For the Christians here
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Category: General Chat
Forum Name: General Chat
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URL: https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=23281
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Topic: For the Christians here
Posted By: MrsMojo
Subject: For the Christians here
Date Posted: 22 December 2008 at 2:29pm
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How are you bringing Christ into your Christmas? We will go to church of course but I think since it's such an important day in the Christian church and it's been so commercialised and becomes very materialistic for children so I feel I need to make a real effort to push the Christian theme in my household so I'm interested to see what others are doing and I might steal your ideas We are making a fuss about it being Jesus' birthday and explained the presents by telling Michaela that Jesus loves us so much he wants us to have the presents on his birthday. We will also sing happy birthday to Jesus before we cut the Christmas cake after dinner. She's got very excited about Santa Claus this year and everyone asks her what she wants Santa to bring her so I was going to make up a story about St Nicholas and how he became Santa Claus so that she knows that St Nicholas is a servant of God and he does what he does because God loves us. My sister said she has a book that she reads to her kids every year so I'm going to borrow that and see if it's ok for Michaela's age group. That's all I've come up with for this year. Next year she'll be older so we'll start the Jesse tree stories.
ETA: she will also 'deliver' the baby Jesus from our nativity set on Christmas morning and there is going to be a Christian themed gift in her stocking among other things. -------------  
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Replies:
Posted By: susieq
Date Posted: 22 December 2008 at 3:00pm
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Church for us too and i am going to take Caitlyn on a time tunnel at one of the churches tonite for Kelly, then Kelly and I will take Caitlyn to our own church Crib service especially put on for children on Christmas Eve
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Posted By: ooEvaoo
Date Posted: 22 December 2008 at 3:04pm
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Those are some great ideas already. I'm going to read the nativity story to Kahtrell....well try at least lolz, and make special decorations tomorrow....probably each depicting a member of the story...a baby jesus, mary, Joseph, 3 wise men, star of david. Also we're off to donate some toys to salvation army..to show him that christmas to about giving. I'll also go to midnight mass......luckily I only live one house down from the catholic church! ------------- 
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Posted By: MrsMojo
Date Posted: 22 December 2008 at 3:11pm
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Thanks for reminding me. I have a shopping bag full of toys that I want to give to the womens refuge but I don't have a clue where they are. I just rang and left them a message to find out. Susie what's the time tunnel? Eva, making decorations sounds like a great fun idea! I bet Michaela would love to do that too, thank you. -------------
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Posted By: McPloppy
Date Posted: 22 December 2008 at 3:14pm
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I am trying to find a simple nativity story for a three year old age group to read to my children on Christmas eve. The only books I can find are about santa and the presants side of things or a beautiful nativity story that is beyond my childrens comprehension. There were some on the internet but they would not have arrived in time. We are not a christian family however i would like my children to know why we celebrate Christmas and th.at it is not all about presants ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: MrsMojo
Date Posted: 22 December 2008 at 3:29pm
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Michaela has a couple of childrens bibles. I can pm you the nativity story from one of them if you like and then you could just add pictures and print it off. Just don't sell it as I don't want to be an accessory to plaguerism Otherwise try a Christian bookstore like Mana. -------------
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Posted By: caitlynsmygirl
Date Posted: 22 December 2008 at 3:30pm
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Jo , I havent been to the time tunnel , but what i've heard is its a tunnel at a church near us (think its Elim church actually) and it is very much jesus focused (rather than Santa focused)
Every year I read her the nativity story on christmas eve, and we talk about Jesus and how its his birthday . I keep it as simple as possible at the moment, we go to the crib service on christmas eve too (I also went to the midnight service, but am too tired too atm!) ------------- 
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Posted By: Rachael21
Date Posted: 22 December 2008 at 3:45pm
| I am going to take Jack (and possibly Caprece) to the service they have for kids on christmas eve. I've tried to explain about Jesus and stuff but I didn't do the best job so will probably get a book for next year. We donated a whole heap of stuff to the Sallies but Jack didn't really care about that so I took him to the mall to chose a present for Caprece to try and teach him about giving. |
Posted By: arohanui
Date Posted: 22 December 2008 at 4:28pm
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Kelly we went to that time tunnel last year - it's at Eastgate in Pakuranga. It was really good! There's one at Greenlane church too, a drivethrough nativity play. You can either drive round in your car (you park and see a drama scene then drive to the next one) or they have a truck.
Our boy is still young so not doing too much this year, we talk about how it's Jesus' birthday and we give presents to express our love to eachother, just like God loves us. We'll go to church on Christmas day, and if we were in Aucks for Christmas Eve we would have been at the children's service at our church. Something that could be done with older kids that I did at Kids Church on Sunday, with preschoolers right up to 10 yr olds, was to tell the story of when Jesus was born, using Christmas tree decorations. I read it from the children's bible adding little bits here and there to explain the decorations, and DH held the decorations and did the voices (lol his angel singing was awesome!!) and then got a child to help him by putting the decoration on the tree. We also looked at a sign that said "Merry Christmas" and talked about how "Christ" is in "Christmas". Then we made angels to hang on the tree. Oh and one of the decorations was a heart cos that was why Jesus was born - cos Gos loves us so much. We just used random decorations my parents have. Also had lights already on the tree, and turned them on when talking about the angel appeared and God's light shone all around. Also talked about candy canes, and how they're shaped like the shepards stick thing (eek can't remember what it's called) to remind us of the shepards. I like your idea Jo about talking about Santa like a servant of God. That's cool. ------------- Mama to DS1 (5 years), DS2 (3 years) and... http://alterna-tickers.com" rel="nofollow"> 
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Posted By: lilfatty
Date Posted: 22 December 2008 at 5:43pm
That would be a crook 
Issy is a bit to young for all this .. but Ive just told her that its Jesus's birthday .. and that Mummy is going to stay home from work so we can go to Grandmas and Grandpas to celebrate it together. ------------- Mummy to Issy (3) and Elias (18 months) I did it .. 41 kgs gone! From flab to fab in under a year  http://www.femininefitness.co.nz/category/blog - LFs weight blog
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Posted By: sunnyhoney
Date Posted: 22 December 2008 at 6:30pm
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Aside from doing all the usual Christmassy things like Santa and cookies etc...we will be going to church on Christmas eve. DH was talking about making a cake for Jesus' birthday and singing Happy Birthday to Jesus.
We will also read the nativity story as well as other Christmas stories. Next year when she is a bit older we will probably introduce "what kind of present would Jesus like?" eg helping out at a shelter or donating food or presents to charity etc. ------------- Mum to: Joy Emily 1.05am 27/09/07 7lb 3oz Austin Paul 12.47pm 18/04/10 10lb 8oz |
Posted By: McPloppy
Date Posted: 22 December 2008 at 6:31pm
Thanks Jo I will try a Christian bookshop...lol never thought of that ------------- http://lilypie.com">
http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: Maya
Date Posted: 22 December 2008 at 7:56pm
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I've kinda cheated lol coz Maya is at a Catholic school so they've done a lot of teaching her about Xmas, Advent and what it all means. I've been making the effort to take her to church (lol Eva our church is 2 doors down from home too, handy) during Advent and talking to her about the day's Gospel and the part of the service where they light the candle on the Advent wreath. She has a children's bible that I gave her as a Christening present and one that she won at school for being good in class so each night we read a few pages of the pre-xmas story and will read the actual nativity on Xmas day before Xmas lunch.
We're going to go to the kids service at her school's church on Xmas Eve, then to mass at our church on Xmas morning. I haven't really done much with the gremlins tho, they are obsessed with Santa atm but they don't really understand that he brings presents, they just think they're clever coz they can recognise him in pictures lol. But they are still being exposed to the Christmas message at church and with us talking about it so the older they get, the more they'll understand. Oh and I always make Maya choose a few toys each year to give away to the local refuge/Sallies etc. so she can appreciate the giving part of Xmas (and to make room for new stuff  ). This year I did the hard work for them tho and gave the Mothercraft nurse 2 jumbo Huggies boxes full of toys  .-------------  Maya Grace (28/02/03)
 (02/01/06)
The Gremlins:Sienna Marie & Mercedes Kailah (14/10/06)
Lil miss:Chiara Louise Chloe (09/07/08)
Her ladyship:Rosalia Sophie Anais (18/06/12)
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Posted By: LittleBug
Date Posted: 22 December 2008 at 8:04pm
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I think Chloe is a bit young to understand anything about Christmas at this stage... but loving the ideas!
Our Church has a pretty big focus on doing good things for others at Christmas, to celebrate Christ's life... like giving those World Vision gifts to people where you buy a goat or something for needy people in third world countries, and give them instead of expensive pressies and stuff like that. Heaps of other things as well, but I'm having a mind blank atm!! I think I will explain the whole St Nicholas/servant of God thing as well, when the kiddies are old enough to understand. It's kinda sad how commercial Christmas has become and how it's all about getting what you want. Let me know what you find with regards to a simple nativity book... all of the ones I've seen are quite complex and I've been on the hunt for a good one for toddlers too. If anyone has ideas of how I could let a baby Chloe's age learn about Jesus then I would be keen to know!! I'm a bit stumped. ETA: We will be missing the midnight Christmas eve service this year... we will all just be too tired! But going to Church on Christmas morning and then spending the afternoon with family ------------- Chloe (4 years) and Oliver (3 years). |
Posted By: caitlynsmygirl
Date Posted: 22 December 2008 at 8:07pm
hehe , and Miss Maya likes to expose the fake ones when they don't wear boots -------------
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Maya wrote:Posted By: Maya
Date Posted: 22 December 2008 at 8:16pm
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Pretty much. She is so onto his tricks. Apparently the Sylvia Park Santa is the real one and all the others are fakes. ------------- Maya Grace (28/02/03)
(02/01/06)
The Gremlins:Sienna Marie & Mercedes Kailah (14/10/06)
Lil miss:Chiara Louise Chloe (09/07/08)
Her ladyship:Rosalia Sophie Anais (18/06/12)
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Posted By: MrsMojo
Date Posted: 22 December 2008 at 9:24pm
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Michaela has The Beginners Bible which is really good. It has old and new testament stories including the nativity story and the Easter story. All of the stories are short and aimed at toddlers and preschoolers. As far as age appropriate things TBH at that age we didn't really do anything for Michaela (other than go to church, which we do every weekend anyway, and mention Jesus' birthday) it's only now that she's getting into the commercial side of Christmas that I've started focussing on teaching her the true meaning of Christmas. -------------
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Posted By: MrsMojo
Date Posted: 22 December 2008 at 9:25pm
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My parents used to tell us that Santa is much too busy and so he hired helpers to dress up like him. -------------
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Posted By: Bobbie
Date Posted: 22 December 2008 at 9:51pm
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We've been reading Rowan the Christmas story in her children's bible. But really she's still a little young to get it.
We won't be doing midnight mass this year either because she'll just lose it but we might try and brave a morning service. (though usually she gets over it right when the sermon starts) -------------  
 
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Posted By: 11111
Date Posted: 23 December 2008 at 7:24am
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Well here we have been having a hard time cause everyone keep's asking my kid's what Santa is bringing for them. We have never had the cconversation about Santa not being real, but we have never hidden the fact that we buy the present's and they are from Mummy and Daddy. We sing happy birthday to Jesus. Thing that really got up my nose was the people at church that were talking about santa and were miffted when I told them my kids know that get it from mummy and daddy. I am jsut too lazy to fake something like that with them. Plus Alan would work it out anyway pretty quick. Next year we are going to go shopping for pressy's to give away I like the idea if giving some of their toy's however I really want my kids to chose something new that they would want them selves so they really understand what christmas is about if we packed up their older stuff they would not really care or get it. Like you Jo Alan has got excited about santa this year which reay annoyes me to be honest cause we as in me and DH have never made a fuss, but they learn from pre school etc. ------------- Deborah Mum to:   
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Posted By: busymum
Date Posted: 23 December 2008 at 8:17pm
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We have been talking about the Christmas story and even reading it straight from our Bible (we also don't have a good nativity book, but it won't hurt them!). The older girls have been involved in a Christmas production with their Sunday School as well. We say it's Jesus' birthday and that we remind each other of Jesus being like a gift to us, by giving presents to other people. This year we also donated $50 of groceries to some friends on sickness benefit (cancer recovery) and talked with the girls about how some people don't have much money to buy food etc. That's about it for us.
We don't do the Santa thing at all, although one day I'll teach them the story of St Nicholas so they get the background to Santa. They know that Santa is a man dressed up and pretends to give presents to everyone, but in our house the presents come from mum and dad. The other thing we have done (for the first time) this year is let the older two girls go Christmas shopping for each of us. It teaches them something about money/spending (and we gave Hannah a little budget and she had to add up how much she was going to buy vs how much money she had) as well as being able to be part of the giving. ------------- |
Posted By: susieq
Date Posted: 23 December 2008 at 9:44pm
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Kelly. you will be able to do the midnight service again in a few years,
Liz I took Caitlyn to the Elim production this evening always a good one, you should bring Harry to the All Saints in Howick one now you are closer crib service 6pm tomorrow |
Posted By: arohanui
Date Posted: 24 December 2008 at 12:01am
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The Elim production sounds good Susie, did Caitlyn enjoy it? We're leaving Aucks tomorrow afternoon so won't be able to make it to a Christmas Eve service - kinda guttered too cos it was the first year my church is doing a family/kids one (previously we just had one at 11pm, now we have one at 6pm or something too). Ah well always next year!
Kate yeah as far as teaching bubbas Rowan's age I don't think it's so much "teaching" but more just part of life eh? Like we talk about Jesus and God in everyday conversation, pray before we eat, and pray with Harry before he goes to sleep at night. So more just learning through it being a part of everyday life. ------------- Mama to DS1 (5 years), DS2 (3 years) and... http://alterna-tickers.com" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: mum2emj
Date Posted: 24 December 2008 at 8:05am
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i think it is such a shame that christmas seems to of become so commercalised (sp)
it does take the focus off the meaning of christmas a little . it upsets me that there is pressure on families to spend when they cant, and i'm with everyone else on the santa issue... people ask what is santa going to bring you etc... and do make a big deal of santa. he's plastered everywhere. my girls know that they are celebrating the birth of jesus and are getting excited to be having a birthday party for him lol. they will get a present from us and we each have brought one present for one family member so they can "give" something as well as recieve. |
Posted By: 11111
Date Posted: 24 December 2008 at 8:26am
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Just want to add here my pastor said it like this at our mainly music and I loved it and i think it explain's thjing's simple.
Christtmas is Jesus birthday and because he loves us so much he want's us to have present's on his birthday. I have not gone out of my way to tell the boy's santa is not real we just don't talk about it at all. Cause I also don't want my kid's to be the ones that spoil it for other kids (like i did a few times). Rach we have spent about $50 on each kid this year and got something little for the family from the kid's. we never go over board for christmas becasue it is not about us. We don't do stocking's etc. I guess this will get harder as they get older. ------------- Deborah Mum to:
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Posted By: MrsMojo
Date Posted: 24 December 2008 at 8:32am
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Last night I read Michaela the book my sister sent over "the true story of Santa Claus". It was fabulous and she loved it! Written into a fictional childrens story it told of Nicholas who loved God and loved his fellow people and helped them, it told about how Nicholas became a Bishop and told about many of the good things he did during his life and then when he gets really old the child Jesus comes to him and thanks him for being such a faithful servant and tells him it's time to join him in his Fathers kingdom but Bishop Nicholas protests that he still has much work to do and who will help the children to which Jesus replies you will. It talks about how much Jesus loves us and then goes on to explain that Nicholas became Saint Nicholas but some people call him Santa Claus so the "twist" at the end is that Saint Nicholas the religious figure who loves God and Jesus is actually Santa Claus and the real reason that he comes at Christmas is to remind us to celebrate the birth of Jesus. It's such a great story so if you ever come across it I definitely recommend buying it. I love the way that the author has taken back the religious holiday for it's true meaning IYKWIM. The book is definitely going to become a regular in our Christmas reading. I'll read it again to her tonight before she hangs up her stocking and then before bed I'll read her the nativity again. -------------
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Posted By: Paws
Date Posted: 24 December 2008 at 10:53am
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I think I have to get hold of a copy of that book!
We're combating the Santa problem in our house at the moment so sounds like it might be a good one!! ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: caitlynsmygirl
Date Posted: 24 December 2008 at 11:21am
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C believes in Santa and I have no problem with that, shes 6 and has a splendid imagination , when she is old enough to understand I will explain to her not just about the background of Saint Nicholas, but also the gist of it, that santa is the spirit of giving. ...and that she now belongs to a special group of people who know the truth and if she tells her siblings santa isn't real , then she wont be getting any presents, meh . She will also happily inform anyone that asks that the reason we have christmas at all is because its the day Jesus was born , and we are celebrating his birthday . I believed in Santa, but that didnt mean i had some sort of problem understanding the concept of Jesus's main role on christmas day . But then im different I suppose to most, I believe in God, but I dont expect C to just because I do , I want her to chose the religion shes most comfortable with . oh , and as for stockings, that was my favourite part, i still insisted on one last year, I love doing a stocking for C -and it gives me an extra 20 minutes sleepin on Christmas morning . -------------
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Posted By: Bobbie
Date Posted: 24 December 2008 at 11:32am
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ooh Jo that book sounds great - I'll keep a look out for it. -------------
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Posted By: MrsMojo
Date Posted: 24 December 2008 at 11:41am
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I agree Kelly. Each to their own but for us Santa will always have his place in Christmas but I want it to be the Christian Santa that teaches children about giving rather than the commercialised Santa that teaches children about getting. If that makes sense. When we were old enough that none of us kids believed in Santa anymore we started doing Secret Santa every year up until we moved out of home and that was great fun, included mum and dad and really pushed the idea of Christmas being about giving. We also always bought gifts for our siblings - we were given a small budget and put a lot of thought into what our brothers and sisters would like and it was very exciting to see their reaction on Christmas day. -------------
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Posted By: Paws
Date Posted: 24 December 2008 at 11:56am
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Ohhhhh I found where we can buy The True Story of Santa Claus.....
Check it out. http://www.seekbooks.co.nz/book/True-Story-of-Santa-Claus/isbn/9780819874061.htm - The True Story of Santa Claus ------------- http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: MrsMojo
Date Posted: 24 December 2008 at 12:02pm
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Good work Paws. That's the one. I might have to buy my own copy too rather than borrowing my sisters one. -------------
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