Janet Dean is 'Keeping Christmas'

Mrs. Claus checking in (Ok... it's really Carrie) to remind us that holidays are a time for gathering together with family and friends that we might not see as often as we would like. Today is one such opportunity - let's welcome Janet Dean back to Seekerville for the day as part of our month-long Advent celebration!

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Keeping Christmas

Janet Dean here. I’m excited to talk about Christmas, my favorite time of the year! I love everything about Christmas. The music, decorations, goodies, gifts, gatherings with family and friends, and especially the long-awaited day we celebrate Jesus’ birth.
My husband and I tried to keep Jesus front and center with our children by attending functions at church and trying to put the focus on the true meaning of Christmas in our home. Not that we cut out Santa. In fact, when “naughty” seemed to be winning over “nice,” a mere mention that I had Santa’s phone number at the North Pole immediately restored harmony. The hard part for us was finding ways to put Santa in his proper place.
Sometimes that required taking time away from the hubbub of Christmas activities to spend quiet time with our girls, sharing our love of Jesus and the reason we celebrate. We used storybooks and little coloring books that presented the story of Jesus’ birth and Advent calendars with spiritual symbols to trigger conversations about Mary, Joseph, the Star, the Wise Men, their gifts and Bethlehem. Most evenings, with only the lights on the Christmas tree, we gathered around a lit candle to sing one carol and, yes, one secular song before putting the girls to bed. Young children love the story of the birth of Jesus and ours acted out the manger scene with make-do costumes and props.  
We tried to counteract materialism by encouraging homemade gifts and decorations. Our daughters created both out of paper, plaster, bread dough, yarn, shells, tin cans and felt. Many of the ornaments still hang on one of our trees, worse for wear but sentimental favorites. If they wanted to buy family gifts, they had to forgo their “wants” and save their small allowance to shop at their elementary school Christmas store.  
As they grew, we encouraged doing good deeds for others. One way we used was a doll cradle and a supply of straw under the tree. When the girls did an anonymous kindness for someone, they were to put a straw in the cradle. By Christmas morning when the doll representing Baby Jesus was laid in the cradle, he had a soft bed. Or so we hoped!  
When our grandkids came along, we made birthday cakes for Jesus and used the candy cane to talk about Him. Our grandkids entertained us with singing, playing “instruments” and acting out the Christmas story. One year they turned the tables on us, giving the adults roles. Thankfully they were kind and applauded for us, as we always did for them.  
These activities helped our children and grandchildren and yes, us adults, too, to focus on the reason we celebrate Christmas, and provided some wonderful memories and mementoes. One truth I’ve learned is the time our children are under our roofs and our influence passes quickly!  
I brought iced cut out cookies and hot chocolate. While we nibble and sip, share a tip for keeping Christ in Christmas or a favorite Christmas memory for a chance to win either a hard copy of Love Inspired Historical’s October 2018 “Two for One” of my debut Courting Miss Adelaide and Valerie Hanson’s Wilderness Courtship or my Ebook novella “A Daddy for Christmas”—winner’s choice. 
Thanks for having me today and Merry Christmas!

 winner's choice between Janet's "Two For One" (above) or her ebook novella (below)
Just leave a comment to win!
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