Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa? How does your family celebrate the Holidays? Do you teach your kiddos about the other holidays? Do you take December off from schooling?
We celebrate Christmas WAY different than anyone else on the planet! And yes, we have taught our children about all the other holidays. We take off a week or 2 sometimes, with this year taking just one week off.
As far as “decorating” goes, we do not have a traditional tree. Instead we have 3 Trees! Our three small Pencil trees with white lights represent the (folktale) The Tale of Three Trees. When people ask us {and they ALWAYS do} about the three trees, we get to share Christ with them!
We also have snowmen that have been collected over the years that go on our mantle/or piano top for most of the winter season; while our Nativity stays out ALL YEAR LONG!
In our home and family, we celebrate the holidays a little different then most families when we do what we call the Three Gifts!
Jesus only received three gifts from all the Magi, so we feel it is only fair. All of the over-abundance these days just makes people (especially children) NOT appreciate what they get and have! So we choose three gifts for our children out of these three categories: Head, Hands and Heart.
Head: something that will challenge them, make them smarter and they have to use their brains to play with or use.
Hands: something they make, create or use with their hands.
Heart: something they LOVE or something we give to them because we LOVE them and wanted them to have it.
These gifts are most likely NEVER something they specifically ASKED for (the list type things go to Grandparents, Aunts & Uncles, etc.)
We hope that our children will grow up and carry on these “traditions” that point directly to Christ with their families. This year our budget will be especially TIGHT so the three gifts may be even smaller than years past, but they will mean just as much!
You can read the the folk tale of the three trees here.
The book is beautiful and it has been made into a DVD for kids as well!
I hope no matter how you celebrate, that you celebrate with Life, Love and Family! Blessings.
Tracy is first and foremost a Christian, a military wife and mother. She grew up as a military brat all over the USA and is married to her Air Force, pastor husband of 15 years. They have 2 beautiful teenage children that they home school. She is photographer, and owns Shots From the Heart Photography and loves to do what she calls “Capturing the Fingerprints of God!” in her images. Tracy also created a workshop called Mommytography, where she teaches Mom’s how to take better pictures. You can visit her at her blog: Lighthouse Academy Home & School
That is Awesome. We LOVE The Legend of the Three Trees in our home. I like the idea of the three gifts. They will actually mean something more than just the normal materialism associated with Christmas. I love it!
Cathy´s last blog ..MERRY CHRISTMAS! HAPPY BIRTHDAY JESUS!
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We just read this book tonight. It was wonderful! I like your idea of 3 gifts. I’ve heard of it done. My kids get all they want from grandparents, too. LOL!
Sherry´s last blog ..CHRISTmas Ham Recreated
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LOVE your ideas! Thanks so much for sharing. I will have to check out that book. I am saving your article to look at again before next Christmas. We have been trying to start our own family traditions and center the day more on Jesus birth rather than presents. I have heard of other people who do the Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh presents…slightly different, but I really like that idea, and the way you all do it!
Misty (elvisgirl)´s last blog ..New Year Goals
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