As we anticipate the forthcoming Christmas season, it is a good time to involve children in helping to make the holidays a spiritual as well as gift-giving time.

It's easy to get caught up in the bustle of the season — with the sounds of the carols and the anticipation of Christmas morning not too far off. But the true meaning of Christmas — the birth of the Savior of mankind — should remain uppermost in our thoughts and actions as we go about our preparations.

To help make the holidays special and to turn children's attention from themselves to others takes imagination and planning. Simple tasks and activities can make this season memorable and instill a tradition of helpfulness and service.

President Gordon B. Hinckley said: "I am grateful for Christmas. I am grateful for the spirit of the day and grateful for the outreach that comes into our hearts at this season of the year when we think a little more kindly of one another, when there is a little less of bitterness, when there is a little less of hate, when there is more of love and more of a reaching out to those in trouble and need and distress. I thank the Lord for Christmas" (Stand a Little Taller, p. 353).

Each year the Deseret Morning News invites readers to share their "Christmas I Remember Best," and while many focus on times of war or absence from loved ones or enduring other difficult periods, the truly memorable Christmases are those shared with family and friends united in a common purpose.

As the season is reflected in the faces of children staring in wide-eyed fascination at store displays and in lines waiting to talk to Santa's helpers, the true meaning of Christmas is best reflected in unselfish service to others. If only we, as adults, could capture some of that enthusiasm and awe we see in our children, we would truly reflect the Christmas spirit in other capacities.

President Hinckley has said, "Children are the epitome of innocence, they are the epitome of purity, they are the epitome of love, they are the epitome of hope and gladness in this difficult and troubled world" ("Behold! Your Little Ones," Children's Fireside, Jan. 23, 1994).

The Christmases remembered best involve helping others, being with family and friends and giving of oneself to some common purpose. Each family can develop traditions that involve all family members pulling together to help neighbors or friends better enjoy the holidays.

Depending on the age of the children, these activities could involve something as simple as storytelling or calendar marking. As children grow, they can be involved in more theme-oriented tasks, such as visiting others and taking food or other gifts to those in need. By instilling in them a sense of purpose, parents can teach firsthand the principle of sacrifice and giving. Children can see for themselves that their involvement and efforts can bring joy to others and reflect in some small way a caring sense of purpose. They may realize that gift-giving and sharing of oneself and talents need not be reserved for just certain seasons of the year but something that can be done year round.

Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said in an October conference address: "Parents should act to preserve time for family prayer, family scripture study, family home evening, and the other precious togetherness and individual one-on-one time that binds a family together and fixes children's values on things of eternal worth. Parents should teach gospel priorities through what they do with their children" ("Good, Better, Best," Ensign, November 2007, p. 105).

What better way to put gospel priorities into action and teach lasting values than to involve children in random acts of kindness during the holidays.

These kind deeds are reflections of the Savior's love for each us. And His life and mission should remain foremost in our activities this Christmas season. After all, it is His birth that we celebrate. Creches and other displays may remind us of the humble beginnings surrounding His earthly mission, but the hope and joy we feel by following His example as we serve others can last a lifetime, especially if begun at a young age. Building family traditions as we focus on others, while preserving precious family time together, truly reflects all the best of Christmas.