Focus on Jesus’s Birth
Friend November 2024 “What is Christmas?”
Friend December 2024 “Christmas Is about Jesus”
As a family, think of ways to stay focused on Jesus this Christmas.
Friend December 2018 “For Parents of Little Ones” Ways to help teach little ones the true meaning of Christmas—the celebration of Jesus’s birth.
Friend December 2021 “Bright Idea”
Sharing the True meaning of Christmas
For the Strength of Youth December 2024 “Sharing Christmas” One year Savannah focused on reading the Christmas stories in the scriptures and sharing them with others. She asked her 4 year old cousin why Christmas is so special. Her cousin started to talk about Santa and presents. Savannah explained to her that Christmas is especially important because of Jesus, and then explained why and showed her cousin pictures and videos of Jesus. A couple weeks later at a family party, she saw her cousin draw a picture of Jesus and tell another cousin that He glowed because He was so special.
Friend December 2024 “I Can Follow Jesus by Remembering Him”
Christmas Peace and Light
For the Strength of Youth December 2023 “6 Ways to Feel the Peace of Christ’s Light This Christmas“ Christmastime can get a little busy and stressful. Sometimes all that stress makes it hard to remember why we really celebrate Christmas. Put the two below pictures together, back to back. Shine a light behind the page to reveal six ways to focus on the Savior’s light and find more peace this Christmas.
Christmas Service Ideas
Friend December 2017 “Show and Tell” For the #LightTheWorld project, each member of our family wrote down on a light bulb what we did each day. (Click on Link for more ideas.)
Friend December 2021 “Show and Tell” Christmas cards for homeless, Giving tree (Click on link for photos)
We made 50 Christmas cards for people without homes who were staying in a temporary shelter in our town. We wanted to make sure they knew they were loved at Christmas. Jude and Oliver G., ages 4 and 8, California, USA
We set up a “giving tree” outside our house. We invited neighbors to do a good deed and then hang an ornament on the tree. Neighbors were happy to see so many good deeds happening. We are planning to make this a Christmas tradition! Kip, Annabelle, Hayes, and Dawson F., ages 2, 8, 4, and 6, Florida, USA
Friend December 2022 “For Older Kids” We used some of our Christmas gift money to help people in need. (Ridge and Blaike G., ages 9 and 13, Arizona, USA)
Gratitude for Gifts
Friend December 2017 “Family Night Fun” List the best gifts you’ve been given from friends and family and from Heavenly Father.
Gifts for Jesus
Friend December 2020 “Gifts of Love for Jesus” Heavenly Father gave us His Son, Jesus Christ. And Jesus gave His life for us so we can live with Him again. You may want to give a gift to Jesus. What gifts can you give Him?
We can give a gift to Jesus by serving others. Write on each person the name of someone you can serve.
Friend December 2017 “Family Night Fun” Make these cute gift boxes, and write a gift you want to give Jesus, like being kind, and put it in your gift box to remember!
Friend December 2017 “Dear Friends” One reason we give Christmas presents is to remember the gift of Heavenly Father and His Son. They love us so much. And we can show how much we love Them by being kind to others. You are a gift to the world too. Your life is a blessing to those around you.
Help Others Come Unto Jesus
Friend December 2022 “Bright Idea”
Family Christmas
Ensign December 2017 Sample some foreign traditions. Wherever your ancestors come from, they probably had different Christmas traditions than you do now. Discover some traditional foods, games, or other activities from your ancestors’ homelands and try them out with your family.
Decorate your Christmas tree to reflect your family tree. Create ornaments that represent the ancestors. Place names and pictures (if available) of these ancestors among the tree’s decorations. (See link for more ideas.)
Light the World
Christmas Service
Friend December 2023 “Lighting the World Together” Dallin H. Oaks “As followers of Jesus Christ, we should be the friendliest of all people. We should serve those around us and those not of our faith. We should also notice the good done by others. Jesus Christ’s light guides all of us to help those in need.”
Symbols of Christmas
Friend December 2022 “The Symbols of Christmas”
- Show the children a few Christmas decorations (or pictures of some), such as a star, lights, or a gift. Ask the children how each of these things might remind us of the Savior. Explain that the scriptures often use symbols to teach us about Jesus Christ. Invite the children to look in one or more of the following verses for something that could symbolize Jesus Christ: Genesis 22:8; Exodus 17:6; Psalms 18:2; 27:1 (see this week’s outline in Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families for additional examples). How is Jesus like a lamb, water, rock, a fortress, or light?
Friend December 1985 “The Answer Tree” A grandma put answers to her grandchild’s questions about Jesus onto tree ornaments. (activity idea)
Christmas Lights
For the Strength of Youth December 2022 “Christmas Light” Our Christmas celebrations help remind us that Jesus Christ is our true Light.
Star
- Give each child a paper star, and invite the children to hold their stars up when you read the following phrase from Numbers 24:17: “there shall come a Star out of Jacob.” Invite the children to share how Jesus is like a bright star that shines to all the world. Sing together a song about the star that appeared when Jesus was born, such as “Stars Were Gleaming” (Children’s Songbook, 37) or “The First Noel” (Hymns, no. 213). (Jesus is our source of light to guide us in the paths we should follow.)
Friend December 1987 “Christmas Stars” Jody wants to be like the Christmas star and lead people to Jesus by being a good example.
Friend December 2022 “The Nativity Star” Cayden’s family has a tradition of acting out the story of Jesus’s birth. Cayden wants to be the star that led the wisemen to Bethlehem because he wants to help people find Jesus like the star did.
Gifts
Friend December 2021 “The First Christmas Gift” An 11 year old’s father told her about the very first Christmas gift. It was when Heavenly Father gave us His Son, Jesus Christ, to be our Savior. Heavenly Father knew that His Son would suffer on earth, but He still gave Jesus to the world. And Jesus willingly gave Himself so that we could have eternal life.
Friend December 2019 “The Christmas Coins” Three people from the neighborhood were singing songs and collecting money to help sick children at the hospital. Janelle’s mother didn’t have any money, so Janelle gave all her coins to the singers. Afterwards she realized she had given away the money she was saving to buy her mom a gift. Janelle’s mom said she gave her the best gift by doing what Jesus would do, helping someone who needed help.
Friend December 2016 “You can’t Wrap a Horse” A family talks about gifts–gifts that can’t be wrapped like service and the gift of our Savior from Heavenly Father.
The Scriptures Teach of Jesus Birth
The Old Testament Teaches of Jesus Birth
What I Like About Christmas
Friend December 2023 “Following Jesus Together” Children’s Christmas crafts, art, and favorite things about Christmas