Splink
» The Promise
The Greatest Gift
Items needed:
Two boxes or gift bags
Picture of Jesus (or baby Jesus from the nativity set)
Mirror
Wrap the picture of Jesus in one box and the mirror in another box. Gather the children around the tree (with just the tree lights on). Talk about gifts–What is the best gift you ever received? What do you like about giving gifts? Why do we give gifts?
Show them the first gift and ask:
What is the best gift you could ever receive? (Tell the kids it’s in this box and let them try to guess it.)
Let one of the kids open the box and show them the picture of Jesus.
Why is Jesus the best gift you could ever receive? (Because He is the only one who could take away your sins and take you to heaven)
Show them the other gift and ask:
What is the best gift you could give God?
Let them try to guess and then let one of the kids open that box and look in it–one at a time.
God wants you to give all of you to Him–to love and serve Him for your whole life.
What do you say when someone gives you a gift? (Thank you)
Second Corinthians 9:15 says, “Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.”
Say a thank you prayer for the gift of Jesus. Tell God if you would like to give yourself to Him.
Candy Canes
Give a candy cane to each child every night (until Christmas) while they are taking their bath. Ask them to think of ways a candy cane reminds them of the Christmas story. (It looks like a “J,” the first letter of Jesus’ name; it is shaped like a shepherd’s crook and shepherds were the first ones to hear about Jesus’ birth; it’s red like Jesus’ blood and white like the clean heart He gives; it tastes sweet and the Christmas story is the sweetest one ever told!)
Christmas Tea
Every afternoon or evening, start a new tradition and have Christmas tea by the tree. (This is my daughter’s favorite Christmas tradition. We have special snacks with tea [with sugar cubes] and we read Christmas stories. I let them put as many sugar cubes as they like—what is a little more sugar around Christmas?)
Read the Christmas story aloud. Tell them when Adam and Eve first sinned, God promised He would send His Son to win over sin and the devil. God kept His promise and sent Jesus to the world hundreds of years later.
