Kids love Christmas. And let's be honest, a big, if not the biggest reason, is the gifts.
As kids make their "wish list" for Christmas, you can see it in their eyes. Presents. It's about getting the coolest, funniest gifts available.
That's why it's important for us, as parents, to monitor this and help kids see the main reason why we celebrate Christmas. The primary reason is Jesus coming to the earth.
If we are not careful, our kids will see the gifts as the best part of Christmas, while Jesus' birth is somewhere in the shadows. We must flip that and help our kids see that presents are not the main reason for Christmas. The gifts should fall into the shadow of the birth of Jesus.
Our goal as parents should be to steer our children away from greediness and turn their attention to the needs of others who are less fortunate. And Christmas is one of the best times of the year to do this.
How about this? Give each child one or two gifts for themselves and have them pick other gifts they can give to people in need. And if your church takes up a special Christmas offering, encourage them to give to this.
If we are going to raise kids who love Jesus and others, then we must teach them about generosity. Generosity is choosing to help and invest in other people. It's about giving instead of getting. It's about goodness rather than greediness.
If you haven't chosen your Christmas lesson yet, The Christmas Gift is a stand-alone lesson that teaches kids the importance of giving to others at Christmas. It also teaches kids why Jesus came to the earth. And it's interwoven with the story of a kid who discovers the joy of giving during the Christmas season. 
Dale Hudson is a ministry builder. As a children's pastor, he has helped build some of the largest and fastest-growing children's ministries in the country. At Cross Church, he led the children's ministry to double in size. At Central Christian Church in Las Vegas, he helped the church grow from 8,000 to 16,000 in four years with the majority of the growth coming from reaching unchurched families.
For the original article, visit relevantchildrensministry.com.
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