Tag Archives: Christmas Ideas

Christmas Bingo

December 5, 2005 kensapp Leave a comment

Materials
1. Bingo cards for each participant. Make Bingo cards using a grid of squares (5X5) and placing Christmas related items in each square. Make each card different in the choice of items on it and the placement of the items. (Bingo cards are typically unique for each individual. There are also usually more items than the bingo grid.)
2. Coins or markers to cover squares. You can also simply allow them to mark on the cards.
3. Bingo items in bag to pull out. Write them on small peices of paper or ping pong balls.

Game Play
1. Play according to standard bingo rules.
2. Randomly draw the items from a bag and call them out..
3. The first person to get all of a row horizontally, vertically, or diagonally yells out “fear not” (since the angel in the Christmas story said “fear not.”)

Christmas Bingo items related to the Biblical account:
Star, Gold, Gifts, Herod, Shepherds, Manger, Frankincense, Flocks, Tax, Savior, Bethlehem, Myrrh, Peace, Angel, King, Jesus, Wisemen, Joseph, Mary, Joy, Inn, Gabriel, Immanuel, Swaddling Clothes, Christ, Nativity, Advent

Christmas Bingo items NOT related to Biblical account:
Christmas, Candy Cane, St. Nick, Snowman, Candle, Plum Pudding, Poinsettia, December 25th, Reindeer, North Pole, Stocking, Holly, Mistletoe, Wreath, Rudolph, Dancer, Prancer, Dasher, Vixen, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen, Toy, Gingerbread Man, Sugar Plums, Nurcracker, Ornament, Elves, Bells, Sleigh, Christmas Eve, Christmas Tree

Christmas Collection
Games and Activities helping youth discover the Reason for the Season.

Get more than 200 creative ideas for planning a Youth Christmas celebration or Christmas Party party. You can immediately download my best Christmas Icebreakers, games, illustrations, Christmas activity ideas AND MUCH MORE in a useful ebook!

=> Tell me more about the Christmas Collection

Game Ideas

Christmas Balloon Race

December 5, 2005 kensapp Leave a comment

Materials
Red, white, and green balloons – one for each person.

Game
Divide the group into teams. Give each person a balloon. On “go,” the first member of each team must blow up his/her balloon but not tie it shut. They must then aim the balloon toward the North Pole (finish line at opposite end of the room) and let them go. If a balloon doesn’t land beyond the finish line, the player goes to the balloon, blows it up and again lets it go toward the finish line. Then the same is repeated to go back to the team. When a balloon crosses the team line, the second team member blows up his or her balloon and lets it go. First team for everyone to compete the relay, wins!

Christmas Collection
Games and Activities helping youth discover the Reason for the Season.Get more than 200 creative ideas for planning a Youth Christmas celebration or Christmas Party party. You can immediately download my best Christmas Icebreakers, games, illustrations, Christmas activity ideas AND MUCH MORE in a useful ebook!
=> Tell me more about the Christmas Collection

Teaching Illustrations

Deck the Halls with Boughs of Holly

December 5, 2005 kensapp Leave a comment

While the use of holly is rooted in pagan lore, many Christian legends have developed over the centuries to the point that it is now linked with Christmas. In some parts of Britain holly was formerly referred to merely as Christmas, and in pre-Victorian times ‘Christmas trees’ meant holly bushes. Even so, “Decking the Halls with Boughs of Holly” is an ancient custom several thousand years old. In fact, the ancient Romans, Greeks, Chinese and Druids all decorated their homes with this plant.

Today, the evergreen holly symbolises eternal life and is associated with Jesus Christ. The bright red berries represent the drops of blood He shed on the cross; their color also represented the burning love for God present in the hearts of the faithful. The prickly leaves remind us of the crown of thorns the Roman soldiers placed on Jesus Christ’s head.

Christian legend says one winter night, the holly miraculously grew leaves out of season in order to hide the Holy Family from Herod’s soldiers and it has been an evergreen as a token of Christ’s gratitude ever since.

Another legend about this Christmas plant says that a little orphan boy was living with the shepherds when the angels came to announce the birth of the newborn king. Having no gift for the baby Jesus, the child wove a crown of holly branches for its head. But when he lay it before Christ, he became ashamed of it’s poverty and began to cry. Miraculously, Jesus touched the crown and it began to sparkle while the orphan’s tears turned into beautiful scarlet berries.

Some legends say that Christ’s cross was made from holly because the rest of the trees of the forest refused to be defiled by being used for the cross. In refusal they supposedly splintered into tiny fragments at the touch of an axe, but holly allowed itself to be cut. While we associate it with Christmas today, early pictures of the saints have included the presence of holly to indicate the saints were reflecting upon Christ’s crucifixion. In fact, the word “holly”–is believed by many scholars to be a corruption of the words “holy tree”

In Germany, holly is called Christdorn in memory of Christ’s crown of thorns. According to legend, the holly’s branches were woven into a painful crown and placed on Christ’s head while the soldiers mocked him saying, “Hail, King of the Jews.” The holly’s berries used to be white but Christ’s blood left them with a permanent crimson stain.

Some British farmers put holly on their bee hives, stemming from a legend that bees hummed in honor of the Christ child on Christmas.

Scripture
(Matthew 27:29) When they had twisted a crown of thorns, they put it on His head, and a reed in His right hand. And they bowed the knee before Him and mocked Him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!”

Christmas Collection
Games and Activities helping youth discover the Reason for the Season.

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Music

The Holly and the Ivy

December 5, 2005 kensapp Leave a comment

An Old English Traditional Christmas Carol

The holly and the ivy,
When they are both full grown,
Of all the trees that are in the wood,
The holly bears the crown.

The rising of the sun
And the running of the deer,
The playing of the merry organ,
Sweet singing in the choir.

The holly bears a blossom
As white as the lily flower,
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ
To be our sweet savior.

The holly bears a berry
As red as any blood,
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ
To do poor sinners good.

The holly bears a prickle
As sharp as any thorn
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ
On Christmas day in the morn.

The holly bears a bark
As bitter as any gall,
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ
For to redeem us all.

The holly and the ivy,
When they are both full grown,
Of all the trees that are in the wood
The holly bears the crown.

Christmas Collection
Games and Activities helping youth discover the Reason for the Season.

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Creative Teaching Ideas

Christmas Bedtime Stories

December 5, 2005 kensapp Leave a comment

Materials
Christmas Stories including the Biblical Account of Christ’s birth

Activity
Invite your young people to bring their favorite stuffed animals and meet in your home one evening after church. Being a kid again can be lots of fun especially when everyone else is being one! Have them sit around the Christmas tree. Light some candles and dim the lights.

Now, read a thought provoking Christmas story or legend. Have volunteers tell about Christmases they remember most. Add a short devotion, prayer and Christmas carols. Discuss what it might have been like to be there at the first Christmas. Close your time together with homemade cookies and hot chocolate.

Game Ideas

Christmas Balloon Bust

December 4, 2005 kensapp Leave a comment

Materials:
Red and green balloons and 4 pins.

Activity
Find Open area able to accommodate the entire group sitting in chairs. You may choose to sit them on the floor instead.Station four teams stationed inside a square area. Once a person finds a spot he/she likes, he/she must sit in the chair and is not allowed to leave the seat. Outside the square on each side is a Santa sitting in a chair holding a reindeer antler (pin). There is one Santa for each of the four teams. The objective is to knock balloons toward your team’s North Pole where your Santa will bust them with a reindeer antler (pin.) Red balloons worth 20 points. Green worth 10. When you run out of balloons, tally the scores and declare a winner.

Game Ideas

Candy Cane Tug

December 4, 2005 kensapp Leave a comment

Materials
Miniature size candy canes.

Activity
Played in the manner of breaking the wishbone of a turkey, the objective is to connect the two candy canes at the curved end and pull. The first candy cane to break is eliminated. Continue challenges until only a couple winners remain. You can also do this with regular size candy canes or even have them place it in the mouth for the challenge.

Read about the significance of the Candy Cane to the Birth of Christ in the “Legend of the Candy Cane”

Game Ideas

Candy Cane Relay

December 4, 2005 kensapp Leave a comment

Materials
Miniature size candy canes and toothpicks for each participant.
Divide the participants into two teams. Give each team five small candy canes. On signal, the team members pass their canes to the end of the line (one at a time) and back again using toothpicks stuck in their mouths.

Variations
Using candy canes in their mouth as hooks they must pass candy canes or other items.

Read about the significance of the Candy Cane to the Birth of Christ in the “Legend of the Candy Cane”

Teaching Illustrations

Christmas According to Gabriel

December 4, 2005 kensapp Leave a comment

“He motioned toward me, and I responded, kneeling again before Him. Handing me the necklace, He explained, ‘This vial will contain the essence of Myself; a Seed to be placed in the womb of a young girl. Her name is Mary. She lives among my chosen people. The fruit of the Seed is the Son of God. Take it to her.’

‘But how will I know her?’ I asked.

‘Don’t worry. You will.’

I could not comprehend God’s plan, but my understanding was not essential. My obedience was. I lowered my head, and He draped the chain around my neck. Amazingly, the vial was no longer empty. It glowed with
Light.

‘Jesus. Tell her to call My Son Jesus.’ … .

On a wave of worship I flew, this time alone. I circled through the clouds and over the ground. Below me was the city where Mary was born. The Father was right; I knew her in an instant. Her heart had no shadow. Her soul was as pure as any I’ve seen.

I made the final descent. ‘Mary.’ I kept my voice low so as not to startle her.

She turned but saw nothing. Then I realized I was invisible to her. I waved my wings before my body and incarnated. She covered her face at the Light and shrank into the protection of the doorway.

‘Don’t be afraid.’ I urged.

The minute I spoke, she looked up toward the sky. Again I was amazed.

I praised My Father for His wisdom. Her heart is so flawless, so willing. ‘Greetings. God be with you.’

Her eyes widened, and she turned as if to run. ‘Mary, you have nothing to fear. You have found favor with God ….

‘Yes, I see it all now; I’m the Lord’s maid, ready to serve. Let it be with me just as you say.’

As she spoke, a Light appeared in her womb. I glanced at the vial. It was empty.” [The Angel Gabriel]

Source: Max Lucado “Cosmic Christmas”

Game Ideas

Candy Cane Pick-Up-Sticks

December 3, 2005 kensapp Leave a comment

Materials
Candy canes, wrapped or unwrapped, stacked into a pile. You can use some candy canes of a different color and give them a higher point value. Traditionally, there are Blue Sticks – 50 Points, Green Sticks – 40 Points, Red Sticks – 25 Points, Yellow Sticks – 10 Points. Change this according to the frequency of colors and rarity for your candy canes.

Activity
Played like traditional pick-up-sticks, the objective is to remove one candy cane from the pile without disturbing the remaining candy canes. Use a small stick such as a kebab skewer or chopstick as a tool in picking up the candy canes. The first player picks up candy canes, one at a time, until he causes any other candy cane to move besides the one he is attempting to pick up. The other team then gets its chance to do the same.

Read about the significance of the Candy Cane to the Birth of Christ in the “Legend of the Candy Cane”

Christmas Collection

Games and Activities helping youth discover the Reason for the Season.Get more than 200 creative ideas for planning a Youth Christmas celebration or Christmas Party party. You can immediately download my best Christmas Icebreakers, games, illustrations, Christmas activity ideas AND MUCH MORE in a useful ebook!
=> Tell me more about the Christmas Collection

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