The Greatest Gift

Christmas is Coming very very soon!

Do you enjoy getting presents and giving gifts to others? A gift all wrapped up in pretty paper with a BIG bow is enough to get us all very excited.

Do you like to rip the paper off of your gifts very quickly to see what is inside. Maybe you open your packages very carefully in anticipation of what lies inside the box.

Gifts come in all shapes and sizes. Some of the very best presents come in tiny packages and sometimes your favorite gift may not even be wrapped at all!

Have Mom or Dad put a mystery object inside a box. You try to guess what is inside by shaking it and listening for clues. Take turns guessing!

This Christmas I want to tell you about the BEST gift that anyone ever gave anyone else.

A long time ago, nearly 2,000 years, God gave the world the best present ever.

God sent His only Son named Jesus to come and be born in a manger in the city of Bethlehem.

God sent us His Son because God loves us and He wanted us to have a Saviour. A Saviour is someone who SAVES someone else and that is just what Jesus does.

Jesus came to earth as a baby and He lived a PERFECT life. That means that Jesus never did anything wrong, EVER!

Even though Jesus was perfect, He took the punishment for our sins and He died on the cross so that we could be saved and live forever with Him in heaven.

A Perfect Package!

The Father above sent us a beautiful package long ago. The package was gift wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger instead of beneath a Christmas tree.

The Father above picked this package especially for the whole world. He spent a lot of time preparing this present and the Father above wanted to give this present to EVERYONE!

The Father above loved this package because it was the only package He had. This special package was very special to the Father but the Father above loved the world so much that He sent this package to earth.

This perfect package needed no red bow on top because it was beautiful just the way it was.

People came from far and near to see this special package that God had sent down from heaven. Angels announced the arrival of this package to shepherds in the field.

	2:8	And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
	2:9	And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
	2:10	And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
	2:11	For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
	2:12	And this [shall be] a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
	2:13	And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
	2:14	Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

Do you leave a glass of milk and cookies for Santa Claus on Christmas Eve?

This year before you go to bed on Christmas Eve, go outside for a few minutes and gaze at the stars above. What a beautiful sky God made for us with the stars twinkling and the moon lighting our paths at night.

Say a little prayer to God.

Dear God,
What a beautiful world you have made for me. Thank you God for creating the stars and the moon and everything else in the world. Thank you God for making me and giving me the GREATEST GIFT of baby Jesus. Help me to remember Jesus tonight and to remember that HE is the reason for Christmas. I know you loved me God because of this special present you sent me in a manger. I love you too and I thank you for this special birthday that I am celebrating tonight. I may be leaving Santa some cookies tonight Jesus, but I am leaving you something much better! I am leaving my heart and my love for you Jesus! Merry Christmas God and Happy Birthday Jesus!

I LOVE YOU! Amen

Christmas Pictures to Color!

Mary, Joseph and Baby Jesus
Mary & Joseph Travel to Bethlehem

Other Fun Things to Do to Remember Jesus!

Go to church on Christmas!

Every night at dinner, take turns reading about the fulfilled prophecies of Jesus.

Draw a picture of a pretty package and label it "The Greatest Gift Comes from Above." Hang this picture on your bedroom door for a reminder of the Gift in Jesus.

Make a banner for your living room that says, "Jesus is the REASON for the Season!"

Decorate a birthday cake for Jesus and sing happy birthday to Him on Christmas Eve.

Wrap tiny packages with cookies & the Christmas Story inside. Share them with your neighbors.

Read daily from the Bible and during December read from the book of Luke about the birth of Jesus.

Go Christmas caroling and sing JOYFULLY to the Lord!

Make a construction paper prayer chain for each day of December. Write names of people that you would like to pray for inside each link. Every night remove a link and pray for the person's name written inside. Ideas: pray for each member of your family, your pastor, your neighborhood, your school, your friends, etc. Label the link that you will pray for on Christmas Eve with Jesus. On Christmas Eve pray to Jesus and thank Him for the gift of Salvation He offers us.

Write a letter to Jesus and instead of asking Him for gifts, tell Him what you would like to give Him in the coming New Year. Gifts such as being nicer to your brothers and sisters, obeying your parents, studying your Bible, praying every day, and most of all loving Him with all your heart.

Make a paper plate Angel with glue, yarn, and markers. Be creative! Hang your angel from your mantel or door with a sign attached that says, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men."

Get together with your friends and have a party celebrating Jesus. Maybe you could all dress like shepherds or angels. Decorate cookies in the shape of the Christmas star. Share the story of the star and how it led the wisemen to Jesus.

Make special Christmas cards for your family and friends out of thick paper. Decorate them with glitter, glues, markers, etc. Color pictures of baby Jesus to make your card complete.