Why Christmas is the Best Time of Year

Christmas is coming! I’m so excited! It’s the most wonderful time of the year, and you can’t convince me otherwise!

Celebrating Jesus with the world is the absolute best. Getting to work in family ministry and sharing the birth of Jesus with kids and students is such a privilege. I just love this season so much! Bring on all the celebration and fanfare you can throw at me!

Planning Christmas Early: The Family Ministry Advantage

Now that we’ve cleared up how I feel about Christmas, here’s something else I love: While others are still focused on fall holidays, family ministry teams already have Christmas on their minds.

While retail stores get shamed for putting out Christmas decorations in mid-July (okay, maybe they could wait until at least September, or when Starbucks releases their pumpkin spice lattes), those of us in family ministry dive in early. We start planning and dreaming about all things Christmas way ahead of time!

The thing is, we can’t afford to procrastinate. These halls aren’t going to deck themselves, and our kids aren’t going to celebrate alone

25 Christmas Ideas and Activites For Your Ministry

Get the Congregation Involved

On a tight budget? Want to get more church members involved? Host a Donation Saturday where church members can drop off old Christmas decorations. You’d be amazed at what people will donate!

To avoid receiving Grandma’s forty-year-old doilies, create a list of suggested items. You’ll be surprised by how much you can collect!

Crafting Fun with Kids

Involve your students in decorating by having them make paper ornaments during small group time one Sunday in November. Homemade ornaments add a special, personal touch to your decorations.

You can also have the kids create paper snowflakes to hang from the ceiling. It’s an inexpensive way to make your room feel festive! Or, let them make red and green paper chain links to line the walls or ceiling. For a meaningful twist, ask them to write things they’re thankful for or ways Jesus has impacted their lives on the links.

Compassion and Christmas: Teaching Kids to Give Back

Christmas is a time for giving, so why not remind kids of this by having them create Christmas cards for local nursing homes or families in need?

You can also set up a “compassion tree” where ornaments represent gifts for a charity. Your students and their families can sponsor an ornament and donate the corresponding gift. It’s a beautiful way to help kids see the joy of giving.

Fun and Festive Themes

Want a fun theme? Go vintage with a “Grandma’s Attic” Christmas and use old-fashioned decorations. You can even ask church members to contribute items for this theme.

Another idea is to create a gratitude tree. Let kids write what they’re thankful for on paper ornaments and hang them on the tree. It’s the perfect Thanksgiving Sunday activity to transition into the Christmas

Christmas Activities For The Whole Family

Paper Snowflakes and Chains

• Make paper snowflakes to hang from the ceiling. It’s a simple, inexpensive way to decorate for Christmas.
• Kids can create red/green paper chain links to hang on walls or ceilings. You can even have them write reasons they are thankful for Jesus, or someone/something they are thankful for, on each link.

Christmas Party

• Host a Christmas party on one of the Sundays in December! Include:
  • Snacks
  • Christmas games
  • Christmas worship music
  • Watch the Christmas Story video

Tithes and Charity

• Collect tithes from students during November. In December, let them pick a charity to donate to.
• Have them decorate a wall to honor this charity.

Compassion Tree

• Set up a compassion tree for a chosen charity. Each ornament on the tree represents a gift for the charity. Families can sponsor ornaments and help the charity.

Chalkboard or Butcher Paper Wall

• Set up a chalkboard or butcher paper wall where kids can write:
  • Their favorite Christmas tradition
  • Their favorite Christmas song
• For songs, play a game where a host is blindfolded and has to pin the bow on a song. Whichever song is chosen gets played, and kids can jam out to it that Sunday!

Creative Word Art with Bows

• Use bows of different sizes and colors to spell out words like a Bible verse, “Jingle Jam,” or other virtues.
• Ask church members to donate bags of bows for this fun decoration!

Wrapping Paper Wall

• Use wrapping paper to decorate a wall. You can mix colors and patterns for a fun, festive look.
• Ask church members to donate unused wrapping paper to help decorate.

Christmas Lights

• Ask for donations of Christmas lights and go wild with them! Kids love a bright, lit-up room, and lights can make the space dazzling.

Christmas Trees

• Place Christmas trees everywhere! They don’t need ornaments to look beautiful—just light them up.
• Lights and trees are perfect for decorating a stage or any space.

Inflatables

• Add some fun with Christmas inflatables! You can line the entrance to the kids’ ministry with inflatables on both sides.
• Dollar stores often sell them at affordable prices in various sizes.

Christmas Decoration Party

• Host a Christmas decoration party for your space!
• Invite volunteers, play Christmas music, and serve apple cider to set the festive mood.
• Invite a small group (perhaps a women’s group) and their kids to join in the fun and help decorate. It’s a great way to get into the Christmas spirit together!

Bringing the Christmas Spirit with Lights and Music

Christmas lights can transform a space, and kids love them! Don’t hesitate to go all out with the lights—they add a magical touch and make any room feel festive.

Don’t forget the music! A Christmas playlist is an easy way to set the tone each Sunday in December. All you need is a Bluetooth speaker and your favorite Christmas songs, and you’re good to go!

Jingle Jam: Bringing Christmas to the Whole Community

Are you doing Jingle Jam this year? We started hosting Jingle Jam at my church on a Wednesday night in a small corner with about 50 people. Now, ten years later, we host it at a local community theater with over 1,000 people attending across four event times!

It’s one of the best decisions we’ve ever made for celebrating Christmas with both our church families and the larger community.

ICYMI: Watch the Jingle Jam Strategy session here.

Have small group leaders/volunteers wear Christmas accessories all month long! You can provide these or encourage them to wear their own! You could also have a tacky Christmas sweater competition between small group leaders! All of these helps “decorate” the environment!

Are you doing Jingle Jam this year? We started hosting Jingle Jam at my church on a Wednesday night in a small corner with about 50 people. Now, ten years later, we host it at a local community theater with over 1,000 people attending across four event times!

It’s one of the best decisions we’ve ever made for celebrating Christmas with both our church families and the larger community.

Setting the Stage for Jingle Jam

Consider creating a photo wall for families attending Jingle Jam. It’s simple to set up with a backdrop and some props. A volunteer with a smartphone can take photos, giving families a special keepsake for the holidays. People love it!

Creating a Cozy Christmas Experience

Hot cocoa and cookies are a great way to create a cozy, welcoming atmosphere at your event. We serve these in a food trailer at the entrance to the theater for Jingle Jam. It’s always a hit and adds to the festive vibe.

Encouraging Families to Celebrate Christmas Together

I also encourage families to celebrate together at home. We challenge them to pick one night before Christmas to sit by their tree, read the Christmas story, and pray as a family.

We hand out cards with the Bible passage and a question for them to discuss. It’s a simple but meaningful way for families to gather and reflect on the true meaning of Christmas.

Remember, the Christmas celebration starts the moment families arrive! The people welcoming your kids and families—whether in the parking lot or at the doors—set the tone for the celebration.

Don’t Forget the Welcoming Team: Celebrating Starts at the Door

Encourage your welcoming team to wear festive accessories like light-up necklaces, reindeer antlers, or Santa hats. Their cheerful attitude and holiday spirit will make all the difference in how people feel as they enter your ministry space.

Final Thoughts on Christmas Ideas: Bringing Christmas Joy to Your Ministry

There you have it—some practical and creative ways to deck the halls and bring the Christmas spirit to your family ministry. But remember, the real magic happens with the people you have in your halls.

If we’re ready to celebrate and have fun, the kids will follow our lead! Here’s hoping and praying that you have a joyful, meaningful Christmas celebration in your family ministry this year!