7 Ways to Keep Christ in Christmas

When we jump straight to celebrating the Christmas holiday, it can sometimes feel like we have to hide away all our negative emotions and just be happy all the time. But the unfortunate fact is that the Christmas season doesn’t suddenly make our lives easy and pain-free. The historical practice of observing Advent is a balm for weary souls in this regard, inviting us to spend time solemnly feeling in darkness of the “weary world” (as O Holy Night puts it) as we wait for the glorious Light of the World.

To practice Advent, ease into Christmas. Don’t be in a rush. Then, when Christmas Day comes, lean into the celebration, and keep it going until Epiphany (past New Year!) if you like. Making time for Advent means making space for the full spectrum of human emotions to be expressed when contemplating the incarnation of Christ. To learn more about the life-giving tradition of Advent, visit Crosswalk.

2. Decorate Purposefully to Focus on Christ

Decorations are daily reminders of what we are celebrating. Taking stock of what our decorations lead us to ponder can help us to keep Christ central in our holiday traditions. We can make choices in this area that lift our hearts and refocus us on celebrating the coming of Immanuel. Consider using nativity scenes, advent candles, or a Jesse Tree. Ornaments on the Christmas tree that remind us of the story surrounding Jesus’ birth can also be a great way to add focus on Jesus to our celebrations.

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When we consider Christmas to be primarily a birthday celebration of the newborn King, this perspective shifts our mentality helpfully. If we celebrate someone’s birthday, our focus is on them, not on ourselves. With this in mind, we might consider limiting gifts, since it’s His birthday, not ours. Or we might consider emphasizing giving over receiving, since Jesus is God’s gift to humanity, and He has said that giving to others is the same as giving to Him (Matthew 25:31-46). Making a birthday cake for Jesus and singing “Happy Birthday” to him is another whimsically fun tradition that kids and adults both enjoy! When we consider our holiday traditions, asking, “Does this make sense in the context of a birthday celebration of Jesus?” can be a clarifying exercise.

4. Meditate on Song Lyrics About Christ

Advent and Christmas songs are full of rich imagery and beautiful truths that will orient our hearts towards Jesus during the season of waiting for and celebrating his birth. Christmas classics are always welcome, but also consider delving into the lyrics of some lesser-known songs in order to shake up the status quo and give a fresh perspective on the incarnation of Christ. 

For example, “In the Bleak Midwinter” is a little-known based on a poem by Christina Rosetti and is a contemplative meditation on the paradox that though “Our God, heaven cannot hold Him,” yet “a stable-place sufficed” for Him when He came to earth. We are urged to offer Him our very selves in worship: “What can I give Him, poor as I am?-- If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb; If I were a wise man I would do my part,--Yet what I can I give Him, give my heart” (Wikipedia).

There are also many newer offerings of worship songs celebrating Jesus’ birth. For example, in his “Gather Round, Ye Children Come,” Andrew Peterson joyfully invites believers to “come, listen to the old, old story, of the power of death undone, by an infant born of glory, Son of God, Son of Man.” This is the first song in a collaborative album of original Christmas songs called Behold the Lamb of God: The True Tale of the Coming of Christ (Wikipedia). For more Christmas classics, lesser-known songs, and fresh offerings that give worship to Jesus, check out 

Set aside some time in your schedule to gather together with family or friends and read the Christmas story in Matthew 1-2 or Luke 1-2. Consider going back to the Old Testament as well to read some of the prophecies foretelling Jesus’ coming to experience a more full-orbed remembrance of the story of redemption. 

To read more about the Nativity, check out Tim Keller’s Hidden Christmas: The Surprising Truth Behind the Birth of Christ. Children’s adaptations of the Christmas story can also be powerful reading for young and old alike. The Jesus Storybook Bible A Christmas Collection: Stories, Songs, and Reflections for the Advent Season by Sally Lloyd-Jones or 25 Days of the Christmas Story: An Advent Family Experience by Dr. Josh and Christi Straub are good places to start. 

Watching a film on the Nativity can also be a good way to re-experience the story visually. Good options include a movie from The Jesus Film Collection (these movies depict all of Jesus’ life, but include his birth) or The Nativity Story.

6. Attend Church

Gathering together with other believers can be a wonderful way to communally celebrate the birth of Christ. Jesus Himself promises that “where two or three gather in my name, there I am with them” (Matthew 18:20). In the midst of a busy schedule during the Christmas season, it can be tempting to give up church attendance. But singing together, meditating on the incarnation, and celebrating Immanuel’s coming will lift our hearts and reorient our minds on Christ’s centrality in the Christmas season. If you can’t attend your church in person for any reason, consider watching services online. Churches often have services not just on Christmas day, but also on Christmas Eve and sometimes other days as well. 

7. Include Others

The Christmas season can be a lonely time for many. Think about the people you know who might feel left out during this time, and get creative to include them in your celebrations. Write cards to missionaries serving overseas. Invite international students who can’t go home over winter break to join you for Christmas dinner. Check on people who live alone to see if they have Christmas plans. Sign up to volunteer at a soup kitchen. Ask your church or local non-profits if there is any other way you can help your community during this time. 

This Christmas, we don’t have to join the chaotic rush of stress and distraction. Instead, we can quiet our hearts in grateful worship of “The Word” who “became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We can keep Christ in Christmas. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). Making Christ central in our celebrations will impart joy and peace to our lives not only during the Christmas season, but all year long.

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