Christmas should not be a time, but a state of mind.

GAK 239 The Resurrected Christ

Read the following quotes:

"To the American People: Christmas is not a time or a season but a state of mind. To cherish peace and good will, to be plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas. If we think on these things, there will be born in us a Savior and over us will shine a star sending its gleam of hope to the world." ~ Calvin Coolidge (1872-1933), American president. Presidential message (December 25, 1927)

"I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year." ~ Charles Dickens (1812-1870), English author. From 'A Christmas Carol'.

"My idea of Christmas, whether old-fashioned or modern, is very simple: loving others. Come to think of it, why do we have to wait for Christmas to do that?" ~ Bob Hope, American film actor and comedian.

Sing your favorite hymns. Take the time to bear testimonies as a family of the divinity of Christ. There is no better place to bear testimony than in the walls of your own home to those with whom you’ll spend eternity!!

Christmas is a time of Kindness.

Jesus taught His disciples that when you are kind to others, you are being kind to Him. He said, “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me” Matthew 25:40

Ann Jamison, “Sharing Time: Christmas All Year,” Friend, Dec 2000, 11

"A mosaic is a picture made of small pieces of colored materials such as stone, glass, or tile. You can make one using pieces of colored paper or cloth. Cut the scraps of paper or cloth into many small pieces...arrange your pieces on the drawing. Use different colors of paper or cloth to make the picture, just as you might use crayons or paints (see illustration).

When you have the pieces positioned the way you want them, glue each one in place. You can make many more Christmas mosaics by drawing your own pictures and gluing the colored scraps in place. Just as a mosaic is made of many little pieces, you can show that you remember Jesus’ birthday all year by doing many little acts of kindness and love."

Image by Thomas S. Child

As an added suggestion, as you glue little pieces to the paper talk about all the different things you can think of that Jesus did for others. See if you can come up with as many acts of kindness He showed as scraps of paper. Also, we are going to be making one mosaic as an entire family.

Christmas is a time of Increased Love

Photo courtesy Creative-Commens License by Monkey Junkie 2/23/2006 Flickr.com

Get out mixing bowl, wooden spoon, apron, spatula, measuring cup and baking pan. Have word strips with simple pictures for the following words: (To go in the bowl) kindness, respect, love, concern, (to go out of the bowl) happiness in the home, kinder feelings, love, spread the gospel of peace. And of course, have displayed one of your favorite pictures of Christ.

Read the following as a family. Put aprons on everyone. Stress the highlighted words as you read and have the children hold up the proper cooking utensil it relates too. Mix in words as they are read, then pour out the words into the baking pan

Gordon B. Hinckley, “A Glorious Season,” NewEra, Dec 2007, 2–5
"And so at this Christmas season, we sing His praises and speak our words of faith and gratitude and love. It is His influence in our lives that stirs within us more kindness, more respect, more love, more concern. It is because of Him and His teachings that we reach out to those in trouble, distress, and need wherever they may be.
What a glorious season is this time of Christmas. Hearts are softened. Voices are raised in worship. Kindness and mercy are reenthroned as elements in our lives. There is an accelerated (stir faster) reaching out to those in distress. There is an aura of peace that comes into our homes. (pretend to smell the air) There is a measure (measuring cup) of love that is not felt to the same extent at any other time of the year.
Said Jesus: “Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them.” (Matthew 7:12.) (point to picture)
May I remind us at this Christmas season that if only each of us would reflect occasionally on that Christ-given mandate and make an effort to observe it, this would be a different world. (Pour from bowl into pan)There would be greater happiness in our homes; there would be kinder feelings among our associates; there would be much less of litigation and a greater effort to compose differences. There would be a new measure (measuring cup) of love and appreciation and respect.
There would be more generous hearts, more thoughtful consideration and concern, and a greater desire to spread the gospel of peace and to advance the work of salvation among the children of men."