Let's Talk: Christmas Traditions
Caring for Others
Family Christmas traditions can be made even more meaningful by completing a shared project to benefit others.
There are many Christian organizations that make a special effort to meet needs in December. Here are just a few:
Samaritan’s Purse Operation Christmas Child blesses underserved children all over the world with shoebox gifts—often the only gifts these children will receive. Consider taking your children shopping to fill a box or two, inviting them to help out with some of their allowance money.
Prison Fellowship Angel Tree Christmas mobilizes local churches and organizations every year to minister to hundreds of thousands of children by delivering gifts, the Gospel message, and personal messages of love on behalf of their moms or dads behind bars. If your church participates, consider involving your family in this effort. If not, perhaps you might want to suggest this as an outreach for a small group or Sunday school class.
World Vision and Compassion International are just two of many Christian charities that offer gift catalogs. Perhaps after your children tell you what they want for Christmas, you might access a printed or online catalog and choose a gift to give to someone else. This can be a great way for children to learn about the needs of people in other cultures.
“…for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me” (Matthew 25:35-36).
