Nativity of Christ is the Brightest and Kindest Holiday of the Year

Children treat this holiday with a special tender and reverence.

Children treat this holiday with a special tender and reverence. When a child decorates a Christmas tree and makes toys with their parents, the first ideas about Christmas are formed. At this very moment you can tell them why the Christmas tree is crowned with a star, and what the toy angels on the branches symbolize.

It is important to show children that love for one's neighbor is not limited to gifts. It is shown in daily acts of care, responsiveness and attention. To be kind, it is not necessary to make grand gestures, it is enough to help your mother, to say a kind word, to share a toy in kindergarten. You don't need a special day for such kindness.

In kindergarten, children are already interested in watching the Nativity plays and asking questions. Books designed specifically for children's perception of the Holy story, such as the Children's Bible, can help parents answer these questions. You can also find Christian images in the poems of Russian poets such as Sasha Chorny, Afanasy Fet, and others.

All nations associate Christmas with mercy, gratitude, and forgiveness. On this day it is customary to do good things, to help the unfortunate, and to give presents, because they symbolize the gifts that were brought to the infant Christ.

Gospel of Luke 2:1-19

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger”. Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests”.

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about”. So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.

In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. And everyone went to their own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

Gospel of Matthew 2:1-15

When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up”, he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him”. So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, where he stayed until the death of Herod.

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi[a] from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him”. They went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.