“Christ is not part of Christmas. Christ is Christmas.”
George Durrant
Christmas Eve is the perfect occasion for the grandest family night of the year as you focus on the birth, life, and mission of our Savior, Jesus Christ. After enjoying a delicious dinner or light supper, according to the tradition of your family, complete the evening by reading aloud the First Christmas from Luke, chapter 2, verses 1-13 and singing or listening to carols and other sacred Christmas music. You can also engage in a short program or activity according to the ages and interests of your family members. Following are suggestions for your consideration: (Note: Option #3 incorporates Luke 2 and carols into the skit.)
- With a crèche (nativity set) as the centerpiece, talk about each figure and discuss what we can learn from it. For example, we can be obedient like Mary. We can be a defender of Christ like Joseph. We can share the good news like the angels. We can humbly seek the Lord like the shepherds. We can go to great lengths to bring gifts like the wisemen. And, filled with the flowing Spirit of God, we can guide others to Christ like the Star of Bethlehem. (Based on a quote by Elaine Cannon)
- Read and discuss the “Three Levels of Christmas.” This Christmas Classic will be appreciated by mature members of your family. The article was written as a Church News editorial by William B. Smart, and appears in his book, Messages for a Happier Life (Deseret Book, 1989, pp. 33-34.) It is available on my website, please click here: The Three Levels of Christmas
- If you’re one of the many families who enjoys re-enacting the First Christmas, you will be interested in this short, three-page Nativity skit that was published in the Friend magazine a number of years ago. It includes speaking parts, scriptural passages, and musical references and appeals to all ages. If you would like a free copy from my website, please click here: Nativity Skit
- If you’d like a change from the children taking parts and dressing up in bathrobes, shawls, and white sheets, let the children manipulate hand puppets this year. (The skit, mentioned above, works well with either live actors or hand puppets.) Free patterns plus photos for creating simple costumed hand puppets can be obtained from my website by clicking here: Nativity Hand Puppets
May you and your family receive the blessings of a Christ-centered Christmas Eve and may your Christmas be a very merry one, Daryl