For many of us, learning the Christmas story started at a young age—through Sunday school lessons, nativity plays, or reading it at home.
We heard the key moments.
We learned the names.
We understood the basics.
But sometimes, even with the best intentions, the story can feel like something we simply move through rather than something we truly take in. That’s especially true when teaching children. It’s not that the story isn’t meaningful—it’s that the way we present it can make all the difference.
Moving Beyond Just Information
When teaching the Christmas story, it’s easy to focus on the sequence of events:
1. Mary and Joseph travel.
2. Jesus is born.
3. The shepherds come.
4. The wise men arrive.
All of that matters. But if we stop there, we risk missing something deeper.
Why did the wise men keep searching? Why was Herod so threatened? Why did Joseph choose to trust what he didn’t fully understand? These are the kinds of questions that help the story come alive.
Helping the Story Be Experienced, Not Just Taught
One of the most effective ways to teach is to help people enter into the story.
To slow it down.
To sit in the moments.
To notice the tension, the choices, the emotions.
When the story is told in a way that feels more like a journey than a checklist, it becomes easier for both children and adults to connect with it. They don’t just hear it—they begin to experience it. That’s where storytelling becomes so powerful.
Creating Space for Reflection
In both Sunday school and homeschool settings, the goal isn’t just understanding—it’s connection.
That might look like:
Reading a portion of the story and asking simple, thoughtful questions
Letting children describe what they imagine the scene looked like
Talking about what they would have done in that situation
These small moments of reflection help move the story from information to meaning.
A Tool That Supports the Process
Sometimes, having the right resource makes it easier to guide that kind of experience. A story told in a poetic, narrative format can naturally slow the pace, helping listeners stay engaged while also giving space for reflection. It allows the story to unfold in a way that feels both familiar and new.
That’s part of what ’Twas the Night Before Jesus was created for—not just to be read, but to be shared, discussed, and experienced together.
Teaching That Lasts
At the end of the day, the goal isn’t just to teach the Christmas story for a season. It’s to help it stay. To give children (and even adults) something they can carry with them—not just facts, but understanding. Because when the story is experienced in a meaningful way, it doesn’t fade as quickly.
It becomes something they remember.
Something they reflect on.
Something that continues to shape how they see Christmas—and what it truly means.
Share the True Story
We invite you to read and ponder the real Christmas story with us! 'Twas the Night Before Jesus will help your family remember and reflect upon the true beauty of Christmas this year.
