• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
onecreativemommy.com
  • DIY/Crafts
    • DIY for the Home
    • DIY for the Garden
    • Crafts for Kids
    • Sewing Projects
    • Felt Food Tutorials
  • Parties/Gifts
    • All Party Ideas
      • Frozen Party
      • Harry Potter Party
      • Spy Party
      • Un-Slumber Party
      • Minion Party Ideas
      • Art Party
      • Princess Party
    • All Gift Ideas
  • Holidays
    • Valentine's Day
    • Halloween
    • Christmas and Winter
    • Thanksgiving and Fall
    • Fourth of July
    • New Year
    • Easter and Spring
    • St. Patrick's Day
    • Mother's Day
    • Father's Day
  • Recipes
    • Gluten Free
  • Tips & Tricks
    • Organization Tips
    • Cleaning Tips
    • Parenting Tips
    • Back to School
    • Cooking Tips
    • Gardening Tips
  • Printables
    • Bingo Games
    • Lunchbox Printables
    • Educational Games
    • LDS Printables and Lesson Ideas
  • Navigation Menu: Social Icons

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • DIY & Crafts
  • Parties & Gifts
  • Holidays
  • Recipes
  • Tips & Tricks
  • Printables
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Blog

    Simple Christmas Traditions that Focus on Jesus Christ

    Published: Jan 29, 2021 by Heidi. This post may contain affiliate links 7 Comments

    Christmas is definitely the most wonderful time of the year.  I love celebrating the birth and life of my Savior, Jesus Christ with my family and friends.  But, with Christmas getting more and more commercialized, it gets increasingly difficult to keep the focus on Him.  In our home, we've developed some simple Christmas traditions that allow us to focus on Jesus Christ.  Today I'm sharing two of them, so you get double the ideas!

    With Christmas becoming increasingly commercialized, here are some simple Christmas traditions that focus on Jesus Christ {OneCreativeMommy.com} Keep Christ in Christmas, Fun Family Traditions

    Would you believe that we have three Christmas trees this year?  Our house isn't huge, but every time we upgrade our tree, we keep the old one to decorate another room in our house.  Our favorite tree is not the fanciest. In fact it's pretty simple.  It doesn't stand in our mostly unused front room (where the "Santa" tree lives).  Instead, it lives in our family room--right where we spend most of our time.

    The decorations are simple--beaded candy canes made by the girls when they were little, a few plastic bulbs, and our extra special ornaments.

    Decorate the tree with images from the life of Jesus Christ

    For the last three years, we've been heading to our local bookstore in December.  Each girl gets to pick one picture of Jesus Christ to add to our special tree.  We mount it on a piece of card stock wrapped with simple paper, and add a ribbon for hanging.  These beautiful images can be found at Deseret Book and Seagull Book.  If you don't have one of those stores in your area, here are links to their online stores.  (I do not receive anything for recommending their stores.  I'm simply sharing something that I love.)

    Deseret Book prints (scroll through to find the 3x5, and 4x6 sizes)

    Seagull Book home decor section (you'll have to do a little more page turning to find them here, but they are there!)

    With Christmas becoming increasingly commercialized, here are some simple Christmas traditions that focus on Jesus Christ {OneCreativeMommy.com} Keep Christ in Christmas, Fun Family Traditions

    Another trick to finding artwork is to cut up calendars or scan and shrink images you already own.  (Print them on matte photo paper to give them a more professional look.) This beautiful image (below) comes from lds.org.

    The Road to Bethlehem by Joseph Brickey {found on lds.org)

    These are my favorite artists that paint the life of the Savior (I particularly like the images of Him with children):  Greg Olsen, Simon Dewey, Liz Lemon Swindle, and Del Parson.  Right now we have the front of the tree covered, but with all of those great artists, we'll have no problem filling the whole thing!

    I just have one piece of advice:  If you buy a special roll of wrapping paper to use for this project every year, don't let your hubby get a hold of it and use it to wrap presents!  I think I have enough left for one more picture, and then I'll have to find something else.

    Our next tradition is a little more labor intensive--in a good way!

    Fill the Manger for Baby Jesus Service Tradition

    With Christmas becoming increasingly commercialized, here are some simple Christmas traditions that focus on Jesus Christ {OneCreativeMommy.com} Keep Christ in Christmas, Fun Family Traditions

    Okay--don't laugh.  I know that's a Moses basket--not a manger--and that's crumpled paper--not straw, but we use what we have!

    This Christmas tradition is really fun.  The object is to fill the manger with straw in time for Christmas.  The family tries to make Jesus's bed super soft and comfortable by Christmas morning.  How do we do it?  By serving others and each other.

    Every Sunday, we put all of our names in a hat.  We draw names to see who we get to serve all week long.  Every time we do something special for our secret person, we get to add a piece of straw to the manger.  (Since our "manger" is so big, and our "straw" is so small, we add two or three pieces for every act of service we do.)

    So that our manger gets extra full, I let the kids add straw any time they do something nice for anyone--not just their secret person.  They focus on the one person, but once you start serving one person, you tend to start serving others as well!

    On Christmas morning, before presents are open, we place the baby Jesus (a doll) into the soft bed that we have created for him, and take a moment to remember the real reason that we are celebrating. By serving others, we give gifts to Jesus all month long.

    What are your best traditions for keeping Jesus in the holiday?  I'd love to hear about them in the comments.

    Heidi

    Thanks for stopping by today!  Check out more of my ideas below.  (Images are linked.)

    Quick and Easy Marshmallow Snowman Kid's Craft--Perfect for family gatherings and Christmas parties. {OneCreativeMommy.com}

    DIY Geneology Fan: Create a unique Christmas gift for parents and grandparents. Perfect for family history buffs.

    The Perfect Teacher Christmas Gift {Bring in Lunch on a Busy Day, and make it fun!} OneCreativeMommy.com

    MORE IDEAS FOR YOU

    • Recipes
    • DIY & Crafts
    • Holidays
    • Parties & Gifts
    • Printables
    • Tips & Tricks

    Reader Interactions

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube

    About Heidi

    Hi! I’m Heidi, the sometimes scatterbrained, but always creative mind behind One Creative Mommy. I'm a retired teacher, wife, and mom of three beautiful teenage girls and one adorable fur baby. In my spare time, I love to share my ideas (mistakes and all) with anyone who will listen.

    Learn more about me →

    Comments

    1. Marilyn

      December 10, 2014 at 7:04 pm

      Beautiful post. We always have a birthday cake with dinner to celebrate Jesus' birthday.

      Reply
      • Heidi Fowler

        December 10, 2014 at 8:31 pm

        I love that idea, Marilyn! I bet your family loves it. Have they continued the tradition with their own families?

        Reply
    2. Bethany

      December 11, 2014 at 2:12 pm

      This is such a sweet, meaningful idea. I LOVE it!

      Reply
      • Heidi Fowler

        December 15, 2014 at 12:34 pm

        Thanks, Bethany. With so much focus on Santa, we try to put the focus on what's important, instead.

        Reply
    3. Suzzie

      December 14, 2014 at 9:45 pm

      I love having the family make Jesus' bed soft by serving others. What a great way to remember the gift he gave to us and what he asks us to do!

      Reply
      • Heidi Fowler

        December 15, 2014 at 12:35 pm

        Thanks, Suzzie. This is the first year we have specifically drawn names, and it's working better than past years.

        Reply
    4. ind works

      December 26, 2017 at 1:42 am

      Some of the discounts can be half from the
      pizza, a portion off as well as free drinks with the purchase of the pizza.
      Students can gain the accredited education they demand
      by enrolling in one of many available programs. That isn't to state that current curricula and
      content objectives should be thrown out the window.

      Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Primary Sidebar

    Hi! I’m Heidi, the sometimes scatterbrained, but always creative mind behind One Creative Mommy. I'm a retired teacher, wife, and mom of three beautiful teenage girls and one adorable fur baby. In my spare time, I love to share my ideas (mistakes and all) with anyone who will listen.

    More about me →

    Subscribe

    Popular

    • Olaf Sock Snowman Tutorial
    • Frozen Olaf Valentines {Free Printable}
    • Make your own storage lockers! {Perfect for kids}
    • 27 Creative Classroom Door Decorations for Valentine's Day

    Save Money

    Footer

    Privacy Policy

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Printables Terms of Use

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2022 OneCreativeMommy

    »
    «