VeggieTales: Celebrating Christmas and building families

The concept first saw life in a series of VeggieTales children's books. The simple format translates well into a singalong, which is then paired with classic, larger-concept VeggieTales episodes with a similar theme, such as "Lyle the Kindly Viking."

The blending of basic principles for children — listening to parents, sharing, gratitude, forgiveness — with a biblical perspective is foundational to what Big Idea is trying to achieve, Nawrocki says.

Nawrocki believes families are a "great model" for understanding our own standing with deity.

"A family can reflect our own relationship with God, both as being a child and as being a parent, and being able to see the character of God through that institution of family," he said. "As a parent, to say, I can see how much love I have for my child and I can't believe how much I love this child, and then to realize, wow, that's how much God loves us, and more so."

Aaron Shill is the editor of Features and Mormon Times at the Deseret News.