Images of Christmas
Children’s Church Program
Teachers Manual
WEEK 1 Candy canes
WEEK 2 Bells and candles
WEEK 3 Garlands, wreaths and
chains and holly
WEEK 4 Stars
WEEK 5 Gifts
Images of Christmas
For the next 5 weeks we will be
learning about the stories and
customs surrounding some of
the common Images of
Christmas - the festive
decorations and pictures seen
on Christmas cards.
We will be hearing the story of
the Birth of Jesus.
We will be compiling a book
which can be given as a gift or
kept by the children so that they
can tell others about the true
meaning of Christmas.
CANDY CANES
Talk to the children about their week and
pray about any concerns. Take up offerings
Note that now we are in the fourth term and
there are only a few weeks until Christmas.
Tell them that we are going to learn about
the story and customs behind some of the
decorations and pictures we see at
Christmas time
Tell the children that for the next few weeks
we will be making a booklet which can be
given as a gift or kept by the children
Tell the story of the Candy Cane
Read the first part of the Christmas story the visit of the angel Gabriel to Mary
Do the colouring/craft activities
Make sure the children write their names on
the back of each page. Collect the pages so
that they can be collated for the booklet
Make a circle and Play Candy Cane Game
Still in the circle pray for the week ahead
The Legend of the Candy Cane
According to legend there was a candy maker who
wanted to invent a candy that was a witness to Christ.
First of all, he used a hard candy because Christ is the
rock of ages. This hard candy was shaped so that it
would resemble a “J” for Jesus or, turned upside
down, a shepherd’s staff. He made it white to
represent the purity of Christ.
Finally a red stripe was added to represent the blood
Christ shed for the sins of the world, and three thinner
red stripes for the stripes He received on our behalf
when the Roman soldiers whipped Him. Sometimes a
green stripe is added as a reminder that Jesus is a gift
from God.
The flavour of the cane is peppermint, which is similar
to hyssop. Hyssop is in the mint family and was used
in the Old Testament for purification and sacrifice.
Jesus is the pure Lamb of God, come to be a sacrifice
for the sins of the world.
So, every time you see a candy cane, remember the
message of the candy maker: Jesus is the Christ!
CANDY CANE GAME
Make a small cardboard square with
a candy cane taped to it for each child
and make a few extra in case of
visitors Write one child’s name on
each square and punch a hole in the
cardboard big enough to fit over the
hook of a candy cane
Children sit in a circle on the floor with
all the cardboard squares in the
centre of the circle. They take turns in
hooking their own square with a
candy cane.
This illustrates that Jesus is the Good
Shepherd who came to save each
one individually.
The children take home the square
and eat the cane they used for the
game.
Here are the stories and
meanings behind some of the
popular images of Christmas
BELLS AND CANDLES
Talk to the children about their week and
pray about any concerns. Take up offerings
.Remind the children that for the next few
weeks we will be making a booklet which
can be given as a gift or kept by the children
Tell the stories of the bells and candles
Sing the Bell carol using the instruments.
Read the second part of the Christmas story
- the birth of Jesus
Do the colouring/craft activities
Make sure the children write their names on
the back of each page. Collect the pages so
that they can be collated for the booklet
Make a circle and pray for the week ahead
Bells
Just as lost sheep are guided to safety by the
sound of the bell, it continues to ring today for
all to be guided to the fold. Follow the true
Shepherd who gave His life for the sheep."
Bells have also been used to announce news
and the Birth of Jesus is The Good News.
Paulinus, Bishop of Nola in Campania was the
first to introduce bells into Christian worship
around A.D. 420.
Bells say “Come and worship!”
Candles
Candles remind us that Jesus is
The Light of the World.
The glow of the candle also
represents how man can show his
thanks for the gift of Jesus by
following in Christ's footsteps, to
go about doing good. They remind
us to let our light shine before
men so that all may see it and
glorify God. This is what is
symbolized when the twinkling
lights shine on the tree like
hundreds of bright, shining
candles, each of them representing
one of God's precious children,
their light shining for all to see."
GARLANDS, WREATHS,
CHAINS AND HOLLY
Talk to the children about their week and
pray about any concerns. Take up offerings
Remind the children that for the next few
weeks we will be making a booklet which
can be given as a gift or kept by the children
Tell the stories of garlands, wreaths, chains
and holly
Sing The Holly and the Ivy
Read the third part of the Christmas story –
the shepherds
Do the colouring/craft activities
Make sure the children write their names on
the back of each page. Collect the pages so
that they can be collated for the booklet
Make a circle and pray for the week ahead
1. The holly and the ivy,
Now both are full well grown.1
Of all the trees that are in the wood,
The holly bears the crown.
Chorus
Oh, the rising of the sun,
The running of the deer.
The playing of the merry organ,
Sweet singing in the quire.2
2. The holly bears a blossom
As white as lily flower;
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ
To be our sweet Saviour. Chorus
3. The holly bears a berry
As red as any blood;
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ
To do poor sinners good.3 Chorus
4. The holly bears a prickle
As sharp as any thorn;
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ
On Christmas day in the morn. Chorus
5. The holly bears a bark
As bitter as any gall;
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ
For to redeem us all. Chorus
6. The holly and the ivy,
When they are both full grown,
Of all the trees that are in the wood,
The holly bears the crown. Chorus
[7. The rising of the sun
And the running of the deer,
The playing of the merry organ,
Sweet singing in the choir. Chorus]
The Christmas tree.
Green is the second color of
Christmas. The stately evergreen with
its unchanging color represents the
hope of eternal life in Jesus. It's
needles point heavenward as a
reminder that man's thoughts should
turn heavenward as well.
Wreaths
Wreaths made of fresh, fragrant
greenery and tied with a bright red
bow. "The bow reminds us of the
bond of perfection which is love. The
wreath embodies all the good things
about Christmas for those with eyes
to see and hearts to understand. It
contains the colors of red and green
and the heaven-turned needles of the
evergreen. The bow tells the story of
good will towards all; and its color
again reminds us of Christ's sacrifice.
Even its very shape is symbolic,
representing eternity and the eternal
nature of Christ's love. It is a circle
without beginning and without end.
STARS
Talk to the children about their week and
pray about any concerns. Take up offerings
Remind the children that this year we are
Remind the children that for the next few
weeks we will be making a booklet which
can be given as a gift or kept by the children
Tell the stories of stars
Read the fourth part of the Christmas story –
the Wise Men
Do the colouring/craft activities
Make sure the children write their names on
the back of each page. Collect the pages so
that they can be collated for the booklet
Play the shooting and falling star game
Make a circle and pray for the week ahead
The Star
The star was the heavenly sign
of promise. God promised a
Savior for the world and the
star was the sign of the
fulfillment of that promise of
the night that Jesus Christ was
born. God always fulfills His
promises and wise men still
seek Him.
Make a star mobile
The Star of
Bethlehem
No one knows the year in
which Christ was born,
although the solution may be
at hand.
The "star" might have been an
unusual set of planetary and
stellar conjunctions
culminating in a spectacular
close approach of Jupiter and
Venus.
Research is being carried out
at Griffith Observatory
California.
http://www.griffithobs.org/giftCmasintro.html
GIFTS
Talk to the children about their week and
pray about any concerns. Take up offerings
Tell the children they will be finishing off their
booklets this week
Tell the stories of gifts
Talk about the Christmas story and the true
meaning of Christmas
Do the colouring/craft activities and make up
the children’s booklets They can take them
home this week.
Make a circle and pray for the week ahead