Last year I asked my son, What is Christmas all about? He said “Christmas is the day Santa will give toys to all children who have been good”.

I was not surprised by his response because I had never sat down to tell him the story surrounding the Christmas season. The commercial aspect of the holiday season takes precedence. People get carried away by all the parties and gifts while we forget the main aim of Christmas which is the birth of Jesus Christ. 

The best way you can enjoy Christmas without compromising the excitement for kids is to find time and tell them the true meaning of Christmas. You should emphasise the real reason why we celebrate the Christmas holidays which is to honour the birth of Jesus Christ.

As a parent it’ll be good if you can take a bit of time and explain the story of Christmas such that your child(ren) will have a clear idea of what happened.

The first thing to do is to read and teach your child(ren) the Nativity Story in the Bible. Tell them about Mary, Joseph, the miracles surrounding how Mary became pregnant, her visit to Elizabeth, John the Baptist, and their trip to Bethlehem.

The Nativity story-line is not complete without you talking about the three wise men who followed the star to where Jesus was born. Tell them about the gifts they brought to baby Jesus and their significance if possible. Make sure you focus on exactly who He is, how He came, how He died. This will paint a great picture in the minds of our kids.

You can tell the kids about Santa Claus and the true story surrounding it. How he gave gifts to poor children during Christmas. Tell them how it turned out into the commercialism we find today. The story is incomplete if you don’t tell them the moral of it.

Read also: Share Happiness this Christmas

When we talk of Christmas, we talk of sharing and caring for one another, giving gifts, love and reconciliation. Let the children know Christmas is all about love, forgiveness and care amongst people.

Love is what the whole world needs, Christians and non-Christians alike. Since it is the Christmas holidays, it doesn’t really matter whether you are teacher or not, you can still find time and tell the kids the story of Christmas for the sake of love, sharing and caring.