我想邀请你日程表上添加一些内容，从本周开始，每个星期日抽10分钟时间全家一起敬拜主，感谢耶稣的降生，尊崇祂。我们也给出一个适合所有年龄段的为期四周的信息，来介绍这位救主，我们越多认识祂，才能越深敬拜他。

无论你会如何装饰圣诞树，这都是每个人最喜欢的12月传统。尽管这是一个很古老的习俗，能够追溯到16世纪，从马丁路德开始，装饰一棵长青的树成为很多家庭的固定传统。妻子们，会手放在屁股上，站在最合适的距离上，探头探脑指挥她的丈夫把圣诞树放在客厅中最完美的位置上。梯子架好了，彩灯串好了，剪纸和彩球被装饰上了。

And in my childhood, family anticipation mounted until the last ornament was hung and the glistening star was appointed on the tallest branch because then we all stepped back, my dad turned out every light in the room except for the tree, and we admired our handiwork with ooohs and ahhhs.

在我很小的时候，全家人的热情都随着最后一个装饰物被挂在树上，那颗最闪亮的星星被放置在圣诞树的最高的枝子上时，我们所有人都悄悄的退后，我爸爸会把家里所有的灯都熄灭，只剩下圣诞树上的灯，这时我们所有人都会发出：哇哦~~~

Traditions are helpful when they create togetherness around an activity of meaning.But what if traditions are void of meaning….or even lead to conflict, as has happened in our family’s Christmases past. What if the plethora of cute and whimsical snowmen, reindeer, and other modernday characters obscure the essence of Christmas to the point that it becomes meaningless? Or maybe your kids are just confused with the lack of balance between the real story of the baby Jesus and the abundance of entertaining movies and stories and songs that focus on everything but Jesus.

当我们创造一个家人聚在一起的意义时，这些传统是有益处的。但如果传统缺乏意义，或者甚至像当今很多家庭在圣诞节一样会导致冲突，那么传统就没有意义了。是否觉得现代社会中的各种卡通形象已经将圣诞变得越来越没有意义？或许你的孩子会渐渐听不到完整，真实的耶稣降生的故事，而是被那些虚构，无意义，毫无基督的故事，电影，歌曲充斥思想。

A year ago, I met a kindred spirit friend who told me this was her story.  One day Allison stopped to ask herself this question, “Why are we doing all of this?”Though her four young kids looked forward to the annual tree decorating day, Allison couldn’t get past what seemed like a distraction from the real message she and her husband were trying to teach in their home. Sure, the tree was beautiful, magical, whimsical, and festive. But was it truthful?  Was the focus of attention during the month of December, their Christmas tree, about Jesus?

一年前我的属灵伙伴告诉我她自己亲身经历的事。一天Allison停下来问她自己：“我们为什么要做这些？”尽管他们的4个孩子都盼望着这一年一度的装饰圣诞树的日子，可是Allison和她的丈夫却始终不能放下他们最想让他们了解的。当然圣诞树很漂亮，充满乐趣，充满节日气氛的。但，那是真理的意义吗？他们对于12月的关注，对圣诞树的关注是关于耶稣的吗？

Further questions formed in Allison’s thinking. Was it obvious to holiday guests what she and her husband believed?  Was their outward practice of Christmas so like everyone else even though their hearts and souls were transformed by the hayborn Savior? Did their tree proclaim visions of sugarplums, toys and hobbies, and even affluence, or did it tell of God’s amazing gift of Jesus on that first Christmas morning?

Allison不禁深入的思考。他们夫妇二人对圣诞节的热情能够体现出真理吗？他们能传递出救主的信息吗？他们的圣诞树是不是和其他人一样表现得金光闪闪，布满了礼物，糖果，习俗，它有没有以任何方式展示出圣诞日的清晨，上帝的礼物临到他们的喜悦？

Allison‘s dream is to help families put the focus back on Christ as the center of Christmas.So here are a few ideas on how to trim your tree with truth:

Allison很希望把全家在圣诞节的重心重新放回到基督的身上。所以以下是一些用真理装饰圣诞树的点子。

Choose Christ-centered ornaments. 选择以基督为中心的装饰物。

1. Allison’s first big step in starting new Christmas traditions was buying our ornaments with the names of Jesus. Allison的第一步，就是买一些印有耶稣名字的装饰物。

Check out His Advent Names, His Royal Names, His Savior Names, and His Name Among the Nations to bedazzle your tree with His names. 像祂的降生，祂的君王身份，祂的救主身份，或者祂在各国文字中的名字。

2. Adorn your tree top with His name too. 

树顶同样用祂的名字装饰。

3. Involve your kids. 

让孩子们参与到装饰中。

Holidays are some of the best times to teach our kids God’s story.

假日总是教导孩子们关于上帝的最好时机。

 May this Christmas be the most memorable because you chose to make the focus of the holiday on the One who came to this broken planet to bring us redemption and new life.  May you decorate your home and your tree with truth for His honor!

愿这个圣诞节成为你们全家最难忘的节日，因为你已经选择将耶稣当做你生活的重心，将救世主对于人类的救赎和带给我们的新生活当做节日的重心。愿你用真理和祂的荣耀装饰你的家。