For many people it is the biggest celebration of the year and for some Christmas has kept all the traditions but lost its meaning. We can’t remember why there is an angel on top of the tree (or is it a fairy?)
Some people think Christmas has been developed by retailers and money makers. Everyone loves seeing the children’s faces on Christ-mas morning but in making sure Santa comes with the gifts have we for-gotten what Christmas really is?
What does Christmas mean to you? Do you spend Advent excitedly planning for everything to be perfect or do you dread it? In this Advent Messy Church we hope you will be able put Christ back into Christmas.
The circumstances around the birth of Jesus are a mystery and a miracle, the prophets and angelic visitors had foretold of the miracle baby “born” from God. A long walk, a dirty stable, a star, smelly animals, and gifts fit for a king. What a mix! certainly not the perfect birth a mother would wish for her first baby, So when things are not perfect, don’t stress, think of that first Christmas. The preparations of Mary and Joseph, all put to one side when the call to travel for the census was made. No time to email and book a room or call up the family to make a bed ready. What do you think went through their heads as they plodded from Nazareth to Bethlehem? They followed Gods instructions and their actions have given us the best gift ever, “For God gave his only son that whoever believes in him will not die but have eternal life” John 3:16
This year we are all in uncharted territory and so we need reassurance and reminding that Jesus Christ brings us Hope & Love, Joy & Peace, and best of all Jesus brings Light into our world.
https://vimeo.com/470571979
Preparing for Christmas
Salt Dough Decorations –
one cup of water, cookie cutters or cut out templates, paint and glitter.
How to make your decorations:
1. mix together all the dry ingredients.
2. Add the water slowly so the mix is like dough. If it gets too sticky add some more flour. It should be dry enough that it comes off your fingers
3. Roll out the dough and cut it into shpes with template or the cutters
4. Stick a straw near the top of each shape to make a hole for thread to hang it by
5. Put on a baking tray and bake at 100 degrees C for 2—3 hours
6. When they are dry, paint with any paint available add glitter when dry and thread with ribbon or thread.
Lolly stick stars
You will need : lolly sticks, glue, paint, glitter, gems, pompoms, small card circle.
Star 1
- Put glue on the card circle in a cross shape +
- With the end of 4 stick sat centre of the circle make a cross over glue
- Take 2 more sticks and put a smaller cross on top of the centre of the sticks on the card circle
Star 2
- You will need 5 lolly sticks per star. All you have to do is lay out your lolly sticks in the pattern shown and glue them together.
- You could also use a tacky PVA but make sure you leave it flat until it dries!
- You could also use a cool or hot glue gun, if you do this make sure an adult helps!
- Once your star is dry, simply thread some ribbon or string through the top of the star and they will be ready to hang.
To add to the craft, you could stick sequins or gems onto the stars You could even use mini pom pom on each tip of the star.
Lolly stick stars
You will need : lolly sticks, glue, paint, glitter, gems, pompoms, small card circle.
Star 1 - Put glue on the card circle in a cross shape +
- With the end of 4 stick sat centre of the circle make a cross over glue
- Take 2 more sticks and put a smaller cross on top of the centre of the sticks on the card circle