Sadly in the world today, Christmas has become for many a completely secular celebration. Wendy Grace shares with us how our families can put Christ at the heart of Christmas in the world today.

By Wendy Grace

When it feels like everything about our preparation for Christmas has been subsumed by commercialism, it’s hard not to fall foul to the pressure. I found myself in the first week of November frantically going online to organise all the children’s Christmas presents. I realised I had put more thought into what would go under the tree than into how we as a family should journey through Advent, and prepare for the celebration of the birth of our Saviour.

Don’t allow Christmas commercialism ruin the real reason for the season. Instead, see it as a time to re-enter into the pure beauty and wonder of a Christ-centred Christmas. Advent gives your family the opportunity

to care, prepare and to share:

• to care for each other in the spirit of Christ’s teaching to love one another as He loves us.

• to prepare spiritually as a family and accompany, as it were, those first shepherds who came to give reverence before the Christ child as he was held in His – and ours - Mother’s arms.

• and to share the joy of Christ’s birth as we do the reason why He came into this world: to reconcile man with God through our redemption.

A good starting point is to take stock of your own prayer life, for when your eyes are fixed on Jesus He will give you the grace and wisdom needed to share your faith with your children. Use Advent as a time to renew your own spiritual commitment. When we have that personal relationship with Our Lord and his blessed Mother, what we teach our children will be genuine.

If we cultivate an authentic faith-filled love for this season, our children will have it too - we can help make this happen by revealing big concepts though even little gestures, such as:

•  creating a ‘Jesse tree’ during Advent; this is a catechetical opportunity for your children to better understand the Word of God in the Bible and Catholic teaching. Each decoration represents different stories, people and events in the Bible.

• explaining the meaning of the beautiful rites and devotions we see at this time, e.g. “...do you know what the colour of the priest’s vestments mean during Advent? Purple signifies penance and preparation and pink signifies joy and gratitude for Our Lord’s birth.”

• praying for the families on your Christmas Card list - when you receive Christmas cards each day you can let your children open them and pray for the person who sent it to you.

• thanking each other and thanking the Lord for every grace and gift - that in the same way Jesus shares his birthday and eternal life with us, we can share the joy and material benefits we may experience also with those less fortunate, especially persecuted Christians.

It’s also important to make sure that your children think of Saint Nicholas rather than the man that Coca Cola invented. Put simply, it’s reminding them of why Santa is bringing presents and remember one of the best things about being Catholic is Christmas doesn’t end on December 26th you and your family get to celebrate for a whole 12 days. Don’t let “Black Friday” and “Cyber Monday” become the new feast days!

Rather than feeling overwhelmed by secular Christmas traditions - put Christ at the centre of it yourself. While you can’t change what’s in the supermarket you can change what happens in your house. I pray that keeping Christ in Christmas will bring you and your family peace, love and joy this Christmas.