Christmas Eve - it's not too late

If you are looking for something nice to do with your family on Christmas Eve here are a few ideas for you:


(I stole this one from our YW president - she did this during her lesson on Sunday.) Play the Amy Grant song "Breath of Heaven" while you show the short 5 minute Nativity movie that the church has produced. It is wonderful how the words of the song match this beautful depiction of Christ's birth. Start the song when the title shows on the screen. (And don't forget to turn off the sound to the movie.) It is moving and really brings the Spirit.

Another idea is to share a Christmas article by Gerald Lund. It is one of the best things that I have read about the birth of Jesus. It talks about what the stable was really like, how the inns must have looked, that the flock of sheep with the shepherds was probably the most chosen sheep being saved for Passover and other wonderful bits and pieces from the most famous story on earth. Here is the web site where you can find the article:
www.homeand holidays.com/files2/viewarticle.php?articleid=4209
I also found this story in the book "Christmas Classics; a Treasury for Latter-day Saints"



Lastly, we have started a tradition of giving gifts in our family that cost no money (in addition to all the junk under the tree). My husband and I have mostly done this with eachother but as our children get older we will begin including them in the tradition. You can give each person a gift or you can draw names. Have each person write down what they are giving that person and then exchange them on Christmas Eve as part of your celebration. MJH once gave me a whole year of cleaning the bathrooms! And he kept his word but by the time January 1st rolled around he was ready to hand some of that back over to me. I once gave him my commitment to not complain any time that he asked me for a haircut - I can't remember if I did very on that one or not. And this past year we have worked on having a date night weekly. It can be anything. And it has been a perfect addition to our Christmases and focusing on the true meaning of the holiday.

I hope that your Christmas celebrations are wonderful this year and that the spirit of Christ fills your home. Merry Christmas!