How to Talk About Other Holidays with Your Kids

There’s a good chance that your children have peers who don’t celebrate Christmas. How do you talk to them about that? This week’s blog post gives you some thoughts on how to approach this conversation in a loving and intentional way.

Christmas is such a wonderful time of the year, isn’t it? Of course, we love the music, the cookies, the movies, the decorations, the cookies, the lights, and, of course, the cookies. Now, for those of us that love and follow Jesus, the most joyful part is celebrating the birth of our Savior – that God came down to be with us.

But there’s a good chance your children have friends or classmates that don’t celebrate Christmas. There may be a girl in your daughter’s gymnastics class that celebrates Kwanza, a boy in your son’s class that celebrates Rohatsu, or a family down the street that celebrates Hanukkah.

So, what do you do if your child asks about other holidays or why their friends don’t all celebrate Christmas? Here are just a few thoughts:

1. Start with Why You Celebrate the Holidays You Do

Use their questions as an opportunity to remind them that we celebrate Christmas because Jesus is worth celebrating! Talk about how incredible it is that the God of the universe came down from heaven to be with us here on earth. Ask them what they find most amazing about the Christmas story.

2. Explain the Origins of the Holiday Your Children Are Asking About

Don’t worry. You don’t have to be an expert on every holiday of every faith to have this conversation! If you are familiar with it, then tell your children what you know. If you’re not, it’s perfectly fine to say, “Hey, that was a great question. I don’t know a lot about that holiday, but I want to give you a good answer. Do you mind if I take a little time to look into it so we can have a better conversation about it?”

PRO TIP: Wikipedia, believe it or not, has really good and relatively brief explanations on any possible holiday your child will encounter, so start there!

3. Talk About Whether That Holiday Can Be Celebrated as a Christian

After you and your child have had a chance to explore and talk about that particular holiday together, ask them if they think that a Christian could participate in celebrating that holiday? Why or why not? (Usually, the answer is pretty obvious.)

4. Talk About How They Can Be Kind and Compassionate Towards Those Who Celebrate Differently

Teach your children that being kind and compassionate towards those from other faiths who celebrate other holidays is an incredible way to show them the love of Jesus! Even if, as Christians, we are not to celebrate those holidays, it doesn’t mean they can’t still be friends! Encourage your children to be curious – to ask others why and how they celebrate what they do. Then, encourage them to keep coming back to you if they have further questions.

5. Explain That Kindness and Compassion Do NOT Always Mean Agreeing or Joining

It is so important for children to learn that being kind and compassionate does not always mean agreeing with or joining in a particular celebration. Jesus, after all, was kind and compassionate towards those He disagreed with, but He never compromised on the truth. So, help your child learn how to navigate the situation with both truth and love!

We hope you are enjoying this Christmas season and that God would provide many opportunities for conversations with your children and that every one would just be another chance for you to teach them about the love of Jesus and His desire that we would, in turn, love others. 

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MecKidz