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Original poster

A Christian Christmas

61 replies

FuzzyPuffling · 07/11/2024 19:35

Hello fellow Christians,
Christmas these days is so full of presents, food and family ( nowt wrong with that) but what do you do to offset the materialism and bring Christmas back to the birth of Jesus?

We don't start too soon, so Advent gets its proper place as a season of preparation and prayer.
Gifts have a budget, not to be mean, but to be thoughtful.
We have a plain wooden nativity set of many years standing that has pride of place in our decorations.
We always listen to the service of 9 lessons and carols from King's.
And of course, church on Christmas Day!
And a season full of love and wonder!

OP posts:

Happymchappyface · 17/11/2024 17:29

I love Christmas.

We try to be very mindful about what Christmas is actually about.

One of my favourite things to do is a reverse advent calendar. At the start of Advent we take the kids to the supermarket and get 24 items to donate to the local food bank (which we also support through the year)

We do 6 items that make a meal, 6 hygiene items, 6 Christmas celebration items, 6 items for kids.

I hope it helps the kids to understand that giving is more important than getting.

poppymango · 19/11/2024 12:06

AgainandagainandagainSS · 07/11/2024 23:34

We have an advent calendar of kindness. In each 'window' my daughter has a little challenge to be kind (like smile at 10 new people today, tell someone you like what they were wearing etc). At the end of the day we chat about it, how that would have made the person feel and we say a prayer together.
We go to church every Sunday anyway, but Advent is very special. She will be in the crib service activities and knows all the carols.
And yes we do do Father Christmas while she is little, but we don't have huge long lists, excessive spending and indulgence.
My heart melted last year. One of my best friends is our vicar, and my daughter has known her since she was a baby. Last year at the end of term DD brought a little chocolate snowman home from school that she had won in a class competition, and I said go on you can eat it if you want. She shook her head and put it in her pocket, and I forgot about it. On the next Sunday, she ran up to my vicar friend, pulled out the (now slightly melted) snowman, and said 'Reverend XXX (won't say her name), you can have this. I know how busy you are and you look tired, have it with your cup of tea that mummy makes you'. I was definitely 'allergic' to the church flowers that day 😭

This is so lovely!! 😭

poppymango · 19/11/2024 12:12

Can anyone advise on where to get a proper Advent calendar these days? We always had religious ones growing up, never ever with chocolate. Some were so pretty too, but they are just harder and harder to find these days.

I’ve even seen a few of the chocolate ones marketed as “countdown” calendars, and I’m wondering if society in general has secularised Christmas so much now that Advent itself will be forgotten before too long. It makes me a bit sad to be honest.

DeanElderberry · 19/11/2024 12:17

How about this?

https://acnuk.org/products/triptych-nativity-advent-calendar/

or this

https://acnuk.org/products/nativity-advent-calendar-3/

Fink · 19/11/2024 12:20

DeanElderberry · 19/11/2024 12:17

How about this?

https://acnuk.org/products/triptych-nativity-advent-calendar/

or this

https://acnuk.org/products/nativity-advent-calendar-3/

Edited

It's great to support ACN as well, which is a fantastic charity. Don't forget Red Wednesday tomorrow!

There's also the St. Paul's bookshop (physical shop next to Westminster Cathedral, also has branches in Birmingham and Leeds, sells online): https://stpauls.org.uk/children/advent-calendars.html

Buy Children Advent Calendars Online in UK | ST PAULS

Buy Children Baptism Books Online in UK for your lovely babies, children and adults also. Discover thoughtful gifts and certificates for baptisms, which are important milestones in anyone's life.

https://stpauls.org.uk/children/advent-calendars.html

poppymango · 19/11/2024 12:23

Thank you thank you! ❤

AliceTinkersAliceBand · 19/11/2024 13:22

poppymango · 19/11/2024 12:12

I use a website called traditionaladventcalendars, they do beautiful picture/scripture calendars, very well priced and very quick delivery. I look forward to picking one all year.

poppymango · 19/11/2024 13:37

AliceTinkersAliceBand · 19/11/2024 13:22

I use a website called traditionaladventcalendars, they do beautiful picture/scripture calendars, very well priced and very quick delivery. I look forward to picking one all year.

Show quote history

Oh these are beauuuutiful

AliceTinkersAliceBand · 19/11/2024 16:56

poppymango · 19/11/2024 13:37

Oh these are beauuuutiful

Show quote history

They are, they have such a good variety as well.

upinaballoon · 25/11/2024 21:59

Fifteenofus · 08/11/2024 09:30

I love the idea of the Three Wise Men travelling around the living room before joining the crib on Jan 6th @DeanElderberry! They’ve always joined the crib on 6th in our house too, but I’ve always just kept them stored away beforehand. Until now!

I keep some cards, (in case of craft work!) e.g. Kings, holly, robins etc. One year I got out a lot of old 'Kings' cards and put them on various window sills so that they were all 'coming from the East'. The Bible doesn't say how many kings so I had no worries on that score.

upinaballoon · 25/11/2024 22:03