Christmas at The Bondurants

Our Happy Birthday Jesus breakfast. Whole Wheat cinnamon rolls!

Christmas...Advent...Jesus' Birthday

The truth is I have gone back and forth about celebrating "Christmas" at all, since it isn't actually Jesus' birthday (most likely). BUT, I understand why Christians past chose to put a holiday focused on Christ right in the middle of the Winter Solstice..I guess. Regardless of how I go back and forth about celebrating the traditional "Christmas" at all, we do in our home. Because of course I look forward to reflecting on Christ's first advent every year, even though he was probably born some time in the dry season and not in December. I am okay with celebrating Jesus' birthday observed with the rest of the believing world. And let's just be honest, it is something to look forward to during those first dreary days of winter.

So, in our home we try to keep Jesus' birthday observed about observing Jesus' birthday and first advent. We choose not to do Santa. I have many reasons for not, but that is probably a whole other post for another day. We just do not want to lie to our kiddos about Santa, the tooth fairy, or the easter bunny. And I also feel like Santa has hijacked Christmas in a huge way, and the practice of playing Santa has led to tons of commericalism and materialism and selfishness, all of which are not how I feel we should celebrate Jesus' birthday. (for some great thoughts about Santa check out these blog posts) So we have chosen to keep our decorations focused on Jesus and mostly just Jesus. I LOVE nativities and have a small collection so far. Here they are:

We bought the one I keep on the piano for our first Christmas and that was about the only decorations we had. Well that, and our advent wreath which I love.

 There are kiddos representing all different nationalities (ALL NATIONS) and I just think it is so cute! Last Christmas Ben got me that tiny little nativity and we got B the Little People Nativity for her 1st Christmas.

This year we added a nativity to our bedroom. This nativity was Ben's grandmother's, who passed last October. It is so special that we have her nativity set!

Oh, and B has this one in her room...



This year we added to the decorations this advent calendar that I made. (Idea from this blog). And we also started a Jesse Tree.
I'm not sure if we will ever do a Christmas tree. I would want a real one, which is expensive, and we just don't have room right now in our tiny house. So right now our Jesse Tree is more than enough. We got the free downloadable devotional and ornaments cutouts from A Holy Experience. B has loved hanging the ornament on the tree every evening. It has been a great way to focus our hearts on Christ during this time of advent and observing his birthday.



gifts from us to B

As far as gifts we honestly can't afford much this year so we are giving B just a couple. One she can play with, and one more practical that she needs. Most other people in our immediate and extended family received home made gifts, like cookie mix or hot cocoa mix, along with coffee and pictures of B. It has been really fun doing homemade gifts so I think it might be a new thing for us. I am not sure how we will do gifts in the future or if we will at all. Honestly, I would like birthdays to be a huge deal for our kids and for them to receive their "spoiling" then, and to make Jesus' birthday about giving him gifts. This year we made a donation in B's honor to an organization benefiting children, and in leiu of cards through the mail (we did email instead) we made a small donation as well, and saved lots of trees. We did make some super cute cards for the neighbors with candy canes attached. B had fun decorating and coloring those, and we have really loved getting to visit with neighbors when hadning them out!

I so wish we had the money to celebrate Christmas like this family, that gives gifts to Jesus each of the 12 Days of Christmas. There are so many ways to give to Jesus for his birthday, and I think giving to the least of these is a great way to do that.

I have so many thoughts about the commercialism of Christmas but for now, why don't you just watch this moving video, and read this blog.

I should mention that we are trying to be more "green" this Christmas. So obviously homemade gifts meets that criteria, and for wrapping we are going to use paper grocery bags. I would like to get some fun Christmas stamps to decorate them with in the future.

What about you? What are your holiday traditions? What are some things you do to focus the holiday on Jesus? Any creative ways to save paper and be more "green" at Christmas time?