WHAT YOU'LL NEED: a nativity set, possibly a small prize. On Christmas day, hide the pieces from your nativity set and l
BEACHCITIES
CHRISTMAS DAY FAMILY EXPERIENCE
Merry Christmas! I hope you are having a great time today celebrating and reflecting on the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ with your family and friends. In order to help add spiritual depth and content to your Christmas day celebrations our staff has produced the enclosed ideas for your consideration. We wanted to provide you with a few creative ways to make this day special for your family (beyond just opening gifts!). It is my hope that if you have children, they will remember this Christmas as just a little bit more “fun” and “special” than others before. It is my great desire that these “helps” will equip you, as a parent, to successfully lead your family spiritually Christmas Day; after all, the most important spiritual influence in your child’s life is you! I want you to have a big win this Christmas! Whether you are celebrating with your family or friends or with both, please take the time to ask each other some of the intentional questions at the end of this piece. Praying that God will use you to richly bless your family and all those who share this Christmas with you. May God grow in you, more and more fully, the amazing love of Jesus Christ. With Enthusiasm, Pastor Kent Sparks
Family Christmas Activities:
FINDING CHRISTMAS
(GREAT FOR KIDS!)
WHAT YOU’LL NEED: a nativity set, possibly a small prize.
On Christmas day, hide the pieces from your nativity set and let your family search the house for them (similar to an Easter egg hunt). If your kids are older, make it a competition: maybe the person who finds Jesus gets to open the first present or whoever finds the most pieces gets a prize. Any way you do it, searching for the nativity on Christmas morning is a fun way to help everyone remember what Christmas is really about. Don’t have a nativity set? Printing out photos works just as well (we’ve included some for you in this packet!). Once everyone has found all the pieces, have them hold onto what they found for the next activity.
BUILDING CHRISTMAS
(GREAT FOR KIDS!)
WHAT YOU’LL NEED: a nativity set and a Bible storybook or an easy-to-read version of the Bible (you can find one online at bible.com!).
Read the nativity story together, either from a Bible storybook or an easy-toread version of the Bible (we suggest the New Living Translation – NLT). If you’re reading out of a Bible, you can find a good version of the Christmas story in Luke 2:1-20. Have each member of your family hold onto the pieces of your nativity set they found in the previous activity (You may need to “redistribute” if someone didn’t find any. Make sure everyone has at least one.). As you read the story, have them place the corresponding pieces back into the nativity set. Depending on what’s in your set, you may have to get a little creative as to when certain pieces like animals get placed in. If your kids are younger (or just up for being goofy) encourage them to add sound effects to your story or play-act for parts of it (Who can do the
best sheep impression? Who can sing like an angel? Who can do the best imitation of a baby crying?). Don’t just do a bland reading of the story—make it memorable and fun (don’t forget, Jesus did come to bring joy)! Finish by reminding your family that the Christmas story is a true event that really happened.
SHARING CHRISTMAS
(GREAT FOR EVERYONE!)
WHAT YOU’LL NEED: a pair of dice, the included list of questions.
Give each member of your family a chance to roll the dice. Once they’ve rolled the dice, they should answer the corresponding number question. If you don’t have dice available, you could also write numbers 2-12 on slips of paper and pull them from a cup or bag. Don’t rush—let these questions usher in some natural conversations that help your family connect and share what they find meaningful or important. The person who rolled the dice should always answer first—but if anyone else wants to share their answer, encourage them to share. If you have a younger child in your family, you may want to select a question for them that you know they can answer. Finish by praying with your family, thanking God for sending Jesus to save us and expressing gratitude for all he has blessed your family with. QUESTIONS LISTED ON NEXT PAGE
Questions: • What’s your favorite Christmas song? Why? • What Christmas gift were you most excited to give someone this year? • Why do you think some people call the birth of Jesus a gift? • What is your favorite Christmas tradition? What makes it your favorite? • How does knowing Jesus affect the way you treat others? • If you could give Jesus a gift this Christmas, what would you give him? • What is something you’re really grateful for this Christmas? • What’s your favorite part of the Christmas story? • Who in your family have you seen do something kind for another person this Christmas season? • How do you think the world is different because of Jesus? • What’s something that happened this Christmas season that you didn’t expect?
See you next weekend at church!
BEACHCITIES COMMUNITY CHURCH
9872 Hamilton Ave., HB Saturdays at 5:30pm Sundays at 8:00am, 9:30am, and 11:15am
www.BEACHCITIES.org
@BeachcitiesChurch /BeachcitiesChurch
