12 Days to Christmas

Transcription

1 12 Days to Christmas Here are 12 hearts that fit together to make a chain. (Cut out 12 heart shapes and cut out some of the middle of the heart so that you can place one heart into the next one to make a chain. With your child: Name as many of the 12 disciples as you can. As you name each one write his name on a heart and add to your heart chain. Maybe you would like to write a fact about each disciple on the back of the heart. Now read John 13:34, 35 together. How did Jesus say people would know who is His disciple? What was the last command that Jesus gave to His disciples? Matthew 28:18-20 Now talk about how your family can be Jesus disciples this Christmas season and in the year Maybe each one would like to make a heart and write his or her name. Now fasten the hearts together and hang them somewhere to remind you of your desire to be disciples of Jesus. YOUNGER CHILDREN: Talk about how Jesus wants us to love each other. Write the names of 12 people your children love and that Jesus loves. Help your child count the hearts and talk about it being 12 days to Christmas. We have Christmas because Jesus loves us and came to earth as a baby to be our Savior. Be sure to put your child s name on a heart and talk about how Jesus loves your child. Karen Neumann Page 1 WOW - December 1999

2 11 Days to Christmas These 11 angels remind us that angels were a part of the first Christmas. Make a paper chain of angels and let your children color them. Here is one pattern you can download: Read Luke 2:9-14. Fold up the angels to have the angel of the Lord appearing to the shepherds, then stretch out the chain to show the multitude of angels. The angel said, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. Can you think of some good tidings or news we have to bring to all people? See if you can write something that is good news on each angel. Maybe you would like to make more angel chains to decorate your home. SMALL CHILDREN: Count the angels. Tell the children that the first Christmas the angels told the shepherds the good news that Jesus was born. Now we can tell others the good news that Christmas is because Jesus came as a baby. Karen Neumann Page 2 WOW - December 1999

3 10 Days to Christmas The 10 commandments remind us that God wants us to be joyful people. He gives us rules that will help our lives to be joyful. In John 14:15 Jesus says, If you love me, keep my commandments. One gift we can give Jesus is our obedience to show that we love Him. Discuss the 10 commandments and how we can obey or disobey them at Christmas. Ex: 1. How can we have other gods before God at Christmas? Can we get so busy with gifts, festivities, etc., that we forget Jesus? 2. How might we covet-(want what someone else has)-at Christmas? 3. What does it mean to be holy? (Set apart to God) How can we keep Christmas holy? SMALL CHILDREN: Talk about it being 10 days to Christmas. Count the numbers. Talk about one commandment we need to obey. For small children it might be good to talk about honoring (obeying) Mother and Daddy because this please Jesus. Karen Neumann Page 3 WOW - December 1999

4 9 Days to Christmas Beforehand: Cut out nine 1 inch circles out of purple paper. Find Galatians 5:22, 23. How many things are listed under the fruit of the Spirit? These 9 things remind us of how God wants us to bear the fruit of His Spirit this Christmas and new year. Write one fruit on each of the 9 grapes and glue them together with the leaves to make a poster. Talk about each of these and how we can or cannot bear fruit at Christmas. (Self Control in eating Christmas goodies or wanting gifts.) As you see fruit on the Christmas table let it remind you of the fruit in your life. SMALL CHILDREN: Make 9 Purple grapes and glue them on a paper as you count them. Talk about how Jesus wants us to be loving, joyful, patient, kind at Christmas. Relate one or two of the fruit to an experience in the child s life. Karen Neumann Page 4 WOW - December 1999

5 8 Days to Christmas These 8 symbols, often used at Christmas, have a special place to remind us of the true message of Christmas. Let each member take a symbol from a basket or spread them out and let people choose. Each person tells what the symbol means to him or her. Talk about places we might see these symbols used at Christmas (tree ornaments, cards, candles, etc.) Take time to hunt for symbols in your house. See who can find the most symbols. Make a mobile of the 8 symbols or make decorations and hang on your tree. You could use these symbols to make sugar cookies. SMALL CHILDREN: Count the symbols. Make 2 of each one and mix together and the children match them in pairs. Talk in a simple way about what the symbols mean. Look for these on the tree or cards with the children. Karen Neumann Page 5 WOW - December 1999

6 7 Days to Christmas - I AM symbols The 7 bells remind us of how joyful Christmas is with all the songs and music. Bells ring out good news and the special Good News is Jesus is come. Jesus said in the book of John, I AM... 7 different times. Each time He gave a picture of who He is. Look at the 7 bells and discuss who Jesus is and what that means to us this Christmas. You could write the verse or reference on your bells. John 6:35; 8:12; 10:9; 10:11; 11:25; 14:6; 15:5. You might want to hang these bells on your tree or in a window. SMALL CHILDREN: Count the bells. Talk about the I am -Jesus takes good care of us as the shepherd takes care of the little lamb. Download a bell template from here: You can color the pictures below and paste them on your bells and use them as a decoration. *The Vine, the way, the door, the good shepherd, the bread of life, the light of the world, the resurrection and the life. Karen Neumann Page 6 WOW - December 1999

7 6 Days to Christmas These circles remind us of the 6 days of creation. God created the world in 6 days and He rested on the 7th day. Talk about what God created on each day. Let the children add stickers for the different days. Name some things we enjoy at Christmas-tree, fruit, turkey, stars, sheep, donkey, family-and talk about what day of creation gave us these good things to enjoy. Thank God for all the good things He made. SMALL CHILDREN: Count Circles. Let the children add stickers. Talk about the good things God made and thank Him. You can cut out six circles and let the children draw in what God created each day, or download them already printed. Here is one web-site: Karen Neumann Page 7 WOW - December 1999

8 5 Days to Christmas Christmas reminds us of the 5 senses God has given. Can you list these 5 senses? Talk about how each one helps us to enjoy Christmas. Beside each sense list one thing that will be more special to us this Christmas. Take time to pray thanking God for your 5 senses and the many things they help you to enjoy. SMALL CHILDREN: Talk about how God gave us eyes. Take turns saying things you see with your eyes. Now with ears listen to music, read a story, say, I love you. With nose smell different smells-cinnamon, evergreen. Try tasting salt, sugar, pickle, candy, etc. Then touch something soft, hard, round cold. Thank God with you children for ears, eyes, nose, mouth, and hands. What are the five Senses: sense: What is one thing that will be more special Christmas because of this Karen Neumann Page 8 WOW - December 1999

9 4 Days to Christmas Four Days to Christmas reminds us of the 4 Gospels God has given in the Bible to help us better understand who Jesus is and how special Christmas is. (Make 4 Bibles) Label each of the books-matthew, MARK, LUKE, JOHN. Now discuss which symbol goes with each book and why (The circle goes with the Gospel of John to remind us that Jesus is God who has no beginning or end. The crown goes with Matthew to remind us that Jesus is the King the Jews were looking for. The wash basin and towel go with Mark to remind us that Jesus came to serve. The baby goes with Luke to remind us that Jesus is the Son of man) What Gospel gives the genealogy of Jesus back to David and Abraham? Why? What Gospel gives the genealogy of Jesus back to Adam? Why? Do Mark and John have genealogies? Why? What Gospel tells about the magi, the shepherds, the actual birth of Jesus? The 4 Gospels are an exciting reminder of how God wants all people to understand the Good News of Jesus. SMALL CHILDREN: Let the children count the 4 Gospels and the 4 symbols out. Thanks God for Jesus who is our King. Karen Neumann Page 9 WOW - December 1999

10 3 Days to Christmas The number 3 reminds us of the Trinity. Name which member of the Trinity each of these symbols represents. Read Luke 1: What part did God the Father have in Christmas? What part did God the Holy Spirit have in Christmas? What part did God the Son have in Christmas? Bow you heads and thank God for Christmas and that God loved us and sent His Son. Arrange the 3 symbols together to remind of God s love this Christmas. SMALL CHILDREN A small child can count the symbols days to Christmas. Talk about baby Jesus and how much God loves us to send Jesus at Christmas. Karen Neumann Page 10 WOW - December 1999

11 2 Days to Christmas The number 2 reminds us of the two choices we all have. These 2 choices are expressed many ways in the Bible. Look at the pictures and see if you can see what the choices are. 1. To enter or not to enter. (John 10:9) We can enter into eternal life by Jesus as the door or we can stay outside and not enter by Jesus. (You could also discuss this as opening the door of your heart to Jesus). (cut around the frame and open the door) 2. Dark or Light heart. (John 8:12; John 3:19) We can walk in darkness without Jesus or we can walk in light with Jesus. (cut two hearts, leave one white, color the other a dark color) 3. To receive or not to receive God s Gift. (John 1:12; 1 John 5:11, 12) God s good gift is eternal life in Jesus Christ, His Son. The gift is there, but our choice is to receive or not to receive. (cut out the gift and place it in the hands, use can use Velcro to stick it if you wish.) All three pictures express the same 2 choices in different ways. Can you think of other ways these choices are expressed? SMALL CHILDREN: Explain these simply to your children. They will enjoy taking the gift in and out of the hands. Karen Neumann Page 11 WOW - December 1999

12 One Day to Christmas Have a candle that you make or buy in the package. (A Christmas candle can be made using a can or box for a mold and putting designs cut from Christmas cards around the mold before filling it with melted wax). This Christmas candle reminds us of the message of Christmas. Jesus Christ is the Light of the World. His coming to earth brought light into darkness. The Bible, God s Word, gives light. As Christians we are lights to a dark world and we carry the message of light. Let all the Christmas lights remind us of the true message of Christmas. (John 1: Karen Neumann Page 12 WOW - December 1999