Remembering the Nativity and the Birth of Jesus...

is a wonderful way to teach a child the true meaning of Christmas! The birth of our savior represents hope for all who have faith in the Bible and The Gospel, which literally means, 'The Good News.'

Children may not completely understand the concept of 'a child given to us to save us,' but as they are taught and reminded by those who care for them, the foundation of Christianity and Christ will become apart of their traditional celebration which builds stability, security, and hope in there lives. I'm speaking from my own experience, of course.

As a young girl, I remember finding a child's picture book version of the Bible at the doctor's office waiting room. In it were beautiful pictures and stories of Jesus as a child, and later in the story as a young man. I remember that often the images had a soft ring around his head and He would be dressed in white. I could tell he was someone special from the depiction in these stories. He was beautiful-looking, and loving and looked like a Dad I'd like to call my own. In the images children would sit and gather around him, even the animals loved him. I remember thinking, this is a special man, he is where goodness is, where heaven is, where love is.

I also remember the songs from Sunday school and the descriptive images from the words we sang. "Jesus love me this I know, for the Bible tells me so. Little ones to Him belong, we are weak but He is strong. Yes, Jesus loves me, yes Jesus loves me, yes, Jesus loves me, the Bible tells me so."

Picture books of the Nativity, especially at Christmas time can only enhance a child's life experience in a positive way. It's something they may take into adulthood, sharing of making their own family traditions someday.

The three Nativity picture books I recommend are as follow:

1. "The Light of Christmas," by Dandi Daley Mackall, Illustrated by John Walker.

Video Read of the book; Youtube. -Tumpsky and Mrs. Small Channel
Into a world dark with sin came the Light from heaven, Jesus Christ. The Light of Christmas shows children the many ways God has brought light to them. This picture book tells the story through a delightful poem and charming artwork. Children learn how God's light impacted creation, the sin of man, and the preparation of Jesus, His birth, teaching, death, and resurrection. https://youtu.be/pLdDSFYNUhs

2. "The First Christmas Night," by Keith Christopher, Illustrated by Christine Kornacki
This beautiful retelling of the birth of Jesus celebrates that joyous night in Bethlehem so long ago. The poem begins with the arrival of Mary and Joseph in Bethlehem and moves through Christ's birth, the angels' appearance to the shepherds, and the visit by the Wise Men. The simple, yet elegant, verses will appeal to little ones and are accompanied by the rich oil illustrations.

3. "God Gave Us Christmas," Lisa Tawn Bergren
Mama’s answer only leads to more questions like, “Is God more important than Santa?” So she and Little Cub head off on a polar expedition to find God and to see how he gave them Christmas. Along the way, they find signs that God is at work all around them. Through Mama’s gentle guidance, Little Cub learns about the very first Christmas and discovers that Jesus is the best present of all.
This enchanting tale provides the perfect opportunity to help young children celebrate the true meaning of Christmas and to discover how very much God loves them.
Video Read of the book on; Youtube. -Tumpsky and Mrs. Small Channel
Copy: Hardback 9780758612700 Concordia Publishing House