BJU Press Blog

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4 Easy Christmas Activities for Kids

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easy Christmas activities for kids
As the holidays approach, the pressure to make every day count becomes even more intense. You desperately want your kids to have beautiful holiday memories, but with all the busyness of homeschool, church, community events, family gatherings, and more, it can be hard to set aside time for those Christmas activities or to deal with the cleanup afterward, especially during certain seasons of family life. Here are four easy Christmas activities for kids that involve relatively little preparation and minimal mess.

Tour the Holiday Lights

If you have a holiday light show near your home, pile everyone into the car one night and drive over. Even if there’s no light show nearby, you can drive through local neighborhoods. There are always a few winter wonderlands at private homes where the owners have gone above and beyond. Add your favorite holiday playlist, and you’ve got a simple, fun, memory-making family Christmas activity.

Cookie Swap

Maybe you’re not keen on the idea of making Christmas cookies or treats from scratch this year. Maybe there’s been sickness in your family, you’ve recently had a new baby, or the toddlers just aren’t in a place to enjoy that sort of family Christmas activity. But you want your kids to experience and enjoy a variety of holiday treats—so why not organize a cookie swap with friends?

At a cookie swap, several families buy or make a few dozen Christmas cookies or special treats. Then everyone gathers to sample the goodies and trade bags or tins of the Christmas cookies to take home. To keep cleanup manageable, arrange to swap treats at a friend’s home or at church. You could even combine activities and go to an outdoor pavilion, perhaps near a skating rink or playground.

DIY Christmas Ornaments

If your kids are eager to participate in decorating for the holidays, let them craft a few ornaments for the tree. One easy way to do this is to purchase a bunch of durable plastic Christmas balls and different stickers (holiday-themed stickers, googly eyes, sequin stickers, etc.). The kids can plaster the ornaments with stickers, creating masterpieces fit for the tree—and there’s no glue involved!

Christmas Bingo

Want to keep your kids occupied while you’re driving or shopping? Use free printable games like Christmas bingo! Just print out the cards, give your kids some dot stickers, and let them conduct a visual scavenger hunt from the car seat, stroller, or shopping cart. They’ll have fun, and you’ll be free to focus on your destination or your shopping list.

In your season of life, making Christmas memorable might seem overwhelming. Just remember that activities for kids don’t have to be complex or Pinterest-worthy. The simplest family Christmas activity can yield some of the best bonding moments, learning experiences, and holiday charm.

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Rebecca is a work-at-home freelance writer, novelist, wife, and the mom of two bright-eyed little ones. She credits her success in writing and her love of books to her own mom, who homeschooled three kids from pre-K through high school.

Celebrating Independence Around the World

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celebrating independence with fireworks
Are you ready to celebrate the Fourth of July? Most families across the nation share similar traditions for this holiday. Who doesn’t have fond memories of family picnics and then waiting for nightfall to enjoy a spectacular fireworks display? Celebrating independence is a key element of our American culture. But America isn’t the only nation that celebrates its independence. Have you ever wondered how other nations celebrate their independence? Here are some Independence Day traditions from other nations.

Celebrating Independence in Mexico

Mexico’s united cry of Viva Mexico makes the nation stand out. Though many Americans are familiar with the text of our Declaration of Independence, those words never became a part of our traditions. The story of Mexico’s independence shows just how powerful such a declaration can be. In the little town of Dolores on September 16, 1810, a priest named Miguel Hidalgo rang the church bell to summon the town. With a speech, he called the people to war. His speech sparked the war for independence against Spanish rule. The exact words of his speech are lost to time, but it’s now known as El Grito de Dolores—the Cry of Dolores. Today, El Grito officially begins Independence Day celebrations. The Mexican president reenacts El Grito, ringing a bell at the National Palace and reciting a version of Hidalgo’s words. At the end, crowds erupt in unison with ¡Viva México!

Learn more about Mexican Independence Day traditions!

Celebrating Independence in Malaysia

Like many other nations, Malaysia celebrates its independence with parades and fireworks, but it takes a different approach to the themes of its celebrations. As a nation made up of several different people groups, Malaysia can’t depend on similar ideologies to create unity in its people. Instead, it sets a new theme to focus on each year for its Hari Merdeka—Independence Day—on August 31. These themes often focus on Malaysia as a nation or on unifying values. Past themes have been “Because of You, Malaysia” (2000–2006), “Good Values Make a Successful Society” (1997), and “Together Towards Vision” (1993).

Celebrating Independence in Finland

We all know the story of Paul Revere’s ride and the significance of one or two lanterns, but in Finland, two candles in a window mean something entirely different. Before gaining independence, Finland was  part of the Russian Empire. Even though the nation had its own government, it still suffered great oppression under the Russians. Traditionally, the people would place two candles in their windows as a silent protest against the empire.

However, the candles got a new meaning during World War I. Many young Finnish men traveled to Germany to volunteer for the German army. There, they would be trained as elite infantrymen called jägers. Since the journey from Finland to Germany was dangerous under Russian rule, families would offer the soldiers-to-be food and shelter by placing two candles in their windows. Even though the jägers weren’t able to return home until after Finland gained its independence on December 6, 1917, these expert soldiers made great contributions during the Finnish Civil War and later defended their country against the Soviet Union in 1939. Today, many of the Finish people still place candles in their windows in honor of those brave soldiers.

Learn more about the history of the jägers!

Do you know of any other Independence Day traditions from around the world?

Don’t Celebrate Columbus Day?

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Columbus was only one of many famous explorers, and he never actually got to the North American continent. So, why celebrate Columbus?

Christopher Columbus arrives in America
Christopher Columbus arrives in America by L. Prang & Co., Boston/Wikimedia Commons/Public Domain

As early as 1792, there were official celebrations of Columbus’s voyage. In 1934, in response to lobbying by Italian immigrants, Congress passed a resolution asking the president to designate October 12 as Columbus Day. President Roosevelt signed a proclamation in 1937, but it was still not a federal holiday. In 1968, in honor of Columbus as an example of the courage and determination of all immigrants who have come to America,  Congress decided to create a legal public holiday to be celebrated on the second Monday of October each year.

But Columbus’s arrival in the New World actually opened the door for major changes no one wants to celebrate. Europeans brought enslavement and death to thousands of people in the Americas. If humans were simply advanced primates, perhaps these acts could be explained as necessary for the survival of the fittest. But human beings are image-bearers of God (Genesis 1:27), and the Bible teaches that that people are to love their neighbors (Mark 12:31). A Christian cannot please God by celebrating or even by ignoring the death or mistreatment of other people.

The real question is whether you can celebrate the good that someone does without talking about the evil that he does. The Bible gives us guidance on that. As the Old Testament accounts show, God used people like Abraham, Sarah, Jacob, and David despite their failings and sins. But God does not whitewash their history. In each case He details both their successes and their failures to love God and their neighbors. However, God does not always feel compelled to give both sides. In Hebrews 11 there is a list of heroes of faith. God mentions Abraham, Sarah, Jacob, and David, but not their failures. The list even includes Rahab, Samson, and Jephthah, all of whom  were conspicuous for sinfulness! Why are they in this chapter? It’s not that the failures don’t matter. God spent a lot of time talking about their failures in other places. It’s just that a person is not simply the sum of his failures; he is also a product of grace working in his life.

When  historian Felipe Fernández-Armesto took up the question of whether Columbus was a saint or criminal, he concluded on the five-hundredth anniversary of his famous voyage that “the real Columbus was a mixture of virtues and vices like the rest of us, not conspicuously good or just, but generally well-intentioned, who grappled creditably with intractable problems.”

So what can you celebrate on Columbus Day? Celebrate the truth. Remember that early explorers such as Columbus courageously faced enormous obstacles and persevered. Acknowledge the fact that many also sinned against their fellow human beings. Recognize that in spite of man’s sinfulness, God is gracious. Thank God for the good, and learn from the bad. For Christians, Columbus is a reminder that we are all sinners desperately in need of the grace of God.