Christmas Box - Watch This!
There is no right or wrong way to experience the Christmas Box.
The most important thing is having fun with those you love while preparing for the celebration of Jesus' birth.
Ready? Find the bag labeled "OPEN ME 1ST" and GO!
Don't forget to make sure this letter gets to a parent - or a grown up that loves you very much.
Advent Wreath
Way back, some super creative people decided to use a wreath and candles to count down the days until Christmas. If you'd like to make your own, here is a simple and fun way to do it.
Here's what to do:
Grab green cardstock or construction paper.
Trace your hands. Have other family members do the same!
Use scissors to cut out at least 12 handprints.
Arrange them to look like a wreath and use glue (or glue dots) to attach them to one another.
Grab a piece of green cardstock (or a paper plate or cardboard box). Cut out a large enough ring to be the base of your handprints. (See template below.)
Glue the handprint ring to the ring. Place your ADVENT WREATH somewhere special where it will be seen.
Candles
Advent wreath candles are different colors and each tell a different part of the Christmas story.
When it comes time to "light" them, you'll get to have some fun discovering the meaning behind their color and name.
Here's what to do:
Grab 4 clothespins.
Color or paint 3 of them purple and 1 pink.
With a metallic or contrasting marker, write JOY on the pink one. Write these: HOPE on a purple one, LOVE on another, and PEACE on the last one.
Find your ADVENT WREATH and attach your candles how we did or anyway you like!
Hope Candle
God made a promise to fix what Adam and Eve broke. And even though people couldn't SEE God's plan, they trusted Him and waited with HOPE.
WANT TO PLAY A GAME?
Test out your trust skills by doing this:
Grab a blindfold and candy.
While one person has the blindfold on, the other person places the candy somewhere - ideally, in plain sight.
The non-blindfolded person gives instructions to the blindfolded person on how to find the candy. Instructions like: "Take two steps forward", "Turn right - not that much!", "Bend down", "Reach out your hand", etc. Be safe and stay away from stairs!
When the blindfolded person finds the candy, everyone celebrate by eating some!
Switch roles and do it again as many times as you like!
DON'T FORGET TO LIGHT YOUR CANDLE!
Place the metallic gold envelope in the clothespin labeled HOPE.
Love Candle
God's plan included sending His son - Jesus - to Earth. He would take on human form and, one day, die on the cross out of LOVE for us all.
Want to play a game? Let's play "The Christmas Memory Game."
Gather up some of your favorite people and scissors. Feel free to add-in your favorite Christmas treats and tunes.
Cut out the memory game cards along the dotted lines so you have 42 cards.
Turn all cards face down. Mix them up. Place them in a grid. Play just like the original Memory game.
One player turns over 2 cards. If pictures match, keep the cards and keep going for another match. If at any time the cards don't match, turn the cards over and play continues to the person on the left. The person with the most matches at the end WINS.
BONUS: After the game, work together to put the cards in order.
Need a hint? Read Luke 1:26-38, Luke 2:1-7, Matthew 1:18-24.
DON'T FORGET TO LIGHT YOUR CANDLE!
Place the metallic gold envelope in the clothespin labeled LOVE.
Joy Candle
People had to wait a very long time for Jesus to come. When they found out Jesus had been born, they were so happy and filled with JOY.
Want to play a game? It's called "Try Not to Laugh."
Pull up this video on YouTube.
Time each other... how long can you go before you laugh? How about the people in your family? Or, friends?
Your turn! Pull up your favorite funny video. Time each other, again!
Take turns pulling up videos or telling each other jokes - maybe while eating laffy taffy!
DON'T FORGET TO LIGHT YOUR CANDLE!
Place the metallic gold envelope in the clothespin labeled JOY.
Peace Candle
Bad things will still happen, but we don’t need to be afraid because the PEACE that Jesus brings reminds us that God is in control.
Be a shepherd for a day!
Grab some “staffs” (otherwise known as candy canes) and enjoy them as you figure out what to do next, like maybe:
- Watch this funny sheep video and be grateful you aren’t really a shepherd!
- Watch this video to learn how to draw a herd of your own.
- Watch this video to learn how to make origami sheep.
Wondering what sheep and shepherds have to do with PEACE? Check out this video that some creative kids made to find the answer. Hint: it’s somewhere around the 1:45 minute mark.
DON’T FORGET TO LIGHT YOUR CANDLE!
Place the metallic gold envelope in the clothespin labeled PEACE.
The Most Important Candle
On Christmas Day, a white candle is set in the most important place: the wreath’s center. It symbolizes so many things… the sinlessness of Jesus, the light He brings into our lives, and how God sees us when we accept Jesus as Savior and are forgiven.
- If you have already made the decision to trust God and accept Jesus’s gift of forgiveness, congratulations, you have received the best Christmas present ever.
- If you’re not quite ready to make that decision, no problem. Just stay curious - God is a big fan of your questions!
- If you find yourself ready to trust God and make Him your Savior… it’s as simple as talking to Jesus about that. Talking with Jesus can be as simple as ABC.
A stands for Admit. Admit or tell your sins to God. B stands for Believe. Believe that Jesus is God’s Son and He died on the cross so that you can be forgiven. C stands for Choose. Choose to follow and obey Jesus. Know that He chooses to make you His child!
So, if you want to pray this now, you can use your own words or if you want to borrow one, feel free to repeat after me:
Dear Jesus, I have sinned. I think, say, and do things that I know are disobedient and keep us apart. Thank you for sending Jesus. I believe He is God’s Son and he died so I can be forgiven. Please forgive me. Today I choose to follow you for the rest of my life. Thank you for loving me and making me Your child. Amen
Did you just say that prayer? The Bible says there is a party going on up in Heaven because you’ve made a decision to follow Jesus! I’m sure there are people on earth who would want to celebrate with you, too! So, make sure you let someone know – like an adult who loves you and someone in KidsCrossing! This is important news so be sure to share it.
If you have the white bag from the KidsCrossing Christmas Box, check back here after Christmas for info on what to do with the goodies inside!
Love All
Imagine if WATER was on your child's Christmas list
Many kids have never known life without clean water being available to them pretty much any time they need it. This makes it super easy to consume without thinking that others might not be so lucky. If we are honest, many of us adults do the same.
What if, this Christmas season, there was an easy way to use water to remember God and others?
It could be as simple as gathering up the family to:
This year, KidsCrossing is looking to raise $6,000 to co-sponsor a well with Living Water International so the kids and educators at Zimbabwe’s Divine Primary School have access to clean, safe water!
Join us in giving water, for life, in the name of Jesus – every gift counts, no matter how large or small.
Here’s some ideas to get you started:
- Instead of another gift for you, ask for money to donate!
- Give a portion of your allowance or do extra chores.
- Make something to sell or set up a fundraiser here.
Bring your donation to KidsCrossing on or before Christmas services and tell a KidsCrossing leader so they can make sure it gets to the right spot!
Christmas begins with a heart of worship. To help us celebrate Jesus' birthday we will spend a little less on ourselves, give more of our time and presence, so that we can show God's love to all!
The Countdown Has Begun
PRESENTS and PRESENCE
Kids love making out a Christmas List – full of PRESENT ideas, and did you know that giving good gifts to our children is biblical and mirrors the heart of God?! (Matthew 7:11)
Since kids already understand the concept and purpose of making a list, let’s give them – and YOU! – the opportunity to make another one: The Christmas PRESENCE List.
Click the image below to get started.
