Festivals - Christmas and Advent
CaSS has created an Advent prayer space for schools for children from Year 1 to Year 6. Advent/Christmas is a busy time for schools, but it is a time when schools are often open to experiencing the season through interactive and reflective activities. There are nine Advent themes: Good News, Hope, Peace, Light, Waiting, Gifts, Doors, Love and Joy. These are all areas that those of all faiths and none can relate to.
There is a general information sheet (click on the image or title to download this) and also instruction sheets for each activity to print and put out in the prayer space (you’ll need to download each of these separately - just click on the individual themes above). We hope you find it a useful and thought provoking activity to use with children in your school or group.
Watch CaSS' Fiona Walton discussing her experience of running the advent prayer space in a Sheffield school 2022 at a Prayer Spaces in Schools online training event.
Missional Generation has created some fantastic Advent Story animations for you to use. You can check them out and download them by clicking on the picture or title.
The Bible Society has some great Christmas resources on their website, including a brand new children’s booklet, an instant nativity to perform in church, new Christmas stickers, lovely Christmas cards and more. Share the story of the very first Christmas with your family, church and community. Click on the logo or title to find out more.
Scripture Union have a great resource pack to help you reach out to your local community this Christmas. It features articles and interviews from experienced Christian workers who share effective and time-tested ways to engage with people during the festive season. Click on the image or title to find out more.
The Diary of a Disciple series is a collection of contemporary children's books, retelling the Gospel written by Gemma Willis. The accessible style offers a way into the Bible for the next generation. Christmas RE lesson idea: try reading the Christmas story with a class (they would need to be able to see the book). The story of the wise men is not in Luke's gospel and so is not in this book, so you could get the class to write the story of the wise men in a similar writing style. There are videos with someone reading the stories here. Click on the image or title to find out more about Diary of a Disciple.
'Mary set off travelling, with Joseph right beside,
They walked and talked for miles and miles, till Bethlehem arrived.
With a baby inside Mary, who was going to be King,
When they finally arrived, there was no room at the inn!
So a place was found by haystack and corn,
And in this spot, the baby was born.
So they stayed in the shed where animals fed,
And the baby had straw instead of a bed.'
Click on the image to watch The Well Good News of Christmas on Youtube.
Can you think of 12 gifts you could give to family and friends without spending any money? CaSS has created a worksheet that can be used either at Christmas or Epiphany when the wise men gave gifts. Ideas include love, saying thank you, giving a hug, offering help, sharing, not moaning, friendship, forgiveness etc. Click on the picture to get the pdf.
An animation of the God Became Like Me? Christmas booklet from Scripture Union. God Became Like Me? is a poetic retelling of why Jesus came, how much he loves us and how he is always there for us. It features stunning line illustrations for children to colour in while reflecting on the words. Click on the link or picture to download it.
Angel Gabriel brought Mary good news. Christians believe that the message of Christmas is good news for all people – God has sent Jesus to rescue people from sin. The word ‘gospel’ means good news. Click on the picture to download this activity to encourage children to think about some good news they have received.
In Search of Christmas is a trail-based treasure hunt for children and families, using a series of videos to encourage conversation and help crack a code. Videos are accessed by scanning QR codes, as the groups explore the local area. This resource is fun, interactive and engages children in exploring, walking, and sharing their thoughts on the Christmas story. Click on the image to find out more.
Are you a school looking to put on a Makaton signed Nativity and don’t know where to start? Why not check out two resources by Jacobs Ladder Productions. There’s Born this Night, aimed at early years / foundation and Gold Star Inn, aimed at children up to about 8 years. Written and produced by Primary School teacher, Makaton tutor and SEN mum, Rebecca Thompson. Click on the logo or title to visit the website to find out more or to purchase the books.
CaSS has created a sheet about how to do a Posada over Advent with your class or family. Posada originates in Hispanic countries and is a way to celebrate the nativity story. Posada is a period of time during Advent when figures from the nativity story travel around different households in the community and stay there for one night. Cilck on the title or image to download the sheet.
CaSS has created an advent calendar that gives you topics to pray for each day during advent. The topics are based around schools and come from our prayer cards pack. Click on the title or image to download the calendar.
A Community Christmas from Scripture Union is a resource pack full of ideas to help you reach out to those in your community this Christmas. It features articles and interviews from experienced Christian workers who share effective and time-tested ways to engage with people during the festive season. Also included are various materials to help you make the most of other Scripture Union booklets and animations. Click on the title or logo to visit the page and download the free pack.
The Gift by Marion Caragounis
The Gift was wrapped in swaddling clothes
And in a manger laid,
A helpless baby lying there
The love of God portrayed.
The world was dark and quiet, but
The angels couldn't keep
Their silence any longer as
They watched the nation sleep-
They broke the sky with glory light,
Their praises rang out clear,
They told the watchful shepherds 'Look
The Gift of God is here.
You'll find Him in a manger and
One day He'll grow to be
The Saviour you've been waiting for-
The Lord and Christ is He!'
Click on the image to download a printable version.
The Grumpy Owl and the Joy of Christmas is a new book from Scripture Union about an owl who is desperate to find some peace and quiet. Follow his adventure and see the nativity unfold as he returns to the very place he was trying to escape from! Click on the image or title to visit the website and buy the book.
The Meaningful Chocolate Company sells a Fairtrade Advent Calendar that supports charitable projects and comes with a free 24-page Christmas story activity book. The Real Advent Calendar is designed to share and celebrate the true meaning of Christmas so that Christ is not written out of Christmas. Why not use it in classrooms as a basis for discussion? The Meaningful Chocolate Company also sells a Chocolate Orange Christingle, resusable advent calendars and chocolate angels. Click on the image or title to visit their website.
The Greatest Journey – Bible Society Christmas story for children (2017)
https://youtu.be/ggFqPfbry_o - 3 minutes 32 seconds
The First Christmas – Stop-Go Animation / Claymation (1998)
https://youtu.be/y7T23XV-2Ek - 21 minutes 40 seconds
The Christian Story of the First Christmas | Religions of the World
https://youtu.be/FrTFAZPQxpE - 3 minutes 24 seconds
It Begins in Bethlehem – Our 2020 Christmas story for children
https://youtu.be/D06k9vulAVQ - 4 minutes 47 seconds
The Mystery of the New Noisy Neighbour – Bible Society Christmas story for children (2018)
https://youtu.be/URMtYSvMJys - 4 minutes 58 seconds
The Christmas Poem – Bible Society Christmas story for children (2015)
https://youtu.be/zD8FjeOYKgU - 4 minutes 9 seconds
The Star (2017) - The Nativity Scene
https://youtu.be/poswRRB_2i0 - 4 minutes 56 seconds
The Shepherds Visit Jesus
https://youtu.be/POSvV6mWAYQ - 3 minutes 35 seconds
The Nativity in Makaton
https://youtu.be/pqZaT4Dl4Fk - 20 minutes 21 seconds
Adventure of Christmas
https://youtu.be/qjbjeLyLQUE - 2 minutes 31 seconds
Wooden Artist's Models
Use wooden artist’s models (tip: they can often be found in charity shops), pieces of fabric and rubber bands. The image shows ones that Fiona has made.
Nativity Cut Out template
TLG has a great nativity cut out template to download.
Wooden Spoons
Flame Creative Children's Ministry has a great resource for making nativity sets out of wooden spoons.
Toilet Rolls
Rainy Day Mum has toilet roll nativity crafts (the three wise men, the angels, and Mary and Joseph on her website.
Lollipop Sticks
I Heart Arts N Crafts has a lovely stained glass effect lollipop stick nativity craft on her website.
Catholic Sprouts also has a lollipop stick and felt nativity craft on their website.
Stones
Rainy Day Mum has a great nativity craft made from stones.
We have even more Christmas crafts activities on our Christmas Pinterest board. Follow us on Pinterest and take a look!