There is no gain saying that Christmas is a celebration based on Jesus' birth as it is a public holiday in Nigeria. It is, then, important to understand its significance.

Even as parents, keeping the true meaning of Christmas close to our hearts will help us to not easily fall prey to the hustle-bustle of the end of the year, in the presents, the shopping, the preparations, to-cook lists, and the overwhelming traffic surrounding our favorite stores.

Sometimes the meaning of Christmas can get lost in all of this rush and excitement, parents can take time to teach their children about:

1. The joy of preparing for something important; focusing on the baby in a manger, instead of our gazes drawn to the packages under the tree. Getting a balance between what has to be done and the ‘reason for the season’.

2. The thoughtfulness of buying a gift for someone; the generosity of giving to help those we don’t even know, instead of calculating our budgets. 

3. The importance of sharing a meal or time with family and friends, easing the focus away from material objects, and toward togetherness. Kids love presents and candy and treats, but they also love hanging out with Mom and Dad and doing special things they don’t normally get to during the year.   

4. While kids are actively merrying this season, it is important for us to engage them in activities that keep them intellectually engaged, and help them learn more while being in tune with the season.

 5. Expect more challenging behaviour and plan to keep to routines at home as much as possible such as bedtimes, storytime, quiet times, fresh air and exercise and healthy mealtimes.