Telling children about Christmas in elementary school. Christmas: the history of the holiday and traditions (briefly) for children and adults

The history of the holiday of the Nativity of Christ, even briefly for children, is of interest not only to them, but also to adults. This interest has not disappeared for 2000 years. Hearing the name of Jesus Christ, you will not be able to forget it. The sooner children are told about the Son of God, for which he was born, the easier it will be for them to understand and feel how much God loves people.

Hearing the name of Jesus Christ, you will not be able to forget it

The story of the Nativity for children

For children, a brief history of the feast of the Nativity of Christ should be told in an adapted way so that they remember the meaning of the celebration and the meaning of this day. What is the peculiarity of the birth of Jesus Christ and why this baby became the most famous person worldwide.

If you are a parent of preschool children, you can tell a short story of the birth of Christ in this format:

One day on Earth, a special boy was born. His mother, the Virgin Mary, named the baby Jesus. A bright star in the sky announced to the whole world about His birth. The star was so unusual that three ancient scientists decided to go to the place over which it shone and find out what kind of event happened there. When they got there, they saw that in a small cave, next to their mother, in a manger on hay, a baby was lying and they realized that the prediction about the birth of the Savior had come true for all people. This is how Jesus Christ was born.

The coming into the world of Jesus was accompanied by a bright celestial phenomenon - a moving star in the sky

Below is Short story Christmas for schoolchildren.

The history of the holiday of the Nativity of Christ began a very long time ago, 2000 years ago. This day is celebrated every year on January 7th. The night before Christmas is the most magical. It's called Christmas Eve. On this day, songs glorifying the birth of the Mission are sung.

The coming into the world of Jesus was accompanied by a bright celestial phenomenon - a moving star in the sky, which was visible from everywhere. They called her star of bethlehem, after the name of the town near which Jesus was born. She helped three magi find the birthplace of Jesus Christ.

The Magi were ancient magicians, sorcerers, in those days their opinion was the main thing, both for ordinary people and for kings. History has preserved the names of these Magi: Caspar, Melchior and Belshazzar. As expected, on his birthday, they brought gifts (gifts) to the baby Christ, thereby recognizing that little Jesus is a special person and he has an important saving mission for all people. In those days, gold, frankincense and myrrh were considered the most valuable gifts.

Magi were ancient magicians

The mother of Jesus Christ is called Mary. She was too an unusual person, because it was Her God who chose to give birth to His Son, therefore Mary is called the Virgin. And he helped the Virgin Mary very kind and good man named Joseph. He was the earthly father of Jesus Christ and cared for the Virgin Mary and the son of God. Joseph knew that the Lord had given him a great responsibility.

The mother of Jesus Christ is called Mary

When the time came for the baby to be born, Joseph and the Virgin Mary were on their way to the city of Bethlehem. It was already late and they had to stay in a cave for the night. Where, usually, shepherds hid with animals if bad weather caught them. Little Jesus was born in unusual conditions, instead of the usual arena, little Christ was placed in a feeder where they put hay for animals. By the way, it is called a nursery, just like the group in kindergarten for the little ones.

Christmas: listen, watch, feel

All these events are displayed on the icon "Nativity of Christ". And although the environment is very different from the traditional conditions for the birth of children, this did not stop his parents from surrounding the baby. maternal care and fatherly warmth. And the fact that Jesus was born in a cave suggests that it is not so important where you were born, it is important for what. Jesus Christ became the Savior of all people who desire to be with God forever.

All these events are displayed on the icon "Nativity of Christ"

It will be interesting for children to watch a video that briefly shows the history of the holiday of the Nativity of Christ. Parents before telling gospel event would like to know how better baby perceives information: by ear, viewing it or tactilely feeling it.

Today there are Orthodox board games dedicated to the holiday of the Nativity of Christ. There are figurines of the heroes of this celebration and in game form children learn the information necessary for the development and salvation of the soul.

If the child learns information better by ear, then it will be interesting for him to listen. online version gospel story. Very good form, briefly tell the story of the holiday of the Nativity of Christ with the help of poems, Christmas stories, riddles dedicated to this great day.

Ekaterina Beloglazova
Consultation "How to tell children about the Nativity of Christ"

Something happened in the world - so B. Pasternak said about Christmas. With separate human life started new era in the history of mankind.

But in our time, for many reasons - both ideological and confusing calendar - light Christmas the stars were shaded by a plush fur coat and a cotton beard of Santa Claus, Chinese horoscopes and the cannonade of New Year's firecrackers. And our children on question: "What year is it today? Christmas?» cheerfully answer "Year of the Dragon!" And seeing by chance nativity scene, eagerly ask us: "What is this? Why don't you ever tell me about it told? Not told, because in the depths of her soul, a mother herself sometimes does not know how to tell a child about a Miracle that happened more than two thousand years ago.

Here's how about it significant event narrates "Bible in stories for children» (Publishing Council of the Russian Orthodox Church). I myself was Interesting:O)

Birth and the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

In the small Galilean city of Nazareth (Ancient Palestine) lived husband and wife - Joachim and Anna. They were distant and poor descendants of King David, but good and pious people.

All their lives they did not have children, and they were very upset about this. Joachim and Anna prayed and asked the Lord to send them a child, and even made a promise to dedicate their child to the service of God.

The Lord heard their prayer and fulfilled the zealous request of kind and righteous people. They had a girl, whom they named Mary. When Mary was three years old, her parents solemnly brought her to the Temple in Jerusalem. There Mary studied the Law of God and was engaged in needlework.

She spent all of Her childhood in the temple. Diligent and meek, Mary always prayed to God and was very industrious. All people loved Mary and marveled at Her intelligence and humility. Mary was not attracted by luxurious clothes, or cheerful and noisy festivities. Her favorite pastimes were prayer, reading the Holy Scriptures and helping the poor.

Soon Joachim and Anna died and the poor girl was left an orphan. It is sad for children to live in the world without mom and dad. Anyone can offend them, but there is no one to protect them. That is why the good Lord always takes special care of such children. Orphan Mary He also did not leave without His help and protection.

When Mary grew up, the priests of the church where she was brought up had to give Mary in marriage, as the law commanded. But She told them that she had made a vow to God never to marry. The priests were very surprised and decided to give Mary under the protection of Her distant relative, the God-fearing elder Joseph, who was a carpenter by trade. He was a widower and had children by dead wife. Maria settled in his house as an assistant. She helped Joseph with the housework and led the same modest and secluded life as in the temple.

The Lord saw that Mary was more modest and kinder than all the maidens in the world, saw that She prayed to God the most fervently of all, and therefore appointed Her to be the Mother of the Lord Jesus Christ.

And then one day, when Mary was reading Holy Bible Her whole poor little room lit up with some extraordinary light, as if the sun itself had appeared in it. Maria looked: in front of Her in the air, with flowers in her hands, stood the Angel of God.

Rejoice, holy, kind Virgin! - said the Archangel, - the Lord is with you! With your humility, with your with a pure heart and love for God You deserved a great mercy: the Holy Spirit will come upon you, and a Son will be born to you, whom you will call Jesus. He will be the Son of God, the Savior of the world.

The meek Virgin Mary did not expect such happiness and such a high honor, but with humility she answered Archangel:

I am the servant of the Lord, let it be with me as the Lord God wants.

From that moment on, the young Virgin Mary began to know that the Son of God Jesus would be born from Her. Christ Who will save the whole world from the power of sin and death.

Nativity

At that time, Judea was under the rule of the Roman Emperor Augustus. One day he decided to conduct a census to find out how many people live in his kingdom. Everyone had to come to the city where their ancestors came from and sign up there. Righteous Joseph and the Holy Virgin Mary lived in the city of Nazareth, but they came from the family of King David and therefore had to come to the city of Bethlehem, since all the descendants of King David were assigned to this city. At that time, a lot of people had gathered there, and all the houses and even the smallest huts for the night were already occupied. One by one, the doors closed in front of them - no one wanted to let them in for the night.

And it was time for Mary to give birth. The holy travelers wandered for a long time, looking for a haven. But in the meantime, night fell, and they decided to spend the night on the outskirts of the city in a cave in which the shepherds hid in bad weather.

And so, in such a wretched environment, in a cold cave, the greatest event in the life of all people took place. On this holy night, the God-man, Jesus, was born Christ, Savior of the whole world. Jesus Christ was God and Man at the same time. He had everything that people have. Except one: He had no sin, He was sinless.

The Holy Virgin Mary swaddled the Baby and put Him in a manger - a feeder for cattle.

That night the shepherds pastured their cattle in the field. Suddenly, like lightning, a radiant, shining Angel appeared before them. The shepherds were very afraid, but the Angel of God said:

Do not be afraid! I proclaim to you the great joy that will be for all people. Today in Bethlehem a Savior was born, who is the Lord Jesus Christ. Go and in the cave you will find the Baby lying in the manger.

As soon as this angel disappeared, the shepherds heard marvelous singing. These are whole choirs of Angels descended from Heaven to greet the Infant Jesus, their King and Creator:

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will towards men!

All the angels sang and rejoiced that loving Lord He sent His Son to earth to make all people good and then take them to His Heavenly Kingdom.

Then the shepherds went to the cave and, seeing the Divine Child there, bowed to Him to the ground and told Joseph and the Blessed Virgin about the appearance of an angel. The Virgin Mary remembered all the words of the shepherds and kept them in Her heart.

Pets also came to see Jesus.

1. In a manger I slept on fresh hay

Quiet tiny Christ.

The moon, emerging from the shadows,

The flax stroked His hair.

3. Sparrows through roof poles

They rushed to the manger in a crowd,

And the bull, clinging to the niche,

The blanket was wrinkled with his lip.

5. Subdued white goat

Breathed on his forehead,

Just a stupid gray donkey

Pushed everyone helplessly: 2. The bull breathed into the face of the Baby

And, rustling straw,

On a flexible knee

I looked around, breathing a little.

4. Dog, sneaking up to a warm leg,

Licked her secretly.

Everyone was more comfortable with a cat

In the manger, warm the Child sideways.

6. “Look at the Child

Just a minute for me!”

And cried loudly

IN predawn silence.

A Christ, opening your eyes,

Suddenly parted the circle of animals

And with a smile full of affection,

whispered: "Look quickly!"

(Sasha Cherny. Christmas)

Guiding star

The moment Jesus was born, a new bright Star- Star of Bethlehem. Magi (the so-called eastern sages) saw her in the sky and understood that she heralded Birth of the King of the Jews. According to Scripture, the star moved across the sky from east to west and stopped right above the cave with the baby's cradle. The king, in their opinion, was to be born in the capital - Jerusalem. Some time after Christmas from distant Eastern countries the wise men came to Jerusalem to worship the Divine baby: “And when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of King Herod, there came to Jerusalem magicians from the east and They say: Where is the born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and have come to worship him.”

Such rumors about birth the new King greatly alarmed the Jewish king Herod. He was afraid that this Baby, when he grew up, would become his rival and take away his power. The experts of the Law and the chief priests told him that the Child was born in Bethlehem. Since Herod was a treacherous and cruel man, he decided to kill Jesus Christ through thick and thin. He said Magi:

"Go to Bethlehem, and when you find the Child, return to me and tell me where He is, so that I can worship Him."

Riding camels, the magi set off, and the miraculous Christmas the star showed them the way until it stopped over the place where Jesus was born.

Magi bowed newborn Savior and presented Him with their gifts: gold, frankincense and myrrh. Gold - as a King, frankincense - as God, and myrrh - fragrant oil - as a Man who must die.

In a dream, the Angel of the Lord revealed to the wise men the intentions of the evil Herod, and they did not return to him, but went to their country in a different way.

Soon an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream. He told Joseph, along with Mary and little Jesus, to flee to Egypt - Jesus was threatened deadly danger. After all, when King Herod found out that the Magi had deceived him, he became very angry. Determined to get rid of the newly-appeared King of the Jews, Herod gave a terrible order to exterminate all male babies in Bethlehem. gender: "then Herod, seeing himself ridiculed by the Magi, became very angry, and sent to beat all the babies in Bethlehem and in all its limits, from two years old and below" Joseph and his family fled to Egypt and remained there until the death of Herod.

Good Light Christmas

Since ancient times, the symbol of the Star of Bethlehem has been used as an ornament. Christmas holidays,

both outdoors and indoors. Bethlehem guiding star - traditional Christmas decorations which is placed on top christmas tree.

In memory of the gifts that the Magi brought newborn Jesus people still give gifts to each other Christmas. Alas, sometimes the main thing disappears behind the shiny multi-colored wrappers - the memory of what these gifts are brought for. Discuss with your child the events that took place more than two thousand years ago, consider paintings by great artists that tell about Christmas.

Long since Christmas It was customary not only to give gifts, but also to do mercy. Do you think that it is available only to adults, and children are only capable of accepting gifts indulgently? In fact, even a two-year-old toddler can and wants to be generous, caring, kind. Your task is to help him a little and rejoice with him. A child can also prepare gifts, and not only for relatives and friends, but also, for example, for birds.

Once upon a time in Rus' there was such a custom - to arrange christmas"trees" for animals and birds. For animals in the forest, special nurseries were built, in which they put hay and oats. And for birds on the roofs of the huts they stuck a pole and put on it an unthreshed sheaf. The birds flocked and pecked at the grains. It's so easy - to arrange a holiday for defenseless creatures who need our help.

Find on school yard or on a plot in a kindergarten a small Christmas tree (an ordinary tree is also suitable, hang pieces of bread, bacon on it, below, under the tree, pour grains and crumbs. And soon little guests will fly to your Christmas tree - pigeons, sparrows, titmouse.

And then the soul will become warmer and happier, light will enter it Christmas star, the light of goodness and mercy!

The legend of the first Christmas Tree

Any indication of Christmas tree(Christmas tree) as a symbol of celebration There is no Christmas in Christian sources. However. Found this interesting story. which can tell your kids.

“Holy solemn night descended to earth, bringing with it great joy to people. In Bethlehem, in a wretched cave, the Savior of the world was born. Hearing the chanting of the angels, the shepherds praise and thank God; following the guiding star, the magi rush from the far east to worship the Divine Infant. And not only people, but also the trees that shade the cave, and the meadow flowers that dazzle around - all in their own way take part in the great celebration. They sway joyfully, as if worshiping the Divine Infant, and in the jubilant rustle of the leaves, in the whisper of the herbs, one hears, as it were, an expression of reverence for the miracle that has taken place. Everyone wants to see the born Savior: trees and bushes stretch their branches, flowers raise their heads, trying to look inside the cave, which has now turned into a sacred temple.

Happier than the others are three trees standing at the very entrance to cave: they can clearly see the manger and the Infant resting in them, surrounded by a host of angels. This is a slender palm tree, a beautiful fragrant olive tree and a modest green Christmas tree. The rustle of their branches becomes more and more joyful, more and more lively, and suddenly one can clearly hear in it words:

Let's go and we will worship the Divine Infant and offer Him our gifts, - the palm tree said, referring to the olive tree.

Take me with you too! - timidly said a modest Christmas tree.

Where are you with us! - glancing at the tree with a contemptuous glance, the palm tree proudly answered.

And what gifts can you bring to the Divine Child? added the olive. -What do you have? Only prickly needles and nasty sticky resin!

The poor tree was silent and humbly stepped back, not daring to enter the cave, shining with heavenly light.

But the angel heard the conversation of the trees, saw the pride of the palm tree and the olive tree and the modesty of the tree, he felt sorry for her, and, in his angelic kindness, he wanted to help her.

A magnificent palm tree bent over the Child and threw down before Him the best leaf of its luxurious crown.

May it bring coolness to You on a hot day,” she said, and the olive tree tilted its branches. Fragrant oil dripped from them, and the whole cave was filled with fragrance.

With sadness, but without envy, the tree looked at this. “They are right,” she thought, “how can I compare with them! I am so poor, insignificant, am I worthy to approach the Divine Infant!”

But the angel told her:

In your modesty you humiliate yourself, dear Christmas tree, but I will exalt you and decorate you better than your sisters!

And the angel looked up at the sky.

And the dark sky was dotted with sparkling stars. The angel made a sign, and one star after another began to roll down to the ground, right on the green branches of the tree, and soon all of it shone with brilliant lights. And when the Divine Infant awoke, it was not the fragrance in the cave, not the sumptuous palm fan that attracted His attention, but the shining Christmas tree. He looked at her and smiled at her and held out his hands to her.

The tree rejoiced, but did not become proud, and with its radiance tried to illuminate the ashamed, who stood in the shade of the olive and palm tree. She repaid evil with good.

And the angel saw it and said:

You are a good tree, dear Christmas tree, and for this you will be rewarded. Every year at this time you, as now, will show off in the radiance of many lights, and little children will look at you and rejoice and have fun. And you, modest, green Christmas tree, will become a sign of a merry Christmas holiday».

This one beautiful legend and is the ancestor of the modern Christmas tree.

For the whole world, Christmas has become special important point in history, because it caused a change in the chronology for events that occurred before and after the birth of the Savior. For such a great holiday as Christmas, history and traditions are of great importance. Together with the advent of Christ, a new religion grew out of the depths of Judaism, which became the basis of the worldview of many generations of people, because God himself sent Jesus to earth to atone for the sins of mankind and thereby save him.

The moment of the birth of the Savior is described not only in canonical, but also in apocryphal sources. But if in some documents the history of the feast of the Nativity of Christ is briefly described, then it is covered in more detail by Matthew and Luke.

• A Brief History of Christmas
• When exactly was Jesus Christ born?
• Why is the date of Christmas not the same for different faiths?

A Brief History of Christmas

The history of the feast of the Nativity of Christ, briefly for children, is usually described something like this:

Emperor Octavian Augustus ordered to conduct a census of the population throughout the land subject to him. And for convenience, he indicated that all residents should return to their native cities.

Joseph was from the family of David, so together with his wife Mary, they went to Bethlehem. There was very little time left before the birth of Mary, but only by the evening of the fifth day did they reach the place. Both were exhausted from the hard road, but they could not find a suitable lodging for the night, because a lot of people arrived in Bethlehem for the census. All the inns were already overcrowded, and the prices for lodging had risen so much that the poor carpenter could not afford. As a result of a long search, the Holy Family found shelter in a cave near Bethlehem, into which shepherds drove their cattle from bad weather. Here, in the cave, the holy night came, in which the Savior was born. Maria swaddled him and, in the absence of a cradle, was forced to put her son in a manger filled with hay to feed the animals. The history of the Christmas holiday for children also tells that the divine baby was warmed from both sides by an ox and a donkey.

The shepherds were the first to learn about the great event of the birth of the son of God. The darkness of the night was suddenly dispersed by a wonderful light, a shining angel appeared to the shepherds, who announced to them about the coming of the Messiah. The entire heavenly army lined up in front of the dumbfounded shepherds, singing a solemn and joyful song. When this performance ended, the shepherds saw that a bright light was breaking through from one of the caves. They entered this cave, where they found Joseph, Mary and the baby lying in the manger.

The history of the holiday that tells about Christmas briefly emphasizes that although the shepherds were illiterate, yet they immediately believed that they had witnessed the birth of not simple child but the Son of God, and the light of the Star of Bethlehem did not allow us to doubt this.

The Magi-wise men, who lived far to the east, also came to bow to the Child. They were able to foresee this event, and seeing a guiding star in the sky, they immediately set off. The biblical stories of Christmas say that the Magi had to go through several countries, but they appeared before the Messiah not empty-handed, but with gifts not just for the baby, but for the King: gold, myrrh and frankincense.

The king of Judea, Herod the Great, also became aware of the prediction of the prophets about the emergence of a new king, whom he perceived as a competitor to the throne of his heirs. It was rumored that he even embarked on a trick, turning to the Magi and asking them to indicate the place where the Messiah was born in order to go there and worship him. But the magi became aware of the evil plan of Herod, so they left the birthplace of Jesus a secret from the king. Further, a brief history of Christmas is overshadowed, because Herod went the other way - he ordered to kill all the babies who were no more than two years old. More than 14,000 children died as a result, but Jesus succeeded miraculously to survive - an angel appeared to Joseph, telling him that he needed to go to Egypt. The Holy Family went there, where they soon waited for the death of the formidable king.

Video about the history of the Nativity for children:

When exactly was Jesus Christ born?

The history of the event of the Nativity of Christ still causes controversy among scientists. The Roman Catholic Church insisted on the date of December 25, and this date was adopted by the Nicaean Ecumenical Council. The first mention of a separately celebrated Christmas appeared in the 4th century.

Christians for a long time could not decide on the date and status of the Christmas holiday. As you know, the first Christians were Jews, and for them, birth was more associated with misfortune and pain. Therefore, they did not celebrate the birth of Christ in any way. More important holiday Easter was considered, on which the moment of his resurrection also fell. When the Greeks joined Christianity, the tradition and history of the feast of the Nativity of Christ came from them.

But where did Christmas get its the exact date? Among the early Christians (end of the 2nd century - 4th century), the event of Christmas was associated with the day of Theophany, that is, January 6th. Clement of Alexandria wrote about this around the year 200. But in the middle of the 4th century, the first evidence of the separation of Christmas into a separate holiday with the date of December 25 appeared. There is a version that in this way the new religion tried to supplant the cult of the Invincible Sun, which was widespread in the Roman Empire and was celebrated exactly on December 25 (at that time it was the day winter solstice). This is the possible story behind the creation of Christmas.

However, even the very existence of such a person as Jesus Christ raises doubts among historians. And even if he actually lived, then most of the dates of his life are extremely vague. Most likely, he could appear in 5-7 years. BC e. In 221 from the birth of Christ, the date December 25 appeared in the calendar of the ancient historian Sextus Julius Africanus. Later, Dionysius the Small, who was an archivist under the pope, confirmed this date. After studying the chronicles of 354, he suggested that Jesus was born during the reign of Caesar and attributed it to 1 AD. e.

If we rely on the scriptures in the Gospel, then the star of Bethlehem that lit up the sky was nothing more than Halley's comet flying near the Sun at that time. This event must have taken place in 12 BC. e. If we take into account the census conducted in Israel, then it turns out that Jesus was born in 7 AD. e. But dates of birth after 4 BC seem unlikely. e., since both canonical and apocryphal texts agree that Jesus appeared during the reign of King Herod I the Great, who died in 4 BC. e.

Late dates of birth are also not suitable because the time of his execution is approximately determined. If Jesus had appeared in our era, he would have been executed too young.

The letter from Luke mentions that at the birth of Christ the shepherds slept in the field, but this could only be in summer or early autumn. True, if the year turned out to be warm, then in Palestine it was possible to graze herds even in February.

Why is the date of Christmas not the same for different faiths?

Catholics and most Protestants celebrate Christmas on December 25 according to the current Gregorian calendar.

Jerusalem, Georgian, Russian, Ukrainian, Serbian and Athos Orthodox Churches, as well as a number of Eastern Catholic Churches, also celebrate Christmas on December 25, but according to the "old" Julian style, which is shifted by 2 weeks to January 7 according to the current Gregorian calendar.

Alexandria, Antioch, Constantinople (with the exception of Athos), Bulgarian, Cypriot, Helladic, Romanian and a number of others Orthodox churches adhere to the date of December 25 according to the New Julian calendar. It will coincide until March 1, 2800 with the Gregorian calendar, that is, their Christmas coincides with the "Catholic".

For ancient Eastern Christians, Christmas coincides with Epiphany, forming a single feast of the Epiphany, celebrated on January 6th.

What do you think is the most likely version of the birth of Jesus Christ? Do you believe in biblical texts, do you celebrate Christmas? Tell us about it in the comments.

When Mary was already pregnant, she and Joseph had to go on a long journey, because the Roman Caesar Augustus ordered to make a census of the population throughout his land. Everyone had to go to the city of their ancestors. Joseph and Mary were from the house and family of King David. David's hometown was Bethlehem. King David ruled Israel a thousand years before the birth of Jesus. So Joseph and Mary went to Bethlehem, the city of their ancestor David. From Nazareth to Bethlehem, more than two hundred kilometers. At that time, there were no trains or cars, and such a journey lasted several days. Nazareth is in the north of Israel, in Galilee, and Bethlehem is in the south, in Judea. Going from Galilee to Judea, it was necessary to pass through Samaria. And Samaria and Judea are mountainous areas. When, finally, Joseph and Mary arrived in Bethlehem, there were no rooms in the hotel. Many came to Bethlehem for the census. It was time for Mary to give birth. "... and she gave birth to the Son of her Firstborn, and swaddled Him, and laid Him in a manger," we read in the Gospel. This means that they are housed in a cattle pen. According to ancient legend, this barn was located in a cave. In those parts, and at the present time, shepherds use such caves for their sheep.
LUKE 2:1-7

At that time, there were pastures around the town of Bethlehem. On the night Jesus was born, some of the shepherds were awake watching over their flock. “Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were afraid with great fear. And the angel said to them: (Do not be afraid; I proclaim to you great joy, which will be for all people: for today is born to you in the city of David the Savior, who is Christ Lord; and here is a sign for you: you will find the Baby in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger (. And suddenly, with an angel, a numerous army of heaven appeared, glorifying God and crying out: (Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will towards men (). You see, for the birth of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world, God chose not a palace, but a cave, and He was the first to announce His birth not to the rich, but to simple shepherds, who were the first to come to bow to the Savior of mankind.
LUKE 2:9-14

We can imagine how frightened the shepherds were when they saw the angels, and how surprised they were when they heard about the birth of the Savior the Lord Christ. Therefore, it is understandable that they left their flock and went to Bethlehem, as it is written in the Gospel: "When the angels departed from them into heaven, the shepherds said to each other: (Let's go to Bethlehem and see what happened there, what he announced to us Lord (And hastening they came, and found Mary and Joseph, and the Baby lying in the manger. And when they saw, they told about what was proclaimed to them about this Baby. And all who heard were amazed at what the shepherds told them. And Mary preserved everything these words, compounding them in their hearts, and the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, as it was said to them."
LUKE 2:15-20

During the reign of Soviet power, the Russian people completely forgot about such a holiday as Christmas. The ideology of a godless life was imposed on people, thereby uprooting spirituality, morality, faith and hope in their hearts.

With the advent of perestroika, our country gradually began to recover from a long mental illness, and the people started talking about Christmas. Someone, celebrating this holiday, pays tribute to fashion, someone rejoices at the next occasion to sit at the laid table, and very few truly remember the birth of Christ.

Christmas icon

There are few family Christmas traditions in Russia - there are almost none. Perhaps that is why our children know so little about this holiday: what is its essence, who are its main characters, why this day is so important for all Christians. What to tell a child about the holiday that is the greatest in the whole world and so long forgotten by Russian people?

Name

It is difficult for a child to find any explanation for the very name of the holiday. Parents should explain to the baby what is the meaning behind mysterious name: "Christmas". After all, in order to enjoy this day, you need to know what its essence is.

You may find it helpful to compare this day to your child's birthday. Remind your child of his last birthday and ask if he knows why everyone congratulates him. Probably, the child will answer that on this day he was born. Then you can begin to explain the essence of Christmas - the birth of someone very important, who is honored by the whole world.

history of the holiday

It is very important to tell the baby the story of the birth of the Baby. This is the main thing that both adults and children who celebrate Christmas should know - this is where the holiday begins. You can read the story of Christmas from the children's Bible, as well as from the Gospels of Matthew and Luke.

To keep your child interested, find pictures of Christmas stories in books, magazines, or print them off the Internet. Show the pictures to your child and tell the wonderful story of Christ the Savior coming into the world. Here are the highlights of Christmas that you can uncover for your child:

• The coming of the Messiah, which means "savior" in translation, was announced by various biblical prophets hundreds of years before His birth.
• The people needed Christ because they could not get rid of their sins on their own. Only the Messiah could save people from their sins.
• The mother of Jesus was a modest young girl who loved God and obeyed Him. Her name was Maria.
• The angel told Mary that she would give birth to the Son of God.
• Mary and her husband Joseph were in the city of Bethlehem for the census. They did not find a free hotel for the night there, and settled in a barn.
• It was time for Mary to give birth, and she, having swaddled, put Jesus in a manger (feeder for cattle).
• There is a hidden meaning in the fact that Christ was born in a barn: the Messiah came not only for the rich, but also for ordinary, poor people. All equally can receive the remission of sins.
• They learned about the birth of the Messiah simple people- shepherds in the field, who pastured the flock at night. God Himself announced this to them through an angel. He spoke about the joy that will be for all people, because the Savior was born. He told them where they could find the Child to worship Him.
• The shepherds saw a choir of angels praising God: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” Then they went to Bethlehem to Jesus and happily told Mary and Joseph what the angels had told them about their baby.
• God announced the birth of Jesus to both the poor shepherds and the great wise men - the magi. They saw in the sky new star and realized that this was a sign: the ancient prophecy about the birth of the Messiah had come true.
• The wise men came to worship Jesus and brought Him gifts: gold, frankincense and myrrh. Theologians explain why these gifts were presented by the Magi. Gold little Christ received as King, frankincense - as God and Priest, myrrh - as a man who must die (such was the further prophecy about the Messiah).
• The purpose of Christ's birth on earth is to enable every person to come to God. After the Messiah came to earth and died for the sin of the people, it is no longer necessary to make sacrifices to please the Lord. The Almighty needs only an open, repentant heart of a person.

Take, for example, our calendar. Be sure to tell the child that it is from the Nativity of Christ. A toddler will understand the expression "A.D. 1985" much better if you explain it to him in the context of a Christmas story.

Why is the most junior group in kindergarten is called "nursery"? Ask your child about this after talking about the Baby Jesus. The newborn Christ was placed in a manger - a feeder for livestock, so today we call the toddler group of the kindergarten that way.

And where did the tradition of hanging a star on the top of the Christmas tree come from? Remember the story of the Magi, who, seeing a new star, realized that the Savior of the world was born. And can't we remember the gifts of these wise men, brought to little Jesus, when we put gifts under the tree for our relatives and friends?

Open Christmas to the kids everyday things that meet in your life.

For everyone to talk about Christmas

There are funny souvenirs depicting the holy family in a stable, the adoration of the Magi, shepherds in the field, who saw a star. Show them to your child in a shop window, purchase a Christmas symbol to put in a prominent place in the house.

Pick up Christmas music. It is intended for both adults and children. By turning it on, you will create a special holiday atmosphere.

Also find christmas video. It can be children's films, cartoons, fairy tales, which take place on Christmas. There are now many cartoons that tell directly about the history of the coming into the world of Jesus Christ.

Play a children's audio bible with the story of the birth of the Messiah to your child. The idea of ​​the holiday and its feeling in the baby will be the more complete, the more diverse the information about the events that took place on that day will be.

Pictures of Christmas from different countries help the child imagine how this holiday is celebrated by peoples all over the earth.

Start celebrating Christmas with your family

So that your children will remember Christmas for a long time and remind you of something good, joyful and warm, start celebrating this day with the whole family. To do this, you need to create family traditions, some of which you can borrow from others, and some of which you can invent yourself.

The center of all ceremonies at Christmas should be the idea of ​​​​appearing to people God's grace: The Almighty loves us and therefore sent us His Son. It is important that everything reminds you of the essence of Christmas as much as possible, otherwise your holiday will turn into a feast, of which there are many throughout the year.

Decorate the room in which you will celebrate the holiday with Christmas attributes: angels, a crib, candles. If your Christmas tree does not have a star, cut it out of foil and hang it in a prominent place. You can place a picture of Mary, Joseph and Jesus on a bed of hay - a sign that this family was in a stable.

If you have been to Europe before Christmas, you probably have interesting souvenirs about the birth of the Messiah. If there are none, make some of them yourself. Weave angels from wire and beads, make figures of the Holy Family out of cardboard. Your baby most likely has small rubber or plastic animals in his arsenal. They may also be members festive decoration- after all, in the barn where Jesus was born, there were domestic animals.

Learn simple Christmas songs and rhymes with your children. Include them in the program. After reading the story of Christmas from the Bible, you can make a quiz for your family from simple questions. Do not forget to stock up on prizes for players, because Christmas is a holiday of gifts, the most important of which is God's gift to people - the Savior Jesus.

Play the game "What do I know about Christmas". Around the circle, everyone should say one fact that he knows about the birth of Christ. The one who, in turn, could not name anything, leaves the game. The last remaining participant is the winner.

Ask each family member what they expect next Christmas. Record the answers on the video, and in a year it will be very interesting for you to find out what dreams of your loved ones have come true.

If you have a grandmother, ask her to talk about her childhood, about how her family celebrated Christmas, what she especially liked about this day.

Do not forget to pay attention to your loved ones living nearby on this day: treat them with a fragrant pie, give a gift. Tell your child how he can do good to his friends: put treats in a bag, let the kid distribute them on the playground. If you know someone in need, Christmas is good opportunity help him in whatever way you can. Create a holiday for your neighbor, and you will feel how magical this day will become for you! Merry Christmas!