Christmas Baskets

A great idea for a family or church small group activity. One small group at our church put together a number of "Christmas baskets". The group members brought along wrapping paper, recycled baskets, food, gifts, and some toys. The baskets were filled with gifts and then covered with cellophane and a gift card attached. These baskets were then distributed to folk who have been through a difficult time or who would appreciate some encouragement. The little note attached simply said: "Please accept this gift from ______ small group. Christmas blessing to you!" Most of the baskets were delivered anonymously.

Christmas Card Boxes

Here is an easy Christmas activity for a family or children's group to make.


Making the Christmas Card Box
1. Take an old (or new) Christmas card.
2. Cut it in half. Put aside the front with the picture on.
3. Trim 2mm off 2 sides of the other sheet. This will become the box bottom. (The bottom needs to be smaller than the top).
4. On this sheet rule a line from one corner to the other to form a cross.
5. Fold both long sides into the middle. Flatten out.
6. Fold both short sides into the middle. Flatten out.
7. Cut two short cuts up to the line on each end.
8. Fold in ends to form a box shape. This is the box bottom.
9. Tape at both ends inside to secure.
10. Repeat the above steps for the other sheet (with the picture) which will become the box top.
11.Choose a small gift, poem or a verse to place inside the Christmas box to give someone.

A Great Christmas Present

In this activity children make a present which contains the Christmas message to give away or share with their family or friends at Christmas.

You will need:
Small boxes (eg.noodle take away containers)
Star stickers or shapes
Small heart stickers or shapes
Small rocks
Pipe cleaners ( to be shaped into crosses)
Small candy canes
Cotton balls (sprayed with a drop of perfume)
Wrapping paper (large enough to wrap the small baoxes)
Labels which say To ____, from Jesus)
Ribbon

Give each child an empty box and tell them that they are going to be making "A great Christmas present". Explain that you will be giving them various items to go into their boxes and that each thing tells part of the Christmas story. talk about each item as you give it out, then have the children pace the item into their box before you show them the next thing.

Star - Reminds us of the special star that God put in the sky at Jesus' birth.
Heart - Reminds us how much Jesus loves us.
Cross - Reminds us that Jesus died so that we can be friends with God.
Candy Cane - The red reminds us that Jesus died so that we can be friends wit God.
Rock - Reminds us that Jesus did not stay dead, but rose to life again.
Cotton ball and perfume - Before Jesus went back to heaven, he told his followers to tell the whole world about him. After saying this , he was taken up to heaven as they watched him and a cloud hid him from their sight. The cotton ball reminds us of the cloud , and the perfume, which spreads around the room, reminds us to spread his story into the world.

Go over each item again quickly to remind the children and then have each child wrap their present explaining that they can give it away to someone or place it under their Christmas tree to open and share the story on Christmas day. finally the children attach the label.

This activity could easily be adapted for use as children's talk in a Sunday school or worship setting.

Top Six Christmas Ideas For Parents

Why not spend time as a family, enjoying this special time of the year and try some of these Christmas activities?
1. Do it yourself decorations. Instead of buying expensive decorations from the shops, why not make your own. Things like paper chains - using old wrapping paper, paint some pine cones silver and gold, make cardboard stars, decorate lolly candy canes, different shaped pretzels can be strung together or tied with ribbon and placed on the Christmas tree.

2. Christmas Cards. Make your own Christmas cards this year.The whole family can help with this task. You can cut sheets of cardboard to the right size or buy blank cards from the stationary shop. The children can decorate the cards using stamps, (red, green and gold stamp pads), textas, glitter, pictures from old Christmas card or wrapping paper. Perhaps include drawings, digital photos or a personal message from each member of the family.

3. Wrap it Up. Instead of buying expensive wrapping paper, get the children to make their own. You can use sheets of newsprint or any large sheets of paper. Children can use stamps, pictures, crayons or textas to decorate the sheets. Potato prints are also an effective way to decorate the paper. You will need potatoes and coloured paint. Press a Christmas cookie cutter into the potato, cut away the excess potato around the design so that it stands out from the potato, dip the potato into asponge covered in paint and you're ready to stamp your print.

4. Bon Bons. Children love to make their own Christma bon-bons. You can cram them full of interesting bits and pieces and it can be a real family project.
You need: Cardboard rolls ( cut to length)
Crepe paper in Christmas colours
Snaps (available in craft shops)
Items to place in the bon-bons. things like Lollies, jokes, homemade hats.
small gifts, etc...
You need to:
1. Select a roll and place a "snap" inside so that it sticks out from both ends ( this is what is pulled tomake the "bang" sound.
2. Carefully fill your bon-bon with a joke, lollies, hat...
3. Roll a piece of crepe paper around and sticky tape together.
4. Twist the ends of the crepe paper.
5. Decorate with stickers, glitter...
6. Personalise with the name of your guests or friends who will share the bon-bons with you.

5. Countdown to Christmas. In the 24 days leading up to Christmas you could so something special each day. You could make an Advent Calendar which has 25 little doors to open with either a small gift behind each door or a verse from the Bible to read each day. Gifts could include- lollies, candy canes, small books, stickers, pencils, other little surprise trinkets you can find.

6. Christmas Cooking. Get the whole family involved in making some of the special foods for Christmas. Some foods (like shortbread - see previous post) could be made and wrapped as gifts. Special Christmas baskets with foods may be prepared and given to the needy at this time. Simple sweets like White Christmas, coconut balls or fudge are alway appreciated. Check out some recipe books for simple sweets that children can make. Wrap them up in green or red cellophane and add a gift card.

Christmas Conspiracy

A Christmas Gift

A Christmas Gift

A man sent his elderly parents a mobile phone one Christmas. Here’s how he recalls the experience:

“They were excited that now they, too could be part of the instant generation. When Dad unpacked the phone and switched it on, literally within seconds the phone transformed two smiles into a frown! Even after reading the directions, they couldn’t make it work.

Two days later, my mother was visiting a friend and confessed her inability to get the mobile phone to work.

“To get this darn thing to work,” she exclaimed, “I really don’t need better directions; I just need my son to bring the gift in person!”

When God gave the gift of salvation, he didn’t send a booklet of complicated instructions for us to figure out; he sent his Son.