Emily Belle Freeman - Celebrating a Christ-Centered Christmas: Seven Traditions to Lead Us Closer to the Savior

2010 Emily Belle Freeman.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without permission in writing from the publisher, Ensign Peak. The views expressed herein are the responsibility of the author and do not necessarily represent the position of Ensign Peak.

Illustrations 2010 Jay Bryant Ward

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Freeman, Emily, 1969 author.

Celebrating a Christ-centered Christmas : seven traditions to lead us closer to the Savior / Emily Belle Freeman.

pages cm

Includes bibliographical references.

ISBN 978-1-60907-899-7 (paperbound)

1. Christmas. 2. Jesus ChristNativity. I. Title.

BV45.F73 2014

232.92dc232014016340

Printed in the United States of America

R. R. Donnelley, Crawfordsville, IN

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

For Lisa, because you asked, and for Carolyn, because you remembered

Introduction

... the angel said to them, Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

Luke 2:1011, NASB

December had come. The house was decorated, most of the presents bought, and Megan and I were driving in the car listening to Christmas carols. Strapped into her car seat and bundled up in her winter coat, Megan did her best to sing along. Then, just as one song ended and another began, Megan said one simple sentence that forever changed the way our family celebrates Christmas. Mom, she began, I believe in Santa Claus, and you believe in Jesus Christ.

It was a moment of epiphany. I thought back over all of our holiday preparations and the experiences we had created for our children. We had written letters to Santa, had talked about being good for Santa, and had counted down the days until Santa would come. We had spent the majority of the season teaching our children to believe in the reality of Santa Claus, and because of our efforts they trusted that he really would come. But suddenly I realized that we had not spent the same amount of time teaching them to believe in the reality of the Savior. I thought over all of the traditions that filled our holiday season and realized that none of them strengthened my childrens belief in Jesus Christ.

Since that moment, our home has been transformed into a home that believes. Not only in the magic of Santa, but also in the reality of our Savior, Jesus Christ, who is the true reason behind our celebration. The symbols of Christmas that fill our home throughout the holidays include images that are familiar to all of usevergreen wreaths, stockings hung by the fire, candy canes, and the magical sound of a bell that still rings. But there is one decoration that has become a family favorite. As the season begins, we place a wooden stable in the center of our family room table. It sits empty, waiting patiently for our Christmas celebrations to begin.

Over the years we have added seven nativity traditions to our holiday celebrations. Inspired from each figure in the nativity set, these traditions have deepened the Christmas spirit that fills our home. Between Thanksgiving and Christmas we set aside seven specific eveningsone for each figure in the nativity. On that evening we spend time learning about the important role that person played in the miracles that surrounded Christs birth. Then we participate in a simple tradition that reminds us what we can learn from that persons experience. Each of the figures has a story to tell, and each has a lesson to share. Studying their experiences has given our family a greater understanding and a deeper appreciation for the miracles that surround the birth of Christ.

At the end of the evening, after the tradition has been completed, one person from our family is chosen to add the figurine we studied to our nativity scene. Week by week we begin to fill the waiting stable, one figure at a time, until finally the nativity is complete. In the weeks that lead up to Christmas, my children love to watch the nativity come together, almost like an advent counting down to Christmas, and I have noticed that something magical begins to happen: as each figure takes its place within the stable, our hearts are drawn closer to Jesus. The Christ child is always last, placed carefully in the center of the crche on Christmas morning before we open our gifts.

Within the pages of this book you will discover the lessons and traditions associated with each of the figures in the nativity. The simple traditions that accompany these figures will give you an opportunity to escape from the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season just for a moment as you spend time reflecting on the Savior and the miracle of His birth. You might choose to do these traditions in seven days, or you might start on the Sunday before Thanksgiving and do the traditions for seven weeks. The order of the traditions and the length of time between each one is left completely to your inspiration. Invite anyone you choose to celebrate these moments with you. The stories and traditions are appropriate for any age and families of any size.

The purpose of this book is not to add something more to an already packed holiday seasonit is to add something different. The traditions within this book are simple, and you may find that you can combine them with something you already do. Or, maybe you would like to replace one of your current traditions with one that you find in this book. Just as you prepare your home for the holidays, perhaps this year you could take some time to prepare your heart. You might find it helpful to set aside a quiet moment to read through this book before your Christmas celebrations begin. Perhaps you would like to highlight certain passages to share aloud on the evening you celebrate each tradition. As you read you will quickly discover that the chapters of this book can be done in any orderthis will allow you to decide what will work best for your circumstances.

This is a season of anticipation and celebration, and hopefully you will let those two emotions become the guiding principles for your holiday experience: anticipation for a Christmas filled with the Spirit of Christ, and celebration in honor of the miracle of His birth.

May this holiday season be one of your fondest in recent years, and may your heart be filled with the Christmas spirit that only He can bring.

One

Mary

... blessed is she that believed.

Luke 1:45

There are no words to adequately describe a mothers heart at Christmas, nor the thoughts that are pondered within. As the season approaches there are so many meaningful details that must be taken care of and arrangements to be made. Part of the holiday preparation includes pondering momentsevery mother wants every part of Christmas to be