fake:  Guides Santa 

Spectacular:  Guides the wise men

Tip:  Read Matthew 2:1-2. Decorate the Christmas tree with stars.

Christmas Plays

Fake:  Santa’s workshop, elves, and reindeer costumes

Spectacular: The nativity, shepherds, and angel costumes

Tip:  If you have children or grandchildren, make simple costumes out of pillow cases and scarves. Cotton ball sheep costumes and a baby doll Jesus in a blanket covered box are easy props. This is fun for children, and by acting out the Christmas story, they seal the true meaning of Christmas in their heart.

This year, give your family a spectacular Christmas. Does it mean you ignore or refuse all the secular? No. But it does mean you have the choice and the power to choose how you decorate your house and which books, movies, and songs you make the emphasis. I pray you and your family have a spectacular Christmas.