6 Ideas for a Kid-Friendly Christmas Morning

1. Christmas morning, keep the focus on Christ – Read the Christmas story (from the Bible - Luke 2), sing a Christmas hymn and say a prayer before you begin opening the gifts.  If you are staying with family, I suggest you include other family members in this, or do it before you leave your room.  
2. Gift giving etiquette – take turns and share each other’s joy.  Open gifts one person at a time.  This teaches your children patience and to put others first.
3. Consider giving events and memories – take them to a play instead of a gift.  Or, consider tickets to an aquarium or other big event.
4. Let them know that money does not grow on trees – tell them about a budget and give them play money and have them pretend with it at a toy store to see how much they can buy with $100.00
5. Let your children open their own gifts at their own pace.  Let them play with their toys in-between opening gifts if they want to.
6. Teach children to be thankful – have them write thank you notes.  Even if it is only a scribble.  One idea is a night of thanks after Christmas where everyone writes their thank you notes and you share a special dessert together.  Write a thank you note to Jesus as part of this evening.

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