'Tis the Season?'

As Christmas approach I, and I think most parents, struggle against the world to instill in my children what the REAL meaning of CHRISTmas is. E is too young to argue with me about what it means, but she is not to young for me to teach her about Jesus. I have been telling her that is Jesus' Birthday, so she sings 'Happy Birthday'(her own version)when she see Christmas trees or when we turn the lights on ours. Kevin & Walter understand that Santa is a mythical guy who was long long ago, but to them it's about getting stuff. We are going to take them shopping this year and have them pick out toys to donate. We want them to see how fun it is to give. T, my sweet, sweet boy. He understands that Christmas is coming, he told me about Santa, way before I could tell him. He sees the decor and calls it Christmas cheer. Every time we leave the house he tells me that the Grinch is going to take our tree and Christmas cheer. When asked what he wants for dinner, he tells us he wants a 'feast with roast beast.' Yes, I know, no more Grinch movie for him. But you have to admit that a 'feast with roast beast' is cute. As I do with E I have been reminding T that Christmas is not just about Christmas cheer, but the real reason is that it is Jesus Birthday. I wonder if it is just his age, but he seems fixated on the worlds view of this season and no matter what I say, it just seems to go in one ear and out the other. So with this struggle this season, we are doing things different. We are going to make thing more symbolic than we have in the past. Hopefully it will change every one in the families view of the real meaning of Christmas. We are doing 3 gifts a kid. (the 3 wise men) We are going to bake a cake for Jesus' Birthday and sing to him. We are toning down the family visiting. With having contractions now, we feel it is best that we stay close to home. Traveling is such a burden on not only us (as parents) but on the little ones as well. Sleeping, visiting, special food, and not being at home really affects them and it takes about a week to get back into the swing of things. Not to mention how grumpy I get with all the comments about how we discipline our children. So, I guess our goal is to teach the kids that it is not about them at Christmas time. But it is about the birth of our Lord and Savior. That God loved us so much He allowed His son to come to this wicked earth as a helpless baby and go through the entire human process of growing. Just to prove to us that He loves us so much He is willing to allow His Son to die for us as ungrateful and undeserving as we are. He still loves us. I pray that I can raise my children to believe and have faith and be God Loving and fearing productive members of this world. It all starts with what we as parents show our kids. How we live our live for the King and not for ourselves. I will fail and it might even be several times a day, but I will try and do the best that I can do. So one say I might hear 'Well done, my good and faithful servant.'