Wednesday, Dec 1, 2010Teach Your Children the True Meaning of Christmas

It’s not too difficult for children in our day and age to become caught up in the merchandising around the ideas of Christmas, but whether you follow the Christian tradition to celebrate the birth of Christ Jesus, or whether for you Christmas is simply a season for Yuletide celebrating or the festival of lights or the winter solstice, at some point, you’ll have to teach your children your true meaning of Christmas and it’s traditions.

As a parent, it is your privilege to teach your children whatever you wish.  My best wisdom and advice to you is that you steer your children to the true ideas behind all the gifts and gadgets they so ardently wish and pray for and center your celebrating around the true meaning of Christmas.

Why is Santa Claus or Papa Noel or Father Christmas such a popular fellow?  Why, he’s popular because he is thoughtful and generous. Your children would benefit from a nice discussion about how they can be thoughtful and generous in small ways throughout the entire year, and begin to see their holiday gifts as a result of their own thoughtfulness and generosity.

Why is there a Universal Holiday to celebrate Christmas?  Although Christmas began as a Christian holiday, practically all religions, all countries, and people from all walks of life have some form of celebration.  So what is it they are truly celebrating then?  I believe they are celebrating that another year has been successfully completed with its joys, sorrows, and its lessons. During the winter, it’s a grand time for introspection, as in many places, the snow doesn’t permit much else. A green tree’s key idea is that “spring will come again.” You can begin anew. And people partied in days of yore because they had time for it – no plowing, planting and harvesting when it snowed.

If you want to remove the focus of the inundation of Christmas ads on television, beat them to the punch and adopt a Dutch tradition:  do your holiday giving on December 6^th, Jolly Old St. Nicholas Day.  Nicholas had an extraordinary character, and you could place the focus on the elements of his character. He had a substantial inheritance from his parents, and using it, he served the needy, the sick, and the suffering.  Perhaps on St. Nicholas day, you could take your children with some gifts they’ve prepared to a convalescent hospital? St. Nicholas is purported to have given bags of gold in stockings to a local family who had no dowry for the daughters.  Perhaps a sock filled with nuts, fruits or candies could be given. St. Nicholas is known as the protector of children.  What can your children do for children of lesser means this holiday season?

Visiting different churches at Christmas is a way to broaden your children’s knowledge and experience.  Do some research during the year.  Talk to the pastors or rabbi.  Tell them what you want to accomplish and why.  I’m confident any Imam or priest would be happy to share their tradition with your children.

As a parent, you can decide how to enrich your child’s life at Christmas.  You can teach your children which traditions will be part of his experience.  You can provide a variety for him across the years to help shape and form his own true meaning of Christmas. Happy Holidays!

Were I a philosopher, I should write a philosophy of toys, showing that nothing else in life need to be taken seriously, and that Christmas Day in the company of children is one of the few occasions on which men become entirely alive.~ Robert Lynd