Engaging Your Family This Christmas
Written By Pastor Andrew Wible
The Advent and Christmas season offers a unique opportunity to create lasting memories and strengthen family bonds. With the busyness of life, it’s easy to lose sight of what truly matters, but this time of year invites us to pause, reflect, and connect with one another in meaningful ways.
Whether it’s that classic family Christmas movie you watch the night you put up your Christmas tree, a Christmas light tour through your favorite neighborhood with hot cocoa, or reading the Luke 2 narrative as a family—this season provides so many opportunities to connect and enjoy family. Below are three simple yet impactful ideas to help you and your loved ones stay connected and engaged as you journey toward Christmas:
Use an Advent Calendar to bring fresh fun ideas to your family each week this month leading into Christmas. Looking for a good advent calendar? Come grab an Antioch Austin Advent Box from church and use the sticker sheets to help count down the days to Christmas on the calendar.
Start or continue family traditions! Few things are as powerful to family connection as traditions! Whether walking the Zilker Trail of Lights each year, hot cocoa and Christmas lights at Mozart's, a Christmas Eve PJ dance party, or unique ideas original to your family—this is the perfect year to start or carry on your traditions!
Add a weekly family devotional time to keep your family engaged spiritually in the season as well. Whether it's a devotional on the Bible App before school or doing the devotional book in your Antioch Advent Box on Saturday morning, finding a resource to help you and your family engage spiritually with the Christmas season is so helpful. Devotionals can help bring back the true heart of the season and remind our hearts of the coming of Jesus.
Remember, connection isn’t about perfection; it’s about being present with your kids! Make memories, laugh, and enjoy each other. And if you think “oh, it’s too late to start traditions,” think again! This year is your year. Christmas is the perfect time of year to recenter your family on the things and relationships that matter most.