Teaching Toddlers About The Holidays
Around Thanksgiving I had a mini-panic attack when I realized how close Christmas was and wondering how I was going to teach my 2.5 year old about Jesus and his pal Santa without confusing the heck out him. And what about the rest of the holidays celebrated in December, like Hanukkah and Kwanzaa? 
Maybe I am being a tad too gung-ho about this considering Isaac is still so young, but I want to raise my son to be open and accepting of all regions and their associated traditions, not just what I believe personally, as well as the big man in the red suit.
Of course when we say our prayers together every night I always thank God for healing Isaac and ask Him to protect him, because I’d like to raise my son to share my own beliefs and have the basic understanding that there is a God and He did heal my baby’s brain. I don’t think Isaac is too young to get that, and I can teach him the details as he gets older. What my son chooses to believe as an adult will be up to him.
It’s so cute — during our prayers Isaac thanks God for cars and trucks, certain friends and family members depending on who he just saw or likes the best that day, and a variety of stuffed animals. Sometimes he even says “Thank you Lord for scary monsters.” What? Crazy kid…
At his preschool they are teaching the kids about all the different holidays and celebrations, which I think is great, and it opens the door to more communication about them. I got a library book with kind of a coexist for kids theme, which I am reading with Isaac as well, in addition to the story of Jesus’s birth in his children’s Bible, A Christmas Carol (toddler version) and of course Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. No Grinch because I actually hate Dr. Seuss (sorry!).
We have not gotten too in-depth with Santa yet, but I’m sure that will come with time as well. Right now Isaac knows that there is a man in a red suit that brings us presents in a flying reindeer- drawn “truck” to celebrate Jesus’s birthday, which we call Christmas. He asked to make a birthday cake for Jesus, which I think is a wonderful idea and might be a new tradition for us (:
What do you teach your child(ren) about the holidays?
