Expanding the Impact of Your Gifts of Encouragement

God’sPromiseCame True

Unto us a child is born,unto us a son is given.

Isaiah 9:6

Christmas Party Outline

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God’sPromiseCame True

This event outline provides ideas for an hour-long program based on the theme God’s Promise Came True. It’s perfect for . . .

• Happy birthday party for Jesus• Children’s Sunday school the weekend between Christmas

and New Year’s• Parents Day Out before Christmas• Adapting for a day or two of VBS (“Christmas in July”)

The ideas that follow include suggestions for decorations, activity booths, snacks, and other fun ways to celebrate Jesus’ birthday. Accompanying downloadable extras are available at http://www.CTAinc.com/category/Resources-and-Idea-Center. May God work through you as you share the love of his Son with kids in a brand-new way!

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PreparationPreparationThink about creative ways to decorate your space, carrying out the God’s Promise Came True theme in your setting. Hang colorful streamers and strew confetti. Be sure to use plenty of stars of various sizes. Enter the search term “party decorations stars” in Pinterest to fi nd a variety of decorating ideas. If possible, let the children help you decorate.

Make your event as elaborate—or as simple—as you like. The ideas below and the God’s Promise Came True items available from CTA are designed to intrigue the children who attend, introduce the Savior to those who don’t know him, and encourage faith in the hearts of those who already believe.

As children arrive, give everyone a God’s Promise Came True goodie bag (Item #GPT17SCTS [book with free goodie bag] or #GPT17TS12 [12 goodie bags]) to collect treats and prizes and keep them safe along the way. You may want to use a permanent marker to write each child’s name on his or her bag.

NOTE: This event outline includes suggestions for crafts, games, snacks, and Bible Time. There are too many options to complete all of them in an hour. Choose which to execute, taking into account the size of your group, the children’s ages and interests, their background knowledge, skill levels, and the time available. If yours is a large group, consider dividing the group into smaller “families” and rotate through the activity centers described below.

Craft OptionsCraft OptionsMake Your Own OrnamentDistribute the God’s Promise Came True Foam Activity Kits (Item #GPT17KT), one per child and explain the directions as printed on the header.

As the children work, ask the group questions about the Christmas story and its meaning:

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• At Christmas, we celebrate Jesus’ birthday. Who is Jesus? (God’s Son, our Savior)• Where is Jesus on your ornament? (In the stable; he is lying in the manger)• Who is running toward the stable? Why? (One of the shepherds. Angels appeared to

shepherds who were caring for their fl ocks outside Bethlehem. The angels told them theSavior was born, just as God had promised. The shepherds ran to see and worship Jesus!)

• How do we worship Jesus at Christmastime? (We sing, pray, and praise Jesus. We believe inJesus as our Savior. We show kindness to our friends, family, and even people we don’t know.)

When the children are fi nished, explain that they can take the ornament home and use it to decorate their Christmas tree or place it on a bedside stand or dresser to remind them of the real reason for all the celebrations on Christmas.

Now Starring . . .What You’ll Need• Stars cut from construction paper or poster paper (various colors, sizes)• One much larger, ornately decorated star• Crayons or watercolor markers• Other craft supplies for decorating stars (optional: rickrack, glue sticks, glitter pens, crepe

paper streamers, tape)

What You’ll Do1. Have each child fi nd a partner or pair the children up yourself.2. Give each child a star and some markers. If you gathered additional craft supplies,

distribute them, too.3. Ask that the children decorate the star they have received as a gift to give to their partner.

On the star, they should also write why he or she is a “star”—for example, a star in art, insports, in kindness, in being a good friend.

4. When everyone is ready, have a “Star Ceremony” in which each child awards the decoratedstar to the partner and tells why that friend is a star.

5. Finally, hold the biggest, brightest, prettiest star you have made. Say, God promisedAbraham many descendants—as many as the stars in the sky! By faith, we arechildren of Abraham—the children God promised. But God also promised Abrahama very special descendant—the greatest, most wonderful Star of all! Who was thatStar? Yes, Jesus! Jesus, our Savior, is that Star! God’s promise came true!

Hints• This activity will work best if most of the children know one another well or if you

give your guests a few minutes to get to know one another before they start to work.

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• Pair visitors with your more outgoing regular attenders.• This activity will work best if it comes after Bible Truth Time. At that point, the children will

better understand the connection between God’s promises to Abraham and the stars they will make.

Bible Truth TimeBible Truth Time Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given. Isaiah 9:6

Ahead of time, decorate a corner of your space with a “God’s Promise Came True” banner (you may want to use the high-resolution theme art at www.CTAinc.com/FREE) and hang lots of stars from the ceiling or affi x stars to the walls around you. Be sure you have enough God’s Promise Came True Gospel Fun books for younger children (Item #GPT17GF) and God’s Promise Came True activity books (Item #GPT17AB) for older children. Each child should receive one or the other.

When the children are seated, ask volunteers:

• What’s a promise? (When someone says, “I’ll do this or this.” Let volunteers give examples.)

• Do promises always come true right away? (No, sometimes we have to wait a long time.)

Then say, Moms and dads make promises. Older brothers and sisters or grandparents sometimes make promises. Did you know that God makes promises, too!? Sometimes people can’t keep their promises, but God always, always keeps his promises.

Once a long, long time ago, God made a promise to a man named Abraham. Listen and see if you can fi gure out what that promise was—and why we have all these stars around here today. (Read Genesis 26:4 from a children’s Bible, if possible.)

• What did God promise Abraham? (He promised as many children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, and other descendants as there are stars in the sky. One of those descendants would be very, very special. He would bless the people of every family

everywhere on earth! He would be the Savior. What a wonderful promise!)

Sometimes when we have to wait a long time for a promise to come true, Mom or Dad will repeat the promise. They will promise over and over

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again. God’s people had to wait a long, long time for the promise of the Savior to come true. So God repeated his promise. Listen! (Read Isaiah 9:6.)

This is just one of many times God repeated his promise to send the Savior. Promise! Promise! Promise! God promised a Savior many times. God’s people waited and waited and waited. Then, fi nally, one day that promise came true! Listen!

Read Luke 2:1–20 from your children’s Bible or from God’s Promise Came True (Item #GPT17SCTS, comes with a free goodie bag). Then ask:

• Who was the Savior that God sent? (Jesus)• When and how did Jesus come? (Jesus was born as a baby on

the fi rst Christmas.)

Say this with me: “God’s promises all came true! Jesus was born for me and for you!” (Invite the children to repeat the words with you several times. You might point for the words me and you.)

Jesus is our Savior from sin. Everybody sins. When you get crabby and yell at your dad, that’s sin. When you are selfi sh and won’t share your toys with a friend, that’s sin. When you say, “I don’t have homework,” but you really do, that’s sin. When Mom says, “No cookies until supper,” and you sneak a cookie anyway, that’s sin. Who can think of other examples? (Let volunteers respond.)

Jesus came to wash away all our sins. He came to bring us God’s forgiveness. With forgiveness, we receive many other good things, too. We receive peace and joy and love. Jesus makes us children of God, just like he is! Jesus loves and forgives us, and one day everyone who believes in him will live with him in our heavenly home. I am so glad, aren’t you!?

At Christmastime, we give each other gifts to celebrate God’s best gift—Jesus. That’s a great custom. But you know what? Christmas is Jesus’ birthday. I would like to give Jesus a gift! Wouldn’t you?

But what can we give him? Jesus is God! He doesn’t need socks or a coat or toys.

What do you think Jesus would want most? (Let volunteers answer.)

This Christmas and always we can tell Jesus how much we love him and how thankful we are that he is our Savior. We can also show his love to other people. That

makes Jesus so happy! What are some ways you could show Jesus’ love to people you know? (Let volunteers answer.)

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Yes, we can forgive people when they hurt our feelings; we can share our best toys; we can obey our moms and dads. And we can keep on learning more about Jesus, the Savior, who was born for us that very fi rst Christmas—just as God had promised! I’m going to give you something to help you do that.

Give each child two copies of God’s Promise Came True (Item #GPT17SCTS, comes with a free goodie bag) to take home. Explain that one of these is for them to keep for themselves and one is to share with a friend, especially a friend who might not know that Jesus came at the fi rst Christmas to be the Savior promised long, long ago.

Before you dismiss the group, pray for the children, asking Jesus to help them see many other ways to share his love this Christmas.

GamesGamesStar PiñataWhat You’ll Need• A star-shaped piñata and piñata stick • Prizes to put in the piñata; in addition to individually

wrapped candies, consider adding God’s Promise Came True silicone slap bracelets (Item #GP17SBT) and God’s Promise Came True wood ornaments (Item #GPT17WOR).

• A way to hang the piñata; if hanging it from the ceiling isn’t feasible, use two ladders and string a rope between them.

What You’ll Do1. As you begin, explain the “10-second rule” to the group. After the piñata is broken,

everyone must count to 10 before they can collect prizes. This will give the younger children a better chance. Also remind the children to put the prizes they fi nd into the goodie bags they have received (Item #GPT17SCTS or #GPT17TS12).

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2. Then invite the children, one at a time, to hit the piñata, attempting to break it open. If the smallest children go fi rst, more children will be able to participate.

3. Blindfold each player. Then spin them around several times before allowing them to swing at the piñata.

Hints• You can buy a star-shaped piñata and a piñata stick at a party store or online. You can also

make a piñata. Several easy recipes are available online. Instead of purchasing a piñata stick, simply cut a broomstick in half.

• When older children take their turns, you might want to move the piñata up and down or swing it from side to side to make the game more challenging.

Christmas Ornament RelayWhat You’ll Need• Styrofoam balls, decorated like Christmas tree ornaments (one per team)• Spoons (two per team)

What You’ll Do1. Form teams, an equal number of children in each team.2. Each player, in turn, balances the “ornament” on a spoon and carries it to the opposite side

of the playing area and back again. 3. Then the ornament is transferred to the next player’s spoon and that player carries it. 4. The team that fi nishes fi rst wins.

Hints• To make the game more challenging for older

children, have players keep their free hand behind their backs as they transfer the ornament.

• To make the game easier for younger children, use only one spoon per team and eliminate the transfer.

• Award prizes to everyone. You might give each member of the winning team a God’s Promise Came True dog tag necklace (Item #GPT17NL) and the other children a God’s Promise Came True match game (Item

#GPT17GM). Or consider letting the willing team choose the prize they want.

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“Snow Day!” RelayWhat You’ll Need• Several large bags of white packing “peanuts”• A child’s plastic beach shovel (one for each team)• A large container for each team (cover it in Christmas wrap or star-themed gift wrap)• A smaller container for each team (also covered in themed gift wrap)

What You’ll Do1. Pile the packing peanuts in the center of the room. Put each team’s large container on one

side of the room. Have the teams stand on the opposite side.2. When the leader signals, “GO,” the teams race to the packing peanuts and shovel them into

their small container, using the beach shovel. When the small container is full, one member of the team runs to empty it into the team’s large container, then returns. The team fi lls the smaller container again, and so on.

3. The game ends when you run out of “snow” or after 8 minutes have passed. The winning team is the one with the most “snow” in its large container.

Hints• For easier clean up, cover the entire area with a large plastic tarp.• Award each participant a pair of God’s Promise Came

True Prism Glasses (Item #GPT17GL) • Make sure the children take turns “shoveling” and

running the “snow,” as in a relay race.

Song Time!Song Time!Spend a few minutes singing praises to Jesus before you distribute the snacks. Include favorite songs your children suggest and enjoy.

Then invite the group to repeat the words from Bible Truth Time: God’s promises all came true! Jesus was born for me and for you!

Ask: What promise did God make? (He promised to send a Savior.) What promises does God keep? (God keeps all his promises!)

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Snack OptionsSnack OptionsBefore you eat your snack together, light the candles on the cake you are serving and sing “Happy Birthday” to Jesus.

As the children eat, consider playing or singing more favorite Christmas songs.

“God’s Promise Came True” CakeWhat’s a birthday party without a birthday cake? Here are several variations the children at your party might enjoy:

• Make your favorite cupcake recipe, and on each cupcake place one letter of the phrase “God’s Promise Came True!”—G on one cupcake, O on the next, D on the third, and so on. In between each word, place a cupcake with a lighted candle.

• Make a star-shaped birthday cake and add 21 candles—one for each century Jesus’ love has impacted our world.

• As an alternative to cake, serve star-shaped JELL-O gelatin Jigglers snacks.

Birthday PunchPut one half-gallon container of softened strawberry sherbet into a large punch bowl. Add two 64-ounce bottles of fruit punch and one two-liter bottle of chilled lemon-lime soda. Stir a bit. Let the sherbet melt as the party proceeds.

Or, for a more healthful option, serve fruit juice.

Whatever the beverage, CTA’s God’s Promise Came True plastic tumblers (Item #GPT17PT) make great party cups.

© 2017 CTA, Inc. Permission to make photocopies or reproduce by any other mechanical or electronic means is granted and is intended for use within a church or other Christian organization, but not for resale.

The Scripture quotation is from the King James Version of the Bible.

#GPT17DCE