For some of you, I am too late – the pattern is set and there’s nothing you can do about it, but for those of you with children young enough to not really remember Christmas from last year, here’s my family’s advice for you: Avoid making Christmas all about the presents.
“Oh, sure,” you say, “Everyone says that. But how about some tangible suggestions for how to do this?”
“Huh.” I say, “I had no idea you were going to ask that question, let me think about it for awhile”. Then I think about it for awhile and come up with this list – All proven ideas successfully employed by Jamfam.
1. Don’t put the presents under the tree. This just makes them think about it.
2. Don’t have a set date for when you open presents. Traditions are great, but not with this. It sets them up to focus on that moment. Do it differently every year.
3. Do other fun non-present opening Christmas related activities.
4. Keep Santa on the down-low.
5. Don’t buy a lot of presents.
6. Talk lots about Jesus.
Our goal, when we ask our kids what their favorite part of Christmas was (or is) is to have them say something besides “Receiving Gifts”.
Other suggestions? Ideas? Exclamations that we are crazy/mean?
The Responsible Puppet 
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December 18, 2008 at 5:31 am
Chris
We did some of the things on your list, too. Those are good bits of advice.
Our friends did something that would have been good, too, if we had known when our kids were younger. Since Jesus got three gifts (gold, frankincense, and myrrh), each person in the family got three gifts. I think that’s delightful!
I hope that you and some of your readers will post examples of non-present opening related activities.
When we were kids we went to church on Christmas day after opening gifts, so church was the big highlight, and it was so special because of all of the carols–to me anyway. And since we opened gifts first, we weren’t thinking about gifts all through the service. I suppose it’s possible that it could backfire and have kids thinking about playing with the gifts they got when they get home. I might have done that, but if I did I don’t even remember it.
I will have to say that in some ways, even though the church we attend now is a much stronger Gospel focused church all through the year, the only service for Christmas is Christmas Eve. I have always missed being in church on Christmas Day. Something’s just missing, even though we read the Bible and have a nice devotion at home. I’m not complaining. It’s probably just that we tend to miss what we grew up with. I guess we could find a church with a Christmas Day service and go to it, but we never have. When we lived near our relatives we spent the entire day going from house to house visiting. Now that we’re away from everyone, it’s a quieter day at home–unless we or they make the trip across the state to visit.
Anyway, I do hope that some will share other things they do on Christmas Day…
January 4, 2009 at 6:33 pm
Kiwi the Geek
Santa comes to our house early. Approximately St. Nicholas Day, but he’s usually later than I hope for. And he doesn’t bring very many presents. We have surprises all year long.
I love to sing Christmas carols, all the verses. On Christmas Eve and Christmas Day it’s all about church, singing, reading the Bible story, and anything else related to His birth. I also have a goal of giving more birthday gifts to Jesus, by giving to the least of these. But I was disorganized and distracted this year, and that part didn’t happen.
January 5, 2009 at 11:27 am
jamsco
We also have celebrated St. Nicolas day – nice contrast from Santa.