Stop a minute,
take time to think.
As you decorate your tree
and make that Christmas wish.
What’s it really all about?
Father Christmas, food and drink,
an excuse for parties is that all it is?
Is that really all it is?
What about Jesus, or have you forgotten,
that he is the Christ and this is his Mas!
A time when he came and gave up his splendour
and humbled himself as a man,
or should I say a child,
well I mean a baby, yes a baby!
I meant to add this before Christmas but will add it now for future use. This is one of those films that you will either love or hate.
Based on the childrens book this film wth Jim Carey in th staring role really tackels what Christmas is about it is particularly good for lookig and challenging the commersial side of Christmas.
I have never been a huge fan of chocolate Advent Calenders because they seem to miss the point. This year at home we have a different one that is all the doing of my wife who also feels the same and wanted to find a way to get our two daughters thinking about advent.
So she created a calender a Christmas tree with twenty for pockets and in each has been added a card and maybe something to go with it.
This will make a great discussion starter on Christmas, it was in the papers this week.Â
A primary school in the UK gas banned Father Christmas from visiting their primary school because they say it encourages the children to drink Coca Cola. The headteacher has said that due to Cokes Christmas advertising over the years he has become aquainted to the product so he has banned it due to the schools healthy eating policy and no fizzy drinks rule. However he will allow Santas green clothed elves to come in his place.
Heres an idea sent in by Kerry which I like alot many thanks.
This is something I did last year and was fantastic I set the challenge for the young people to write a new Christmas song that we could use for our worship over the season. My guidelines were to reflect what Christmas was about and to not be tacky. The response was amazing and we had a whole evening to showcase the music. We had choruses, hymns, carols, raps and many other styles with some amazing lyrics that spoke directly to their peers. This year they have asked to do it again but to then put on a concert and invite their friends who are not Christians. (How exciting).
Now I know it is early but if you want to help your young people get the most out of this season you need to start thinking about it now.
Then you can do some teaching at the beginning of November which means they have time to put things into practise. I have always found young people respond to this well.
When the church put up it’s christmas tree dont decorate it but instead announce to the congregation if they want to see they tree looking fantastic they can help by deciding on a way to eleviate poverty somewhere in the world. Then to take a paper decoration and write on it what they have or are going to do, they don’t have to put a name to it. If they add a decoration they must however do what they say they will.
The tree in the church was awesome and people gave cows to Africa, fruit tees, goats hens, supported homeless projects, local hospicesor comitted to vising the elderly. It was truly inspiring, and children decided on their own to give pocket money to certain things. I hope to see this again next Christmas.
It helps to have a display giving people ideas about what they could do.
