The Christmas Story by the Phillips Family

We tried to keep Jesus the center of all that we were doing this Christmas...

I feel like specifically Ellie is really at the age where she's gleaning a lot from all that goes on at Christmas.

One thing I did was try and ask Ellie every day this question:

What is Christmas all about??

I felt like every day she was exposed to something new that could deter her or confuse her...

like Santa at the mall, or Frosty in someone's front yard, or even just the busyness of parties.

I didn't want to get to the end of the season and her think it was all about the busyness.

So we talked about baby Jesus, a lot.

In their Jesus time they watched the Christmas story in various forms a lot.

We read lots of books about Jesus.

They played with their Little People Nativity that we only get out at Christmas.

We also had a night where we acted out the Christmas story.

I wish I had it on video.  

It was so cute...they were really into it.

Serious about their parts!

The players:

Mary

Joseph

The Angel

The Donkey!

Off to Bethlehem

Looking for an inn

Headed to the stable...baby Jesus is almost here.

We did finish the story (actually several times over) but I think I had to start being an angel, 

a shepherd, and a wise man so I couldn't keep taking pictures.

Such a fun night.

We told the story and sang the appropriate Christmas songs along the way.

So fun to celebrate Jesus with my kids who are soaking it all in.

May they (and us) forever be impacted by Jesus' birth.