Want to plan a fun, faith-filled Christmas event for families? These seven simple ideas can help! Set up all or some of these activities at your church, and invite families to come and experience  the anticipation, excitement, and wonder that are the hallmarks of the Christmas season, especially for children.

“Can we decorate Christmas cookies?”

“Do you think it’ll snow on Christmas Eve?”

“I wonder what’s in those boxes under the tree!”

In the midst of all the decorations and goodies, the parties and presents, Jesus is the greatest gift of all—just waiting to be discovered for all to see. Help families in your church unwrap the most glorious gift this season—Jesus. Use these crafts, activities, and games to host an evening for families to rediscover the miracle of Christmas and help them keep Jesus at the center of the busy holiday season.

Station #1: Follow the Star

Families can journey together to arrive at a birthday celebration for Jesus.

You’ll need:

• a host dressed in a shepherd’s costume
• glow-in-the-dark stars
• 1 large star cutout
• a nativity set
• a Bible
• a birthday cake
• matches
• 3 candles

Before families arrive, make a trail of stars. You’ll need to make a starting point, three middle stopping points, and an ending point. Place the appropriate characters and animals from the nativity at the corresponding stops.

Greet families when they arrive and announce that something exciting has happened but to find out what it is, they must follow the stars.

Starting Point

Let children discover Mary and Joseph and read aloud Luke 2:1-5. Have children carry the figurines to the next stop.

First Stop

Let children locate the stable and animals at this stop. Read aloud Luke 2:6-7. Continue following the path of stars with the animals in tow.

Second Stop

Let children locate the angel and a shepherd at this point. Read Luke 2:8-20, then continue down the path.

Third Stop

Children will find the wise men here. Read aloud Matthew 2:1-2, 9-11 before continuing.

Final Stop

Families will find the large star hanging over the cake with three candles and the baby Jesus. Explain that Christmas is a celebration of Jesus’ birth. Light the three candles, representing these things:

1. The Star of Bethlehem shone brightly over baby Jesus.
2. Jesus, the Light of the World, was born into a dark night.
3. God wants us to be a light for others and show them the way to Jesus.

Sing “Happy Birthday” to Jesus and share the cake.

Station #2: Christmas Star Search

Families get to search for the baby Jesus in a maze of stars.

You’ll need:

• a large manger with a doll wrapped in a blanket
• glow-in-the-dark stars
•  fishing line
• scissors
• a flashlight
• preprinted discussion sheets
• a glow-in-the-dark star for each person to take home

Choose a room in your church that can be made dark. Place the manger with the doll in a corner far from the room entrance. Spread glow-in-the-dark stars on the floor and hang them from the ceiling using fishing line, with a large star attached to the manger. Turn off the lights.

Let’s Talk

Challenge families to find their way through the stars until they find the manger. Then have them turn on their flashlights while they talk about the activity using the following preprinted discussion questions.

• Was it easy or difficult to find the baby Jesus? Explain.
• How is this activity like or unlike searching for Jesus today?
• How can we learn about Jesus?
• In which ways can we help others learn about Jesus?

Give each person a glow-in-the-dark star to take home.

Say: Place this star next to your bed to remind you that Jesus is the Light of the World who helps people learn about God.

Station #3: Family Snowflakes

Families can celebrate their uniqueness with this cooperative craft project.

You’ll need:

• small craft sticks
• assorted buttons
• a hot-glue gun

Have family members each create a stick person representing themselves using craft sticks and buttons. Small families can create extra stick people to represent extended family members such as grandparents, aunts, or uncles. When everyone’s finished, glue the feet of the stick people together to form a snowflake.

Ask:

• Is it really true that no two snowflakes are alike?

Say: Scientists say the differences between snowflakes are limitless. Many snowflakes look alike—even under the microscope—but at closer examination, they differ. God created each person in your family unique, which makes every family one of a kind—just like your snowflake.

Families can hang their unique snowflake in a window to remind them to rejoice in the uniqueness of the family God’s given them.

Station #4: Mitten Angels

Help families make a craft project that brings comfort and warmth to children in need.

You’ll need:

• 11/2-inch foam balls
• 12-inch squares of white netting material
• gold chenille wires
• assorted pairs of children’s knit mittens

Place one foam ball in the center of a piece of white netting material, then fold the netting around the ball to form the angel’s head. Use a pair of mittens to create the angel’s wings by wrapping a chenille wire around the angel’s neck and the mitten thumbs. Another chenille wire can be used to form a halo.

Let’s Talk

Ask:

• Describe the best Christmas gift you’ve ever received. Why was it so special?
• How would Christmas be different if you didn’t receive any presents?

Say: Many people go without gifts at Christmas. These mitten angels can be a very special gift for children in need. I challenge you to make more angels together at home. Bring your mitten angels to our Christmas Eve service, and we’ll deliver the warmth of mittens to a local family or women’s shelter on Christmas morning.

Station #5: Inheritance Christmas Ornaments

Families can begin an ornament-making tradition to decorate the Christmas trees of future generations.

You’ll need:

• red chenille wire
• red and white tri-shaped pony beads
• resealable plastic bags

Have each family member make two candy cane ornaments by stringing a white pony bead onto the end of the chenille wire and wrapping the wire around the end of the bead to secure it. Continue to string beads, two white and then two red, onto the wire until it’s full. Wrap the wire around the last bead to secure it. Form the beaded wire into a candy cane shape.

Let’s Talk

Have parents tell their kids Christmas traditions they’ve continued from their childhood.

Say: These decorations can be the start of a new tradition for your family. Place two of the candy canes on your tree this Christmas. Then find a box at home for each child. Decorate and label each box, “[Child’s name’s] Christmas Ornaments.” Divide the remaining candy canes between the boxes and store them. Each year your family can create new ornaments—enough for your current tree as well as your children’s ornament boxes. When your children leave home someday, they can take their boxes of ornaments with them. Then they’ll have the same ornaments as the family tree.

Station #6: Good News Christmas Garland

Families can spread the good news of Christmas to their neighbors with this simple craft.

You’ll need:

• plastic cling wrap
• red and green ribbon
• Christmas invitation
• hard Christmas candy

Give each family 2 feet of plastic cling wrap. Place candies in a line lengthwise on the cling wrap about one inch apart. Carefully roll the cling wrap around the candies to create a 2-foot candy rope. Tie ribbons on both ends of the rope and between each piece of candy. Family members can share their favorite things about Christmas for each tie. Attach an invitation card to the garland that includes the time, date, and location of your Christmas Eve service.

Let’s Talk

Have families imagine and describe what it would be like to celebrate Christmas without knowing about Jesus.

Say: Christmas is a great time to invite your neighbors and friends to church. Use this Good News Garland to extend an invitation to our Christmas Eve service.

Station #7: Christmas Giving Tree

Families can lend a helping hand and be a light in their community this Christmas.

You’ll need:

• white construction paper
• yellow construction paper circles
• green tempera paint
• paper plates
• paintbrushes
• scissors
• roll art paper
• glue

Pour green paint onto paper plates. Have families paint each others’ hands, then press them to white construction paper. As the paint dries, family members can brainstorm how they can be a light for Jesus in their communities or neighborhoods during the holidays. When the prints are dry, cut out each person’s handprint and arrange and glue all the prints on the roll paper to form one giant tree shape.

Let’s Talk

Ask families to share their ideas for being a light in their communities.

Say: This tree represents the hands of our church family. Hold up the yellow circles. During the holiday season you can light our community with the ideas you shared. When a family member does something to be a light for Jesus in the community, please write it on one of these “Christmas lights,” then attach it to our tree. This tree will be a visual reminder of how our families are impacting the community for Jesus this holiday season.

Looking for more Christmas ideas? Check out these posts! You can also check out these Christmas events for fun and simple ways to connect families during the Christmas season.