A couple of weeks ago on the way home from school Maggie began to ask about the real meaning of Christmas. This is a wonderful question but I was not doing a very good job of explaining Christmas Day in a way that she was understanding. She knew that it is the day we celebrate Jesus' birthday but could not comprehend any of the rest of the story. No we have not been to church lately, no judging unless you live my life please but I knew there was a way to teach her this very valuable lesson.
So I did what any other parent would do, ask someone who knew how to best explain the real meaning of Christmas. I went to work the next day and was talking with my friend Kristi who I knew taught Sunday school and she had the perfect answer - an interactive book and nativity scene.
It was perfect. I borrowed Kristi's book for the evening and Maggie and I sat down to learn (in her own words) "the real meaning of Christmas". Maggie was so into the book and wanted to know details of the people involved in the story. There are 7 boxes which you open, Gabriel, Mary, Joseph, Jesus, the Shepherd and the Wise Men. The final box has a mirror in it so that the children knows that what God wants for Christmas is for you to have him in your heart and that he wanted you to be part of the plan.
THIS HAS BEEN SO POWERFUL! I am very grateful for this set and for Kristi who picked one up for us when she went to the Christian bookstore. Caden so wanted to know more about the story and to get his own turn to open each box. It just so happened that on Friday morning Maggie asked me if I could bring that book home again so she could teach Mal Mal the real meaning of Christmas. What would you know our own copy was sitting on my desk when I walked into work on Friday morning! Oh I was so excited to make Maggie's wish come true.
She is now understanding that Christmas is more than Santa and gifts. This year we did adopt two children as part of our giving back during Christmas. Caden and Maggie went with me to shop for the family and now we have lots of questions about all of the kids who will not have Christmas. However, that lesson was not enough, and has lead to A LOT of hard questions to answer about those children who will not have a joyful Christmas.
We have an angel in our lives, she just so happens to work with mommy and she has made this Christmas so much better with just a little gesture of picking this up for me when she was out. I am very grateful that my child is asking the question about the real meaning of Christmas, we have to be doing something right, no?
I am even more excited that she wants to share it with her siblings and make sure they know the real meaning of Christmas.
Merry Christmas to you all! I love you Maggie Lynne and I love your drive to learn.
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