elcome to our Christmas Traditions Open House. Today we have prepared for you a tour with some of our favorite Christmas traditions. We hope you will enjoy this wonderful season of the celebration of the birth of Christ.

Entry Theme: God is Love
Props: mistletoe, nativity

The mistletoe you see hanging here is one of the fun things we like to do. It's the symbol of love. Our theme for the entry is God is Love. The Bible tells us, For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16, NIV). God's love is something we have a hard time understanding. He wanted us to know how much He loves us so He sent Jesus into the world to show His love for us.

The nativity reminds us of the birth of Christ. The Christmas story found in the New Testament in Luke 2 tells of Mary and Joseph traveling to Bethlehem and spending the night in the stable because there was no room for them in the inn. Thus, Jesus was born in a stable and laid in a manger. As you may know, the manger was the feeding trough for animals. Many times in scripture, Jesus is referred to as the Bread of Life. God sent Him to provide for our needs and to be our bread for life. The nativity helps us focus on the true meaning of Christmas.

Living Room Theme: Jesus is Hope
Props: decorated tree, box of ornaments, wrapped gifts
under tree, collections of angels, candy canes, etc.

Our theme for the living room is Jesus is Hope. We see hope in Christ because we know that He didn't stay a baby in the manger. The Bible says He grew in wisdom and stature. He brings hope because He conquered death by dying on the cross and rising from the dead. He is in heaven and we know that, when we die, if we have believed in Him, we will live forever in heaven with Him.

Our Christmas tree is one of the most recognizable symbols of the season that we have. It reminds us of the everlasting life we are assured of when we believe in Christ. Whether a live or artificial tree is used, this is a great time for family and friends to gather together and trim the tree. Set aside a special time for the family to do this.

Preparing a special meal, enjoying Christmas music, and telling great memories of Christmas past will help make this a fun and meaningful time for all.

The gifts remind us of the gift of salvation that God offers through Christ. The Bible tells us that the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord (Romans 6:23). God sent Jesus to die for all of our sins. That brings hope! Knowing we are forgiven is one of the greatest gifts we could ever have.

The gifts also remind us of the gifts that the wise men brought to the Christ child. They had seen the star in the east announcing Jesus' birth. They brought great treasures from their lands.

We also give gifts to friends and family at Christmas to show our love for them. It's important at this season to help keep the focus on the giving and not the getting. A fun tradition of Christmas is to give to others in need. Your whole family can adopt a family in need and give them gifts and food. Looking for ways to give hope makes Christmas a fulfilling time.

Other reminders of hope can be found in special collections of angels, nativity scenes, bells, nutcrackers or whatever you have. These can be fun to collect as well as fun to give.

Display these in your living room or even hang them on your tree. It is always fun to remember where you got each one.

Angels remind us of those messengers who appeared to the shepherds announcing the good news that Christ was born. This good news wasn't just for the shepherds; it was for all people for all times. It was for us (Luke 2:10-11).

Making special ornaments to give is a fun thing for the family to do. Simple ornaments can be made of ground cinnamon and applesauce rolled into dough. Cut these with cookie cutters that remind you of the real meaning of Christmas. Have these hanging on your tree and give to those who come into your home. It's a great way to remind others of the hope we find in Christ and celebrate during the Christmas season.

Candy canes are another great item to hang on the tree and make great impromptu gifts for visitors. Attach a note to each candy cane that explains how the cane is shaped like the shepherd's staff to remind us that the Lord is our Shepherd. The white and red colors remind us of the purity of Christ and the blood that He shed for us on the cross.

The real hope of Christmas is that Jesus paid the price for our sins and we can know that we are forgiven. Not only are we forgiven, but Christ also offers hope for daily living. Every day, if we ask Him, He helps us know how to live and gives us direction for our lives.

Dining Room Theme: Jesus is Light
Props: Advent wreath with candles, basket with Christmas cards

The focal point of our dining room is the Advent wreath. A wonderful Christmas tradition is the lighting of the candles, which remind us that Jesus is the Light of the World. The Advent wreath represents the 4,000 years of waiting on the part of the Hebrews for the promised Messiah. Advent means "coming." Advent begins on the Sunday nearest November 30 and includes the next four Sundays.

The purpose of the Advent wreath is to deepen our understanding of Christmas and the birth of Christ. There are four white or purple candles and one rose or red candle, which are lit, in turn, across the four Sundays. Some use an optional fifth white candle in the center to light on Christmas Eve.

The first candle represents hope that the Messiah would come. The second represents the peace that Christ brought. The third is for joy, and the fourth, the rose candle, is for love. On Christmas Eve, all the candles including the fifth one in the center of the wreath are lit.

Every night that the family has dinner together, light the candles and read a portion of the Christmas story from the Gospel of Luke. Pray and thank God that Jesus is the Light of the World.

Other candles may be lit throughout the home. These serve as a reminder that Jesus doesn't want us to live in darkness; He is the Light of the World.

Your dining room table is a great center of joy as well. Place a basket in the middle of the table or on the buffet to collect the Christmas cards you receive. Each morning or evening, select a card and pray for the family that sent it. You can even further the joy by sending a quick note back telling them of your prayers and reminding them that Jesus is the Light of the World.

Kitchen Theme: Jesus is Joy
Props: Christmas cookies and cookie cutters, gingerbread church,
cinnamon potpourri, birthday cake, nativity hats

The kitchen can often be the center of joy for the home. You've heard the expression, "If mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy." This is true in many cases. The kitchen is mom's headquarters. Let Jesus bring joy to your home and heart starting in the kitchen.

One of the traditions many remember at Christmas is baking and decorating Christmas cookies. Use the shapes to teach the real joy of Christmas:

• Angels--God's messengers sent to proclaim the good news to Mary, the shepherds and the wise men.
• Cross--Jesus died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins. When we believe He did this for us, turn from our sins and let Him be the boss in our lives, we can enjoy an open relationship with Him and know that we are saved and will go to heaven when we die.
• Christmas tree--symbol of eternal life that Jesus brought.
• Gift--a square cookie made into a gift box reminds us Jesus was the best gift that God could ever give to us.
• Star--this is what guided the wise men to find Jesus.
• Heart--represents that we share the love in our hearts with others.
• Dove--represents the Holy Spirit. When we invite Christ into our lives, God sends the Holy Spirit to live inside of us and show us how to live each day for Him.
• Church--reminds us that the people of God come together to worship God.
• Candles--symbolize that Jesus is the Light of the World.
• Wreath--reminder of the crown of thorns that Jesus wore when He died on the cross.

Share your cookies with neighbors to remind them of the real joy of Christmas.

Another tradition of Christmas in the kitchen is a gingerbread house or church. These are great fun to create using all kinds of cookies, candy and icing. Make large churches with shoeboxes or small ones with individual milk cartons. An ice cream cone makes a great steeple. As you decorate, this is a great time to talk about all the special ministries at the church and the special Christmas services that are offered. Give the small ones away with a special invitation to join you at one of the services at your church.

Cinnamon potpourri on the stove brings a wonderful aroma to the whole home. A simple mixture can be made of cinnamon, cloves and orange peel. Let it remind you of the aroma Christ brings to ours lives. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing (2 Corinthians 2:15, NIV).

Also, the kitchen table can be a great place to host a birthday party for young children. After all, it is Jesus' birthday! Whether you remember it with a coffeecake in the morning or a birthday cake one afternoon, this can be a meaningful way to remember the birth of Christ. Add candles, balloons and "nativity hats" (crowns, turbans, halos, sheep ears, etc.) to add even more fun memories.

Family Room Theme: Jesus is Peace
Props: stockings, a few stuffers, Christmas music, Santa doll, classic Christmas video,
jigsaw puzzle and games, photo album, Advent pocket calendar, holly

The family room is often the center of family activity. In the middle of it all should be a sense of peace, warmth and comfort.

Stockings hung over the fireplace become symbols of hope. Hope of what Santa will bring; but more than that, the hope that Christ brings into our lives. It is only by our hope in Him that we have peace in our hectic lives.

Collecting things for stocking stuffers can be a Christmas tradition that is fun all year long. As the family vacations together, look for things to fill stockings for others. This helps to put the focus on giving and provides fun as each one provides a memory of the previous year.

Warm fires remind us of the warmth of Christ's love. Set aside an evening to sit around the fire in the family room to remember the times that Christ brought peace in your life. Time spent together as a family brings a sense of what's really important in life.

Some families enjoy singing together around the piano or with Christmas CDs or tapes. Having Christmas music playing in the background during the season also brings warmth and peace. Many families add new Christmas music to their collection every year.

You might even want to take your singing to the street and share the message of "Peace on Earth" with neighbors and friends. Then, return to the family room for hot chocolate and fruitcake (just kidding).

Speaking of hot chocolate, another tradition is to invite some new friends and neighbors over to see one of the Christmas classics like White Christmas or It's a Wonderful Life or Miracle on 34th Street. Conclude by sharing what Christmas means to you and to your family.

Games and jigsaw puzzles also tend to attract people. Put these out as conversation starters. Photo albums of previous Christmas seasons are also fun to browse through. Pictures of the kids and grandchildren with Santa are popular traditions that add to the fun of the season.

While we are on Santa, make sure you remind everyone that there was a real person who lived in Turkey in the fourth century named Saint Nicholas. He was a very generous man named Nicholas, thus the name Saint Nick. The saint stood for someone who belonged to God. In his town were many poor children. Saint Nick bought food, clothes and toys, and gave them secretly to the children. Legend says he sometimes tossed them into an open window. He told everyone about Jesus and about how much God loves them.

Saint Nick was known as a man of compassion and conscience and a church leader who stood up for what was right. Santa reminds us that it is more blessed to give. And that's what Christmas is all about.

Advent calendars are also a special reminder of how many days there are until Christmas. Small doors or pockets are opened to reveal hidden treasures or candy. This year, try placing something special in the pockets like scripture verses to tell of the promises of God or things to help you remember the real meaning of Christmas.

Another tradition is to place a piece of a nativity scene in each pocket. Pull out a different one each day and tell the Christmas story as you go along.

Decorating with holly is another Christmas tradition. Legend says that holly was what the crown of thorns was made of. The white berries turned red after the crucifixion. In some countries, holly on the outside of the door signifies that Christ resides within the home.

Christmas traditions are fun ways to build strong families.

What are some of the traditions you do together as a family at Christmas?

Help lead the discussion toward ways your friends and neighbors celebrate the holidays. Emphasize the way Christ is either represented or incorporated into popular holiday events and traditions. Invite those interested to discuss any questions they might have about the meaning of the holiday.