Page 1 of 1 [ 4 posts ] 

BuyerBeware
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 28 Sep 2011
Gender: Female
Posts: 3,476
Location: PA, USA

05 Nov 2017, 8:58 pm

Bluntly put, I loathe Christmas. The whole Christmas season.

Well, not exactly. But the only two parts I like are family time (without the delusions of perfection) and the religious aspect of it, and those are the parts our culture tends to de-emphasize in favor of holiday parties, holiday delusions, and stuff, stuff, stuff. Since we got relatively prosperous and I handed the holiday over to H and his folks almost 10 years ago now, my kids think Christmas does, in fact, come from a store. It drives me CRAZY.

I’m not against them getting presents. I am against that being the whole focus of the holiday. THIS year, my Pagan self would very much like to put the Christ back in Christmas.

So I’m hunting recommendations for Advent activities that we can do ourselves (because Pagan-y Aspies and church do not mix) that are interesting to reasonably bright kids aged 16, 10, 8, and 5 that emphasize the Nativity story and provide an opportunity to engage with it (something visual or tactile, and don’t take too long thus leaving time ina busy evening to TALK about the whole thing instead of just rushing through the activity).

Any suggestions?? Ideally, I’d like it to cost less than about $30 a kid and involve minimal travel, because frankly after a day of work and school nobody wants to get in the van and drive around. We’d rather be curled up at home, watching a movie or listening to a story or doing an activity and talking.


_________________
"Alas, our dried voices when we whisper together are quiet and meaningless, as wind in dry grass, or rats' feet over broken glass in our dry cellar." --TS Eliot, "The Hollow Men"


leejosepho
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 14 Sep 2009
Gender: Male
Posts: 9,011
Location: 200 miles south of Little Rock

07 Nov 2017, 8:56 am

BuyerBeware wrote:
I’m not against them getting presents. I am against that being the whole focus of the holiday...

Since Scripture and Christmas have nothing in common, I would suggest simply trying to do something related to giving...

Christmas giving -Jesus (Google Search)

"Pure religion and undefiled before our God and Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world." --James 1:27


_________________
I began looking for someone like me when I was five ...
My search ended at 59 ... right here on WrongPlanet.
==================================


The_Walrus
Forum Moderator
Forum Moderator

User avatar

Joined: 27 Jan 2010
Age: 29
Gender: Male
Posts: 8,789
Location: London

08 Nov 2017, 11:05 am

You could get them advent calendars which reveal a nativity scene.

(Also, I'm going to move this to another forum so it doesn't get considered a "religious debate")



CockneyRebel
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 17 Jul 2004
Age: 49
Gender: Male
Posts: 113,298
Location: Stalag 13

10 Nov 2017, 10:46 pm

I love Christmas in all of its red, white and green glory. It's my most favourite time of the year. I like the warmth that December blankets around me and I enjoy listening to Christmas music. I love everything about the Christmas season. Nothing brings more people together than Christmas. It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside like Peahawk.


_________________
Who wants to adopt a Sweet Pea?