In this Advent reprise, Dick Foth invites listeners to slow down and experience Christmas through one of the most honest and wonder-filled perspectives imaginable: the eyes of a child.

Recorded at Harmony Early Childhood Center, this episode blends thoughtful conversation with preschool teacher Barb Melby and delightful, unscripted moments with three- and four-year-olds as they talk about Christmas, gifts, Jesus’ birth, angels, stars, and songs.

Through laughter, innocence, and unexpected wisdom, Dick reflects on how children experience the Christmas story—not as theology, but as lived imagination. The episode becomes a gentle reminder that Advent isn’t just about understanding the story, but entering it with curiosity, joy, and openness.

As the voices of children sing familiar carols, Dick closes with a blessing for the season—inviting listeners to welcome light into darkness and rediscover the meaning of Christmas with fresh eyes.

PODCAST NOTES

Themes

• Advent and the coming of the Christ child

• Faith seen through innocence and imagination

• Childhood development and storytelling

• The power of wonder, play, and creativity

• Learning generosity and gratitude

• Entering the Christmas story rather than explaining it

Key Voices

• Dick Foth – Host and storyteller

• Barb Melby – Preschool teacher with 25 years of experience

• Preschool children (ages 3–4) – Honest, joyful reflections on Christmas

Key Ideas

• Children live in a world where imagination and reality often overlap

• Storytelling helps children make sense of their world

• Christmas is learned not just through instruction, but through experience

• Generosity and gratitude are learned behaviors

• Innocence offers insight adults often forget

Memorable Moments

• Children explaining Christmas in their own words

• Conversations about gifts, giving, and Jesus’ birthday

• A child redefining the Christmas story through play

• Preschoolers singing Away in a Manger and Go Tell It on the Mountain

• Dick’s reflection on the unmatched beauty of a four-year-old choir

Closing Reflection

Advent invites us to welcome light into darkness—and children remind us how to do that naturally, with joy and openness.