Embracing the Christmas Spirit
OPINION —
As one walks the streets of Opelika, Auburn and Lee County, it truly takes your breath away on how beautifully decorated our community is for Christmas! It is this writer’s heartfelt desire to encourage children, individuals, families and friends on what are important gifts in life at Christmas. The most important gift that we can unwrap and receive are experiences and relationships. Even though children do get excited about toys and gifts, it is memories and heartfelt outreach to others that shine brightly. I would like to share this gift from my heart about some truths that I have gleaned from the families in our community. I will hang the Christmas ornament as an acrostic of Christmas.
C — CHILDREN definitely make Christmas merry and bright. The eyes of children are “Lights of Joy.” As a teacher, I love the gift of wonder and fun that our children observe over Christmas from getting so excited about decorating a Christmas tree to the lights, ornaments and wreaths. You can see the sparkle in their eyes. Their excitement is contagious.
H — The gift of HOPE at Christmas is shared by children through intergenerational outreach relationships. This is done with the young and old singing together, sharing memories and reading stories. We share the light of hope by so many lights everywhere during this beautiful Christmas season. The Bible records in Psalm 76:4, “You are radiant with light more majestic than mountains rich with game.” God is represented with light. We all remember squinting our eyes to view the beautiful rainbow of Christmas lights as we think of love and the true light who came into the world, Jesus Christ. Hope meets a need at Christmas when we gather with friends and family. A simple heartfelt gesture of inviting someone who might not have family or family lives far away gives one hope.
R — READ holiday books. Children truly love listening to their teachers and parents read a good Christmas book. Reading seasonal delights as families during this holiday season creates a special bond between parent, grandparent, teacher and child. Put in your family schedule during the Holiday season a time to sit down and read a favorite Christmas classic with your children to create warm and loving memories. Our local libraries and librarians can fill your stocking with many seasonal delightful books.
I — INVOLVE your children and family in loving community projects such as Angel Tree, Salvation Army, Samaritan’s Purse and other “giving to others in love” projects where your child can see the joy and hope it brings to others in need during the Christmas season.
S — SING a song. I love to be in the Early Childhood setting as children are singing and practicing their songs for Christmas. They love traditional songs like “Jingle Bells” and “Frosty the Snowman.” I personally ponder happiness and joy when I hear children humming and singing when they are playing and doing their little jobs. Even the very young have caught on to the joy and excitement the season brings. Bring the Christmas season into your car and home by playing Christmas music and singing as a family. Children love to dance, skip, run and jump to different Christmas tunes and rhythms. Wake up your children with a Christmas song during this season.
T — Take TIME to look at Christmas through your children’s eyes. Creating Christmas memories for your child is often found in doing simple things for others. Children find great joy and pleasure in making and creating their own gifts to give. Children truly exemplify the heart of the saying, “It is more blessed to give than receive.” Early childhood teachers catch the gleam in children’s eyes in the classroom as they make simple gifts for parents and families.
M — MAKE new friends but keep the old; one is silver and the other is gold. During the holiday season, children can witness family and friends’ outreach to each other with Christmas greetings, gifts and hugs. Invite your children at this time to help you make Christmas cards that can be sent to family and friends. Include your children in preparing baked goods for neighbors and friends. Making simple sugar cookies and having your children help you to decorate them, then wrapping up the cookies to deliver to neighbors shows the example that it is more blessed to give than receive.
A — ANGELS. Children see angels everywhere in decorations and Christmas programs. From the Bible, Luke 2:14 reads, “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, good will toward men.” This passage reflects the story of the angels appearing to the shepherds. In Luke 2:8-20, children are truly fascinated that on a dark night a heavenly host of angels appeared and told the shepherds of the arrival of the newborn Jesus. The shepherds immediately went to find Jesus and spread the Word about Him.
S — STARS Children love to see a star placed at the top of a Christmas tree, which reminds us of the star to guide the Magi from the East to Jesus Christ. Matthew 2:2 reads, “We saw His star in the east and have come to worship him.” As an early childhood teacher, I love to do star ornaments with preschool children on yellow construction paper with black construction paper background or silver or golden foil. Stars provide a good lesson on discussing the beautiful handiwork of God displaying the ordering of the heavens. The light of stars reminds us of the love light of God during this Christmas season.
I hope this Christmas acrostic gets you started with your children a celebration of Christmas and the holiday season.
