I am so happy that Christmas is finally here and that we get to focus on Christ all month long. There is nothing like Christmas!

Tyler isn’t the only one who loves this Nativity set! Both of these sets play songs, and the stable’s star lights up.

This Fisher Price Nativity rocks! (Another hands-on decoration.) I love how the baby Jesus is always the big hit of Nativity sets - as He should be.

The kids were so excited to decorate their own Christmas tree this year. They call it their “fun tree” and mine “the special tree.” Last year, they didn’t get to put up their own ornaments since they loaned their tree to cousins in town for just the year who didn’t have a tree (and we had Jon’s amazing “road-kill” tree, which became my Christ-centered tree). So they were extra excited about their personal ornaments and decorating however they wanted to.

2-year old Tyler was very happy to hang up his two ornaments. He loved all of the decorations, and kept walking up to each item and jabbering with glee over each one.

Last year was the first time I displayed a full-size Christ-centered Christmas tree. I keep adding to it, and love the challenge of finding ornaments to represent Christ. (It’s addicting.)

The easiest way to do this was to write various names of Christ on glass ornaments using glitter-glue (see the top picture). I also wrote out Luke 2 on the white/silver/sheer ribbon wrapping around my tree. (Someday I might get around to writing it on red ribbon for more color.)

I have a running list of scriptures to go along with each ornament.

I love this tree! I love that it is meaningful, and in all ways points to Christ!

(The more I gaze at this tree, the more I adjust the ribbon and ornaments so they look just right... this was a first pass.)

Here are a few examples of ornaments:

"All things were made by him, and without him was not any thing made that was made" John 1:3.

(I painted this globe.)

"But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept."

1 Corinthians 15:20.

Jesus, the carpenter

"For the gate by which ye should enter is repentance and baptism by water; and then cometh a remission of your sins by fire and by the Holy Ghost. And then are ye in this strait and narrow path which leads to eternal life; yea, ye have entered in by the gate; ye have done according to the commandments of the Father and the Son; and ye have received the Holy Ghost, which witnesses of the Father and the Son, unto the fulfilling of the promise which he hath made, that if ye entered in by the way ye should receive" (2 Nephi 31:17-18).

"...Man of Holiness is his name, and the name of his Only Begotten is the Son of Man, even Jesus Christ, a righteous Judge, who shall come in the meridian of time" Moses 6:57.

"But unto him that keepeth my commandments I will give the mysteries of my kingdom, and the same shall be in him a well of living water, springing up unto everlasting life" D&C 63:23.

"...Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life" John 4:13-14.

My 3’ tree is ready and waiting for Wednesday, when we’ll start our 24 Days of Christmas devotionals. The box next to it is filled with ornaments that go with each day’s lesson.

The bells are ready for our gathering song before each devotional.

(I used to collect bells... now they actually come in handy!)

These wise men statues are new this year. The kids love these (so do I)!

I found this at Tai Pan Trading.

I’m so glad that I made this bean bag set a few years ago. It’s a big favorite and I love having Nativity sets that are hands on and that I can say, “Yes, you can play with this!” 

(Patterns and instructions HERE.)

My only gift request from Jon this year? A wooden manger for this baby doll. This sits in front of our Christmas tree.

The kids used to request snow globes each year, and every year without fail, almost all would break Christmas morning. We have a collection of the survivors on our kitchen windowsill. Several are plastic, and a few are actual Nativities (from the $1 store).

I don’t have a “grown up” Nativity set yet. I know what I want (visit Rosie and David’s to see theirs), but can’t find one. Someday I’ll have the perfect set.

I found this sign at Hobby Lobby -- not perfect, but I love the message.

I made a “Names of Christ” garland a few years ago (tutorial here). I don’t like something about how I did it, but until I try a second time, I’m using it.

Also new this year: Nativity magnets for the fridge.

Of course, Christmas pictures are on display in the library along with our favorite Christmas books.

Christ-Centered Christmas Tree

Devotional Tree

More Decorations

The Kids’ Tree

(I have more ideas for centering Christmas on Christ here.)

The ornaments all teach about Christ.