Seasons, holidays and celebrations
From Advent and Easter to back-to-school and summer holidays, family life is marked by changing seasons. In this section, you’ll find creative ideas, faith-based reflections, and practical tips to help you make the most of key moments in the calendar — creating meaningful traditions and spiritual depth throughout the year.
4 ideas for Christian parents feeling low as the days get darker
As the nights draw in, we can want to hibernate and wake up in spring - Dawn Kay suggest 4 ways to keep going if it feels tough this autumn
Why Christian parents should think carefully about Halloween and its origins
Hope Bonarcher is concerned that many parents don’t think seriously enough about the dark background to Halloween
Should Christian families celebrate Halloween? The case against
Kate Orson sees very real dangers in Halloween and urges Christian families not to participate
Should Christian families celebrate Halloween? The case for
Lisa Skinner finds that participating constructively in Halloween presents lots of opportunities to engage with friends, neighbours and the wider local community
10 ways Christian parents can provide an alternative Halloween for children with additional needs
Halloween poses specific challenges for youth and children with additional needs - Mark Arnold proposes 10 ways to deal with the issues that arise at this season
Navigating Halloween with kids through chocolate, conversation and Jesus
Halloween doesn’t have to be about fear or darkness, Lindsay Wright has found that chocolate slabs and Bible verses can spark meaningful chats with kids
5 ways Christian parents can redeem autumn in the lives of their youth and children
Autumn might not be everyone’s favourite season but Gareth Crispin provides reasons for this season to be a great opportunity for spiritual reflection in our families
How Christian families can help shine a light this Halloween
Whether you prefer to host a party, join a trail or simply open your door with kindness, Shelley Logan says there are so many ways Christian families can bring light to their neighbourhoods this Halloween
Big Church Festival should be on your family’s ‘to do’ list for 2026
Dawn Kay went to Big Church Festival this summer with her family and was seriously impressed
6 tracks for Christian parents to add to their family car play list this summer
Michael J Tinker suggests 6 great Christian songs that will help families praise and worship down the motorway
'Read-alouds’ - the simple but effective way for Christian parents to help form faith this summer
Victoria Beech suggests an easy way to make good use of the summer weeks
The summer holidays can be great times to bond with your children and develop their faith. Here’s how…
Things to try this summer - Keeping your children busy in the summer holidays
Summer glow-up or comparison burnout: The perfection trap for young people
In summertime, social media floods with images of ‘glow-ups’, smoothie cleanses, intense workouts, miracle beauty products, and wellness routines promising an idealised version of health and happiness. At first glance, setting a goal of becoming healthier and happier seems harmless. But scratch beneath the surface, and you’ll quickly see that the wellness industry, far from being about well-being, is a multi-billion-pound machine built on selling us the promise of improvement while profiting off our insecurities. The cost of buying into this cycle, financially, emotionally, and mentally, is significant, and it’s time we ask: who’s really ……
Holy habits for the school holidays: Helping your family stay close to God this summer
The rhythms and routines of mealtimes, school runs, work, clubs, and activities – though sometimes monotonous – are the familiar patterns that give our lives structure, help things stay on track and often provide small pockets of peace and predictability in busy family life. It’s within these routines that we can make space for God and discipling our children.
Look closer, you’ll find the Eubank Jr - Benn fight was secretly a sermon on fatherhood
In 1990, Chris Eubank Sr. and Nigel Benn met in a clash preceded by years of animosity. Simply put: these men just didn’t like each other.
3 helpful qualities for Christian dads to foster this Father’s Day and beyond
On June 15th this year, families across the nation will celebrate Father’s Day. Fatherhood is likely to bring up different emotions in families. For some – hopefully many – emotions will be positive, and the day will be a chance to give thanks for the dads within the home. For others, the day will bring up mixed emotions due to the absence of a father, or perhaps a dad’s death. Churches which engage with the Father’s Day celebration would be wise to remember these various experiences – while also encouraging dads (and male role models within the church) in their midst.
Answering your child’s questions: Why is God a Father?
With Father’s Day just around the corner you’ve probably begun to notice that the shelves have filled up with bright ties and blue socks declaring “BEST DAD EVER” and “DAD YOU’RE ROARSOME!” (who actually buys those?) Teachers are scrolling Pinterest for new ideas of cute crafts, and our kids are spending their days creating beautifully unique handprint cards - just like everybody else! Whilst this day is quite rightly a celebration of the men in our lives who care so wonderfully for their families, it is also a painful reminder of what has been lacking for so many others.
There is no good parenting without Good Friday
We spend a lot of time on NexGen providing helpful, biblical, practical articles for Christian parents on all manner of subjects: films, social media, additional needs, disability, schools, awkward questions, reviews of Christian resources and much more. But the most important element in Christian parenting is you. That sounds obvious, after all the clue is in the word! But sometimes we might forget the centrality of that truth. Your parenting starts with you. Not the skills, not the tips, not the information – you.
Mothering Sunday: A chance to celebrate mothers and consider the implications of mothering for mission
One of the things that I love most about being a Mum is receiving hand delivered tokens of love. I have kept notes from my now-teenagers, one of whom, at six, declared they loved me nearly as much as their favorite toy. I have photos of a special stick found ‘just for me’ by a sweet little redheaded boy who is now as tall as I am.
Christian parents will find that the Real Easter Egg collection from the Meaningful Chocolate Company is well worth trying
When it comes to Easter, there is one very important question that everyone should think about: When is it too early to eat a chocolate egg?!
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