Top 5 Religious Christian Gifts for Kids This Christmas

Getting kids interested in growing in a Christian relationship is not always an easy thing to do, especially if they attend a school where such beliefs are treated with contempt. So this Christmas, give the kids in your life religious gifts that will help them grow spiritually as well as keep them looking forward to learning more. Here's some great options to hold their interest and keep them motivated this Christmas season.

One: Clubhouse or Clubhouse Jr. Magazine Subscription

During my younger childhood, I received subscriptions from Focus on the Family known as Clubhouse Jr., for kids up to age 8, and Clubhouse, for pre-teens up to age 12. And while I have plenty of mixed feelings about Focus on the Family and Dr. Dobson, I always loved receiving the relatively opinion-neutral kid's magazines. The stories had strong morals, their cartoon strips were clean (and funny, too), and the projects they packed into each edition kept my eyes peeled for more every month.

And unlike other magazine subscriptions for kids, this one's actually affordable. You can purchase a one-year subscription of either magazine for $18.00 a year. This is a great Christmas present your kids are sure to enjoy.

Two: Under God, by TobyMac and Michael Tait

Two of dcTalk's most famous artists collaborated on this moving paperback, Under God. Unlike your typical fluffy, pseudo-Christian writing, the authors take you back to our nation's Founding Fathers, where they outline not only their strengths, but also the human weaknesses they had. They also present material about martyrs like Martin Luther King, Jr. in a format unlike public school teachings. And why? To teach their readers about tough topics, like keeping your anger, bullying demeanor, temper, and most importantly, your heart, under control.

Though this is not necessarily marketed as a "kid's book," I have younger family members who read it as pre-teens, and it made a life-changing difference, especially in their worldview outlook and the way they treated others. You can get this book through Amazon, or at your local Christian bookstore.

Three: Christian Artist CD

If you don't want your kids listening to Jay-Z, 50 Cent, or Kanye West, you can give them music alternatives that sound just as good. I'm one of those who definitely realizes that not many Christian artists seem to like to write music that's even close to melodically comparable with what we hear on the radio, but there are some great ones that shine out once in a while that make me a complete fan.

What follows are some alternative Christian CD's you might want to look into for your child, grouped by genre:

For the Rap Fans:

Trip Lee, LeCrae, Grits, TobyMac, T-Bone, KJ-52, John Reuben

For the Rock Fans:

Pillar, Thousand Foot Krutch, Kutless, Red (for older kids), Falling Up, Switchfoot, Third Day, Skillet

For the Pop Fans:

Britt Nicole (who is very similar in sound to Jojo, a little bit of Lady Gaga, a touch of Rihanna, Jordin Sparks), Newsboys, Barlow Girl, Audio Adrenaline, Michael Tait

For the Punk Fans:

The Afters, Stellar Kart, Anberlin, Family Force 5, FM Static, Hawk Nelson, MxPx, Relient K

Four: Precious Moments Bible

One of my most cherished possessions is my Precious Moments NKJV Bible my parents gave me when I was little. They even had my name engraved on the jacket. If you're looking for a memorable gift for a child, this is definitely a winner. Moral short stories accompany the biblical text and drive each point home, encouraging your child to read more and learn the "real-life" lessons and concepts in the Bible.

Five: Apparel with a Message

I have some friends and family members that like to wear sweatshirts, hats, and sometimes even T-shirts with catchy Christian sayings. One of their favorites is a black sweatshirt with drumsticks in the shape of a cross, with the tagline, "Stick with Jesus." Gifts like this are pretty neat, especially to a kid, so this will definitely be a winner this Christmas.