10 Ways of Celebrating Christmas Differently

Christmas is always an occasion that many families look forward to. But sometimes, we get to the point when we wonder how else we can celebrate Christmas more meaningfully or differently. Here are some suggestions that might be helpful for you as you plan for Christmas this year.

1. Invite a poor family to your home.
Ask a family that you know to join you for Noche Buena or Christmas lunch, then give their child/children Christmas gifts. If your budget permits, give the parents gifts as well - it’s like welcoming the Holy Family into your home.

2. Organize a Christmas Day outreach.
Bring your family to a charitable institution like CRIBS (a shelter for unwanted babies), Grace to be Born or He Cares Foundation (a foundation for street children) and bring gifts to the babies, kids, and mothers there. You can bring used clothes and toys or brand new items for them. This way, you’re like the wise men who offered gifts to the Baby Jesus in Bethlehem.

3. Distribute food on the streets.
On the day before Christmas, pack Noche Buena items or grocery items in plastic bags and tie them with colourful ribbons. Go around a poor neighbourhood or major roads where you usually see poor families living on the streets and give one plastic to each family. That way, you give them a chance to celebrate Noche Buena with their families.

4. Attend Simbang Gabi Masses with the entire family.
Or better yet, have an active participation by volunteering to serve or joining the offertory procession and offering candles, wine, host, a fruit basket or grocery basket or cash. If your family is musically-gifted, you may volunteer to join the choir. If you are skilled in reading, you can be lectors or commentators.  

5. Put up a different kind of manger for the Baby Jesus in your home.
Instead of filling the manger with hay or dry grass, cut strips of colored paper.  Every time a family member does a good deed to anyone, he/she can write on the strip of paper the good he/she has done and he/she can put it in the manger. The more good deeds done by each member of the family throughout the Advent Season, the more colored strips of paper there will be for the Baby Jesus’ manger. Then, have the Baby Jesus lie down on the manager on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. This way, you help all the members of your family prepare your hearts to receive the Christ Child.

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6. Track good deeds with stars on your tree.
A variation of idea number 5 is to do good deeds by tracking them with the use of star ornaments on your Christmas tree instead of strips of paper for your manger. Each star ornament you hang on your Christmas tree signifies a good deed done to anyone during the Advent Season. The more people you do good things to and the more frequent you do good to others, the more star ornaments you get to hang on your Christmas tree. It’s like bringing the Light of Christ to others through the good that you do during the Advent Season or entire Christmas Season.

7. DIY your gifts.
Instead of buying gifts from the stores, ask your family members to give or exchange gifts with other family members that they themselves made. It could be something they crafted or made with their hands or something they cooked. It could be any DIY project for another family member. The idea is to give a part of yourself thus making the gift extra special because each family member spent precious time making it.

8. Give prized possessions to those dear to you.
Another way to exchange gifts differently is to swap or give gifts which are dear to you to other family members. This is the opposite of the White Elephant where you give away things you don’t like anymore or things you have no use for. This variation communicates to the members of your family that they are more precious to you than any of your prized possessions and so you are willing to part with them and give them to other family members as a token of your love and affection.

9. Express love using the five Love Languages.
It’s similar to the Kris Kringle we usually do but instead of gift items, you give love languages every week or five days leading to Christmas. For example, you may choose to give the gift of words of affirmation during week 1 or day 1 of your Kris Kringle. You can write this on a card, letter, send as a text message to your loved one’s mobile phone or to his/her email. On week 2 or day 2, you give the gift of acts of service. You can choose to serve him/her by cooking a meal, helping him/her in a chore, task or project. It could be any form of service that you know your “baby” would highly appreciate. On week 3 or day 3, you give the gift of quality time. You can schedule a date with each other over snack, lunch or dinner. On week 4 or day 4, you give the gift of physical touch. Give your “baby” lots of hugs and kisses that day or if it is your spouse, why not plan a night of intimacy. And on week 5 or day 5, you give a tangible gift. It’s an exciting variation to the traditional Kris Kringle as you get creative in expressing your love through the different love languages. You may even get to discover what each family member’s primary love language is.

10. Have a book party.
Instead of the usual gifts, give family members books about Christmas, then set aside some time during your celebration / reunion for book reading or story telling using the books you received.

Whatever you choose from this list, I’m sure that your entire family would be blessed and you would be a blessing as well to others. May Jesus find a dwelling place in your hearts! Have a meaningful and truly joyful Christmas!

Photo from flickr creativecommons