by Amanda Demers

Created on: January 24, 2008   Last Updated: March 18, 2010

The commercialism in Christmas often bothers me, so here are few ways I try to stick to a traditional Christmas that really make a difference.

1. Remember the Reason for the Holiday No matter how much money we have or don't have, who's coming over for dinner or isn't, who did or didn't get the new computer, Jesus Christ was still born in Bethlehem 2,000 years ago, and this is THE reason why Christmas is celebrated. Try not to let the commercialism get to you. Instead remember the religious signifiance and the good times you have with your family and friends during this season.

2. Watch and Wait Many Christians, myself included, keep the season of Advent, which is the four weeks leading up to Christmas. I have an Advent wreath which I light each night of Advent until Christmas, using a service including prayers, a psalm, and a reading from the Bible. I also generally don't put my decorations and tree up until a week or two before Christmas, since I leave the tree up til Epiphany. I also put my Nativity up just before Christmas, too.

3. Do Things Together As a Family During the Retail Rush Attend holiday events in your community, such as tree ligtings, parades, Christmas fairs, or anything that's meaningful to you, even if it's not specificaly Christmas related. Spend time having a family bake-a-thon or, instead of parking in front of the TV, play a board game that everyone likes. This is a good way to spend time together in the weeks leading up to Christmas.

4.Bigger Isn't Always Better I've found that inexpensive or home-made gifts are just as meaningful as, if not more than, expensive department store gifts. Christmas commemorates God's gift of salvation to the world in the birth of Jesus. Can any gift really compete with that? :)

5.Traditional Christmas Eve Instead of having a lot of friends and family over or going to a party, usually we go to an early church service, come home and do something fun, like playing a game while listening to music, and everyone can open one gift if they'd like to before going to bed.

6.Christmas Day One suggestion I've thought of on Christmas Day, to keep everyone focused, is to read the story of Jesus' birth from either the Gospel of Matthew or Luke before opening the presents, or a story such as The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry. This is a good way to stay focused on the true meaning of the holiday.

7.The Twelve Days I also typically keep the Twelve Days of Christmas, lasting from Christmas Day til Epiphany on January 6. During

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