Object Lesson - Stretched by God

There is going to be a tug-of-war in our spiritual life because God is always in the process of transforming us. Change causes tension and we are stretched. This week’s lesson uses rubber bands for games and as an object lesson on the topic of being stretched by God.

PLEASE SHARE THIS IDEA ON FACEBOOK – CLICK HERE

Rubber Band Games

• Rubber Band Face– Youth compete by stretching a rubber band over their heads and open their mouths so that the rubber band is stretched between their teeth and below their ears. Without using their hands, they must move the rubber band down their faces so that it ends up around their neck. They will need to use their tongue, lips and teeth and lots of chin wriggling to make this happen. be sure to have a camera because the distorted faces are hilarious. (You can also place the rubber band on the upper lip just below the nose for a different variation)
• Rubber Band Face– Youth compete by stretching a rubber band over their heads and open their mouths so that the rubber band is stretched between their teeth and below their ears. Without using their hands, they must move the rubber band down their faces so that it ends up around their neck. They will need to use their tongue, lips and teeth and lots of chin wriggling to make this happen. be sure to have a camera because the distorted faces are hilarious. (You can also place the rubber band on the upper lip just below the nose for a different variation)
• Rubber Band War– Set up two fortresses in a classroom using folding tables turned on their sides about 8-10 feet apart. Put a line of masking tape down the middle of the playing field between the two tables. Give two teams tons of rubber bands (you can buy them by the bag at office supply stores). Teams try to hide behind the fortress, but can jump out and run around as long as they stay on their side of the dividing line. If anyone gets shot by a rubber band, even from their own team, they are out of the game. The last team standing (or crawling around the floor) wins. Rubber bands must be shot directly in order to get a person out. Simply tossing them over the table doesn’t count. Stress the importance of honesty. Try different configurations with your tables to keep it interesting. Use thin rubber bands so they don’t hurt too much or cause injuries.
• Rubber Band Targets– Hang aluminum pie tins from string across one end of the room. Use a marker to label them with different point values. When hit with a rubber band they will make a definite sound. Give each youth 5 to 10 rubber bands to shoot from the other side of the room. Highest score wins.
• Rubber Band Pass– The objective of this youth group game is to pass the most rubber bands to the end of your team’s line as possible in a given amount of time. Divide into teams and give every team member a plastic drinking straw to place in his or her mouth. (You can also use dried spaghetti in place of a straw) Once the straw is in the mouth you cannot adjust it or touch it with your hands. The first person on each team places a rubber band on his or her straw, then using the straws only must pass it to the second person in line, and continue until it reaches the end of the line. Only one rubber band can be on a straw at a time.
• Rubber Band Man– You’ll need a lot of rubber bands for each team. Give each team 1 minute to place as many rubber bands as possible on their rubber band man (or woman). A rubber band on the rubber band man’s hands or arms is worth 1 point. The feet and legs are two points. Face is 3 points. Hanging it on the ears doesn’t count. The neck is not allowed. The team with the most points wins. Use different size rubber bands to make the game more interesting. Be prepared for some outrageous photos.
• Rubber Band Rope Jumping– Loop a number of rubber bands together tightly until you have a larger one (You can select the length you want). Teams then compete to see who can make the most jumps using the rubber band.
• Loop Groups– Tie a number of rubber bands together to form a big loop about the size of a hula hoop. Ask the youth to stand in a circle and hold hands. Then have one pair of youth release their hands and reach through the loop circle and then re-connect hands. The ring of rubber bands must travel in a clockwise direction and return to the initial starting position without anyone letting go of the hands on either side of them. The youth must stay in one location while the rubber band loop moves around the circle. Fastest time wins.
• Rubber Band Limbo– This game, is like the traditional game of limbo, except that the string of rubber bands replaces the pole. The rubber bands are stretched at progressively lower levels and the youth try to pass under it.
• Rubber band wrestling– This game is played between pairs of youths. They must sit at a table facing each other, and resting their right hands on the table. They then hook their fingers together with their thumbs raised up in the air. A rubber band is then placed around the two thumbs. On “go” they each try to capture the rubber band without dropping it by wiggling their thumbs. The side with the most winners can be the winning team or you can have successive play off until you have a single winner.
• Elastic Bull’s Eye– You will need loop of rubber bands tied together into a circle and one “target” (non-elastic string loop) for each group. The group must release the stretched out rubber band in such a way that the elastic falls inside the target (inside the bulls eye). Divide the youth group into teams of 4-8 and supply each group with one loop of rubber bands and one “target” (non-elastic string). Each person in the group holds onto the elastic with two fingers and then the group backs up so the elastic is stretched out in a big circle (people are spaced evenly from each other). Place the target in the center of the circle. The group must now release the elastic simultaneously and in such a way that the elastic falls into the target. Most number of success in a given time wins. Rules: The group must keep the loop stretched just before the release. The group must release the loop simultaneously. The stretched loop must be kept parallel to the ground. The target must stay in the center of the circle. The loop can only land inside the target as a result of the simultaneous release of the loop by the group (example: the elastic cannot be thrown by one person)
• Focus Ring– You’ll need a large thick rubber band that is a bit smaller than a tennis ball for each team. Each team will also need two empty plastic soda bottles. Finally you will need about 3 ft or 1 meter of string for each team member. Tie the strings to the rubber band in a radiating pattern so that the rubber band is in the center of all the strings. Place the tennis ball on top of one of the empty soda bottles as a pedestal. The objective it to pull on the strings and use the rubber band to move the tennis ball on top of the other. Each person in the group holds on to at least one string (depending on the size of the group, some will have more than one string). The participants spread out like spokes of a wheel, holding on to the end of their string. Rules: Each participant gets to operate at least one string. Participants must hold onto the end of the string and no other place. Participants must stay at a distance of at least the length of a stretched out string (very important). If the ball falls the group must start again. If the pedestal falls over the group must start again. The group is successful when the ball is balanced on the pedestal.

TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL

One of the key characteristics of a rubber band is that it is stretched. In fact, a rubber band isn’t much use unless it is stretched.

• What are some things that we use rubber bands for?
• Why are the rubber bands ideal for such tasks?
• What happens to a rubber band after it is stretched many times?

MAKE IT SPIRITUAL

Just as a rubber band becomes more useful when stretched, God also stretches us to make us more effective and use us more fully for his glory. When stretched you expand your usefulness to God.

See the scripture section below for verses that talk about us being stretched in the Christian walk.

Stretching means trusting God in moments of stress, tension, pressure, and discomfort. Sometimes it is painful and sometimes merely uncomfortable.  

MAKE IT PRACTICAL

There is going to be a tug-of-war in our spiritual life because God is always in the process of transforming us. Change causes tension and we are stretched. But in these times God is moving us forward into the likeness of Christ. When God stretches us, He is not making us somebody we do not want to be. He is actually stretching us to be the person He created us to be.

• When a muscle is regularly stretched it becomes more flexible, versatile, efficient, strong, and growing. What difference would it make in your Christian walk if these characteristics were also true of you spiritual life?
• Consider also the opposites of those qualities. How would your spiritual life be different if it was characterized by inflexible, limited, ineffective, atrophied, weak and brittle?
• When a muscle is not regularly stretched it atrophies or shrinks. How does this relate to spiritually exercising our faith?
• There is always a purpose to being stretched. How do we cooperate with God and grow in the stretch?

MAKE IT PERSONAL

• How is God growing and stretching you right now?
• Do you tend to cooperate and hear what God is doing, or pull away when you are being stretched
• How can you personally cooperate with God when he is stretching you?

SCRIPTURES

• Philippians 3:14 – “I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”
• Isaiah 54:2 – “Enlarge the place of your tent, And let them stretch out the curtains of your dwellings; Do not spare; Lengthen your cords, and strengthen your stakes.”
• Philippians 3:13 and 14 – “forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”
• Matthew 12:13 – “Then He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand!” He stretched it out, and it was restored to normal, like the other.”
• James 1:2-4 – “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials; knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”
• 1 Corinthians 10:13 – “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.”
• Philippians 4:13 – “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”

PLEASE SHARE THIS IDEA ON FACEBOOK – CLICK HERE

Object Lesson - Christmas Bows

Christmas gifts almost always come with a Christmas Bow. The wrapping paper, ribbons, and the bows are used to decorate and bring attention to the gift. It’s not the bow that is important, but the gift it adorns. It is sad that so many people are enjoying all the wrappings of Christmas and the decorations, but they have forgotten about the gift – God with us – Emmanuel – the birth of Christ.

PLEASE SHARE THIS IDEA ON FACEBOOK – CLICK HERE

Games using Christmas Bows

• Christmas Bow Pass– In this game, teams race to pass the Christmas bows from one end of the line to the other while holding hands. Divide the youth group into teams of 6 to 10 young people and have the teams line up side by side. At one end of the line place six Christmas bows and at the other end have a basket where they can drop the bows. Give them the following instruction: “With your left hand, grab the right wrist of the person on your right.” Teams must pass all the bows down to the end, and then back, without disconnecting to win. They may only touch the bows with their right hands. If a bow is dropped, the team must retrieve it while remaining connected. If the chain breaks all the bows currently being passed must move back to the beginning of the line.
• Pass the Christmas Bow Gift Exchange– Played like “hot potato” Pass a bows around the circle while listening to Christmas Carols. When the music stops, whoever is holding the bow gets to pick a present from under the tree and places it in their lap or under their chair. The game continues until everyone gets a gift. If the music stops and someone is holding the bow who already has a gift it goes to the next person on the right who hasn’t had a gift yet.
• Christmas Bow Hunt– This is just like an Easter egg hunt—only with Christmas Bows! Hide all the bows in a room, or all around the house and have everyone search for them.
• Christmas Bow Fight– Place a long jump rope or string down the middle of the floor to divide the room into 2 equal halves with one team on each side. Each team starts with an equal number of bows. Set a timer for 2-3 minutes and when the game starts, participants pick up the bows and throw them to the other team’s side of the room! When the timer goes off, everyone drops all the bows and counts how many bows are on their team’s side. Whichever team has the least amount of bows wins.
• Taboo Word– Everyone is given a Christmas bow to pin on their shirt at the beginning of the party or event. A word is chosen that everyone is not allowed to say. (e.g. Santa) If anyone says the taboo word to someone else during the event, they must give them their Christmas bow. They pin the bow on their shirt alongside any others they have collected. Everyone ends up trying to get others to say the forbidden word. At the end of the event, the person with the most Christmas bows pinned to them, wins.
• Christmas Bow Tree Race– The youth divide into two teams of an equal number of players. One person on wach team is designated as a gift and stands on the opposite end of the room from his or her team. On go, one person at a time on each team must grab ONE bow from a basket and run to the “gift” and stick it on to his or her arms or head. Youth can only stick bows on the arms and head. The team that attaches the most bows to the gift in a given amount of time wins. Bows that fall off don’t count.
• Christmas Bow Balance– Prepare two baskets of bows of various colors in each. The baskets should contain an equal number of bows of each color. As you call out a color, the next person on each team runs to his or her basket, and puts as many bows of the specified color on his or her head as they want and walks back to his or her team. If even one bow falls off, they have to try again. Call out the colors in random order. At some point call the game and the team with the most bows wins.
• Christmas Bow Blow– Tape two lines on the floor at opposite ends of the room as goal lines. Teams blow the bows along the floor to the opposite goal and back. First team to complete the relay wins.
• Christmas Bow Grab– Play like the regular game of Spoons, but substitute Christmas Bows for the spoons. In the middle of the table, place one less Bow than the number of players you have. Shuffle a standard 52-card deck and deal 4 cards to each person. Have everyone take one of their cards and discard it to their left simultaneously. The person to the right of the dealer, however, should put one of their cards down on the table to start the discard pile, while the dealer picks up a new card. Repeat this process of everyone passing to the left. Each round the dealer should pick up a new card and the person to their right should add to the discard pile, so as to have a continuous influx of new cards. The first person to have 4 of a kind (e.g. all 4 aces or all 4 nines) has to pick up a bow. Following this, all other players need to do the same, with the slowest person left without a bow and out of the game.
• Pin the Bow on the present– In this Christmas version of the classic kids game of Pin the Tail on the Donkey, blindfolded kids try to pin the Bow where the ribbons cross on a gift wrapped box.
• Christmas Bow Toss– Bows are tossed at wrapped Gifts boxes labeled with various point values. If it lands on top you the points. You can play with harder to hit targets which are worth more points.
• Christmas Bow Fan– One Contestant from each team must stand behind a Christmas bow holding a gift box. When the clock starts, each contestant may start fanning the bow with the gift box. Contestants and the gift box may not touch the bow at any time or the game is over. To complete the game, contestant must get the bow in a designated end zone area (taped square on the floor) within the 60-second time limit. The bow must come to a complete stop without exiting the designated end zone.
• Christmas Bow tennis– Youth split into two teams across from each other on opposite ends of a table. The objective is to blow the Bow off the opponent’s end for a point.
• Christmas Bow Tag– With a glue gun or piece of adhesive tape, attach bow to a clothespin. You’ll need two for each participant. When you start the game, give every person two of the bows as they enter. When everyone has their Bows, tell them you’re giving them two minutes to get rid of their bows. The only way for participants to get rid of the bows is onto pin them to someone else. Award a prize to the person with the least number of bows. Icebreaker idea: After playing the game, each person must state one Fun Fact about themselves for each bow pinned to them. If they have no bows they only have to say ONE thing about themselves.
• Christmas Bow Target Practice– Set up a series of rings (or wreaths) hanging from a string as targets. Have youth take turns trying to toss bows through the various size rings or hoops for points. The smaller the target the higher the points.
• Christmas Bow Collector– Each youth is blindfolded, given a large wooded spoon, and placed in from of a large gift wrapped box with the lid off and filled with Christmas Bows. They must also hold a similar box on top of their head. In the time given the blindfolded youth compete by using the spoon to scoop bows into the box on their heads while everyone else watches. Many times, they will deliver empty spoons to their heads and many times they will miss the box. When time is up, the youth with the most bows in the box on their head wins.
• Christmas Bow Nosedive– You’ll need small bows, Petroleum Jelly (Vaseline), and Bowls. Set up the bowls a foot apart, with the bows placed in 1 bowl. When the clock starts, each contestant may dip their nose in petroleum jelly and attempt to pick up a bow with their nose. Players may only apply petroleum jelly by dipping their nose in petroleum jelly. The player must deposit the Christmas bow into the end bowl directly from the nose without coming into contact with any other body part or object. To complete the game, a player must be the first to transport 5 bows from the start bowl to the end bowl, with all 5 Christmas bows in the bowl concurrently.
• Christmas Bow Mind Meld– Put a Christmas Bow between two people’s foreheads and race to the finish line.
• Christmas Bow Toothpick Relay– Each youth holds a toothpick in their teeth and they must pass a Christmas Bow down the row of youth to the end of the line. First team to pass the all the Bows to the end wins. No hands allowed.

TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL

• Describe some of the Christmas Presents under your tree?
• How are they wrapped? What colors are the Bows?
• What are some of the things we need in order to wrap a Christmas Present?
• The wrapping paper, ribbons, and the bows are used to decorate. How may of you would like to get a Bow for Christmas? Just a bow?

MAKE IT SPIRITUAL

• What are some of the things we think about when we think about Christmas?

Christmas is not about the decorations. It is about the gift. With Christmas comes a lot of decorations – There are the Christmas trees; there are Christmas lights, Christmas carols, Candy Canes, Angels, Nativity Scenes, Christmas Cards, Christmas Bows, Wrapping paper, and even Santa Claus and elves. But these, like a Christmas bow are only the decorations. They aren’t the most important thing about Christmas. Christmas is about the greatest gift – It is about Jesus.

It is sad that so many people are enjoying all the wrappings of Christmas and the decorations, but they have forgotten about the gift.

Read the Christmas story from the Bible:
Matthew 1:18-25; Matthew 2:1-12; Luke 1:26-38; Luke 2:1-20.

MAKE IT PERSONAL

How many of you never open your gifts at Christmas? You just leave them with all the wrappings on them under the tree, never to find out what is inside. Many people enjoy all the wonderful things about Christmas, but they have missed the Christ in Christmas. The gift of Jesus, of peace with God, of salvation is never received and remains just something to look at or just another decoration.

Unless Jesus is received in our hearts the gift might as well remain like an unopened gift under the tree.

Let your light so shine that people will know the true gift of Christmas isn’t in all the decorations, but in Jesus.

PLEASE SHARE THIS IDEA ON FACEBOOK – CLICK HERE

Object Lesson - Babies in Christ

The new year is often represented by a new born baby because a baby represents a fresh beginning. Jesus described Salvation to Nicodemus in John 3 as being “born” again. Both physically and spiritually, we begin as babies. But we don’t stay as babies – we must grow. The Bible tells us to “grow in grace in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ” (II Peter 3:18).

PLEASE SHARE THIS IDEA ON FACEBOOK – CLICK HERE

Baby Games

• Baby Bottle Guzzlers– The first to drain a baby bottle filled with soda and then burp wins. (You might want to enlarge the hole in the nipples.)
• Baby Bottle Knockover– Get a pair of old pantie hose and put a potato in the stocking and let it slide to the foot of one of the legs. Tie the other leg around the youth’s head. You’ll need one for each team. Place a baby bottle on the floor for each team. First person to knock the baby bottle over with the potato in the stocking wins.
• Baby Food Roulette– Label several gross baby food flavors with numbers stuck on with a piece of tape then play a game of hot potato with a plastic spoon. When the music stops, the person holding the spoon picks a number and must eat a big spoon of baby food from the jar of baby food with that number on it and the person is out of the game. Rearrange the numbers so youth don’t know what they are getting for the next round and repeat. Continue until there is only one person left in the game.
• Baby Items in the Bag– Put at least ten common baby items inside a diaper bag: a bib, cotton buds, cotton balls, baby powder, teething ring, rattle, bottle, baby brish, baby lotion, baby shampoo, diaper, wet wipes, diaper pin, sock, onesie, and baby blanket are just a few ideas that are also fairly inexpensive. Give each youth a pen and paper before passing the diaper bag around. Without looking, each youth should stick a hand inside the diaper bag and try to identify as many items as possible. Give each youth 60 seconds to make their guesses before moving the bag to the next person. Once everyone has had a turn, whoever has the most correct answers wins. (Variation: put them on a tray and cover it. Uncover it for 60 seconds then cover it back up before they youth are allowed to write down the contents of the tray.)
• Baby Relay– A person from each team must put on the diaper, tuck the bib in the shirt, place their thumb in their mouth, and waddle to the other end of the room (or if outside, a designated place) where they will get on their hands and knees (like a crawling baby) and have a fellow team member squirt a bit of water from the baby bottle into the mouth of the baby. The baby then returns and the next person repeats the same tasks. First team to have all members go through the tasks wins.
• Baby Sketch Artists– Each youth is given a paper plate and a marker. With the paper plate no top of her or his head, each person draws a picture of a baby. Best sketch wins.
• Baby Stroller F1 Race– You need at least one baby stroller and a doll to put inside. You might also want a stopwatch. Use cones, flags, are anything else to mark out a race course. Representatives from each team will have a turn at racing the stroller through the race course as fast as possible. Add penalty seconds for hitting any object, for the baby falling out of the stroller,or other infractions of your rules. Fastest time wins.
• Blind Diaper Relay– Give each team a baby doll, and a blindfold. First person in line dons the blindfold, takes off the current disposable diaper, and replaces it with another diaper. when finished, the baby, extra diaper, and blindfold is passed to the next person on the team. First team to all complete the task wins.
• Bowling Baby Bottles– Arrange 10 baby bottles in a triangle shape, and have each youth “bowl” with a small ball. Highest score wins.
• Diaper Danger– Blindfold a representative from each team who must diaper a blown up balloon with a good amount of baby powder added inside. First person to diaper the balloon to the best of their ability and without popping the balloon with the safety pins wins.
• Diaper Derby– Split the youth into teams and provide each team with a roll of toilet paper. They have five minutes to wrap a team member up in a diaper made of toilet paper. The team with the most creatively diapered ‘baby’ wins.
• Diapers in the Dark– You’ll need several safety pins, a blindfold, and a large doll for each team. You also nned a cloth diaper that fits on the doll. Blindfolded representatives from each team must put the diaper on the “baby.” Quickest and best diapered ‘baby’ wins a prize.
• Dirty Diapers– (Gross game warning) – Place a different types of chocolate candy bar in several newborn-sized diapers (or folded napkins) then microwave each a few seconds until melted. You will want those that are creamy, nutty, caramel-filled, milky, chunky, etc. Pass the diapers around and have each person smell (or taste) the ‘poo’ in the diapers to try and guess which brand of candy bar is in each diaper. The person with the most correct guesses wins.
• Feed The Baby – Give everyone a large bib and a small spoon. In teams of two, the pairs must feed a jar of applesauce to one another at the same time. The fastest pair to finish their applesauce wins. (Messier Variation: Do it with blindfolds)
• Guess the Baby Food– Buy several unique flavors of baby food in jars and number each lid and tear off the labels. Ask each youth to sample each and write down the flavor. The most correct guesses wins.
• Pacifier Pass– Give each youth a straw to place in his or her mouth. Using only the straws to touch it, each team must pass a pacifier to end of the line. First team to the end without dropping it wins. If it is dropped the team must start over.
• Pin Drop– Youth compete to hold diaper pins at nose level and drop them into a baby bottle. The most diaper pins in the bottle after 60 seconds wins.
• Ring Toss– Spread a series of bottle nipples on a flat surface, with several inches between each and labeled with a score based on distance. Youth must stand behind a throw line and try to toss the bottle rings that hold the nipple on a bottle onto a nipple. Highest score wins.
• Siamese Diaper Relay– In teams of two, each pair stands side by side with the center hands behind their backs and quickly and neatly puts a cloth diaper on a baby doll with safety pins. Each person in the pair can only use the outside hand. Quickest and best diapered baby wins.
• Spit the Pacifier– Youth line up and are each given one pacifier to put in his or her mouth. The youth that spits out the pacifier so it lands the farthest away wins.

TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL

MAKE IT SPIRITUAL

New Christians and new babies have a lot in common. One of the first things a baby learns to do is to drink from a bottle. Soon a baby will learn to feed him/herself. Yet the parent is very careful about what a baby eats. As a matter of fact, a baby will stick almost anything it can find in its mouth thinking it is food. A parent is careful that a baby does live on junk food or place anything in his mouth that might harm him. As Christians, especially as babes in Christ, we need to learn to feed ourselves on God’s Word and avoid those things that are unhealthy or even harmful to us.

• What are some habits and actions you often see in babies and children that would not be acceptable in adults?
• What are some of the marks of maturity as a baby grows into an adult?

MAKE IT PRACTICAL

• Read Hebrews 5:11-6:1. In verse 11, the phrase “slow to learn” could be translated “too lazy to learn.” What are some ways that we are too lazy to learn?
• What might “milk” and “solid food” represent? (See 6:1)
• What differentiates a mature Christian from a spiritual baby (vs 14)?
• What attitudes actions and behavior would you expect from a mature Christian?

MAKE IT PERSONAL

• In what areas have you grown a lot? In what areas is your spiritual growth been stagnant? How would you describe yourself as a Babe in Christ / Child of God?

One way to discover what you eat is to look at the way you spend your time, especially your free time. On another piece of paper, make a list of all the things that you spend your time doing, all your hobbies, all your favorite pastimes? After you have made the list circle any items that are spiritually healthy- health food. Cross out any items that are spiritually harmful or unhealthy – junk food. Leave blank any items which are neutral.

• What does this tell you about your spiritual diet?
• In what ways would you like to grow in the coming year?
• What do you need to have more of in your spiritual diet to grow more mature as a Christian for the next year?

SCRIPTURES

• Psalm 139:15-16 – God planned all your days, all your life, before you were ever even born. He had a plan for you before you even existed.
• Hebrews 5:11-6:1
• II Peter 3:18

PLEASE SHARE THIS IDEA ON FACEBOOK – CLICK HERE

Object Lesson - Step up in the New Year

A person’s feet tell us two very important facts about someone: where one’s standing and which way someone is going. A firm stand and a consistent walk are both traits we admire in others. During the New Year we often look back at the journey that has brought us to where we are now as well as make decisions about where we want to go in the upcoming year.
PLEASE SHARE THIS IDEA ON FACEBOOK – CLICK HERE
Games using Feet

• Identify the Footprint– As the youth arrive, collect their footprints. My personal preference is to have sheets of colored paper – the type that does not leave a stain when wet. (Test it first so you don’t have permanent footprints across your carpet!). Have the participants remove their shoes and socks, then step on a damp towel and then finally step on the paper. A wet footprint will be left behind. Quickly trace it with a dark colored marker and let it dry! You might also want to number the prints and have a numbered name list so that you can correctly identify the prints later. Go through the numbered prints and have youth match the print with the person who made it. Can you even identify your own footprint? Award the person who correctly identifies the most feet! With the Incredible FEAT award!
• Foot Tag– Two players hold hands with both hands. On “go” both players try and tap the top of their opponents foot with their own foot. First to do so wins. Winners then play winners until there is a top winner.
• Whose feet– 5-8 members of the group sit behind a curtain. Only the bare feet are peeking out from under the curtain. Can a player (or the rest of the group) work out whose feet they are?
• Fewest feet– Each team tries to stand on as few feet as possible. For example, 5 players have 10 feet and try to only have 3-4 feet on the ground.
• Coaster discus– A coaster or plastic lid is clamped between the toes and is thrown like a Frisbee as far as possible. Farthest throw wins.
• Foot relay– Divide your group into teams of 6-8. Each team then lines up and sits on the floor. The object of the game is to pass a lemon along the line and back again using only their feet. If the lemon touches the floor the team have to start again at the beginning.
• Footsies– This game is similar to twister but without the game props. Begin the game with all players standing in a circle about a shoulder-width apart. Select one youth to be the first striker and have him or her start the game by moving one of his or her feet (this foot is called the striking foot) to touch one of the feet of the person to the left of them. Once the striker decides which foot he or she wants to move while striking foot the other foot becomes the pivot foot. The pivot foot cannot be lifted off the ground. Once the first striker has made his or her move, he or she has to freeze both feet in the position in which he or she came in contact with the other person and must remain frozen until his or her next turn. The foot of the person who was struck becomes the next person’s striking foot for his or her turn. The game progresses by going around the circle in a clockwise motion (to the left), having each player take his or her striking foot and striking the next player. As the game progresses, players will begin to find themselves in positions that make it hard to remain balanced so people will begin to be eliminated. Players are eliminated if they touch the ground with anything other than their feet, if they lose their balance, if they try to catch their balance by grabbing another person, if it is their turn and by mistake move the foot that was not touched by the previous striker’s foot or if they move their feet out of turn. If someone is eliminated, the next person in the circle continues on with the game choosing which ever foot he or she wishes to use as the striking foot. As youth are eliminated, there will be gaps in the circle making it harder for strikers to reach the foot of the person next in the circle. If while attempting to reach the foot of the person next in the circle the strikers loses his or her balance or breaks any of the other rules, he or she is eliminated. Note that strikers don’t necessarily have to lift their striking foot when striking, but also can scoot a foot across the ground in order to remain balanced; once contact is made with the other person’s foot, the striker’s feet must freeze. As the game goes on, players will find they are getting very close to each other and it becomes harder to remain balanced. Players are allowed to touch each other, but they cannot grab, push, bump or brace other players to try and make them loose their balance.
• Foot Pictionary– This is like standard pictionary but the artist instead of drawing with their hands will draw with their feet, by having the marker tied to one of their feet with the bandana. On “Go” the player will try their best to draw the assigned picture, while the rest of their team tries to guess the picture. Keep the assigned pictures simple, as it will be difficult to even draw the simplest things and make them recognizable. Maybe even purchase and use “Junior Pictionary” for suggested words and categories.
• Banana Foot Peel– Bring up about 4 students, have them take off their shoes and socks, and hand each of them a banana. When the leader says go, the contestants are supposed to peel the banana with their feet as quickly as they can. They can use both feet to do so. Judge the winner by speed and final condition of the banana.
• Foot Signing Contest– Have 5 students come to the front of the room and remove their shoes and socks. Give each a felt-tipped or ball point pen. On the signal, they run out into the crowd and see who can get the most signatures on the bottom of their feet in the time limit. No one person can sign more than three feet. Can use both feet. Signatures must be legible.
• Balancing foot balloons – Only using the feet, one or more balloons must be kept up in the air without the balloon touching the ground. This can also be timed.
• Spell My Feet– Take 5 people and have them take off their shoes and socks. Take a marker and write a large letter on the bottom of each of their feet so if they sit facing you and hold their feet in the air, you can read the letters. On the first person put an A and an N (one letter on each foot), on the next an E and a T, then GR, OM, and SP. You will call out different words for them to spell and they have to cross legs, stretch, and situate themselves in a position so that the bottom of their feet spell the word you called. You can do this with two teams of five if you want and see who spells the word first. Use these words: master, roast, smear, togas, snore, ten proms, get spam, great son

TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL
Today’s games all involved feet. A lot of our English idioms and common sayings refer to “feet”. Share a few appropriate idioms or the entire list of idioms with the group. Which of these idioms best describes you? Why?

• Idioms referring to feet
• back on your feet again
• dip your toes in the water
• drag one’s feet
• fall at his feet
• find your feet
• fleet of foot
• foot the bill
• get a foot in the door
• get cold feet
• get off on the wrong foot
• get to one’s feet
• get your feet wet
• has two left feet
• have a foot in both camps
• have feet of clay
• have one foot in the grave
• have your feet on the ground
• hold someone’s feet to the fire
• hot foot out of here
• land on your feet
• make an about face
• My foot!
• on foot
• on your back foot
• pussyfoot around
• put a foot wrong
• put your best foot forward
• put your feet up
• put your foot down
• put your foot in it
• put your foot in your mouth
• shoot yourself in the foot
• sit at the foot of a teacher
• stand on your own two feet
• step on another person’s foot
• step on the gas
• stop dead in your tracks
• sweep someone off his/her feet
• take a load off your feet
• take a stand
• take steps toward something
• the ball is at your feet
• thinking on your feet
• throw yourself at someone’s feet
• tiptoe through it
• to get under foot
• vote with your feet
• watch your step
• world’s at your feet

MAKE IT SPIRITUAL

1. Sure footed – Many of the proverbs talk about making our paths straight, about stumbling, about watching our step, about our walk with God. Proverbs 4:26 – “Watch the path of your feet And all your ways will be established.”
2. God’s Protection – “. . . unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy” (Jude 24, KJV). Hab 3:19; 2 Sam 22:34; Ps 18:33 – “The Lord God [is] my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds’ feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places.”
3. Evangelism – Romans 10:15 – “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” Ephesians 6:15 – “And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace”
4. Servanthood – John 13 – Jesus washing the disciples’ feet.

MAKE IT PRACTICAL

• What is something that you have taken a stand for in the past year? What are some things that you need to take a stronger stand on in the upcoming year?
• What are some steps that you have taken in the right direction with your life? The wrong direction?
• What are some areas in which you have stumbled along the way in your journey?
• What are some ways that we can make our walk sure? How can you get back on your feet and take a new step in the right direction with your life? In what areas do you need to watch your step?
• Taking a stand and finding your footing in life isn’t always easy – especially when you might need to step on a few toes to do so. How can you find the balance between taking a stand on things that are important to you without stepping on too many toes? Should you worry about stepping on toes? Why or why not?

MAKE IT PERSONAL

• As a footnote to this lesson, identify at least one area of your life where you need to get back on your feet! How can you take a new step in the right direction with your life beginning today? In what areas do you need to watch your step in the journey ahead?

(As a meaningful reminder, give the participants the piece of paper with their footprint on it to write the answer to the questions above. Encourage them to place it on the door of their room as a reminder that every day they step outside that door they need to also take a step in the right direction for their life in the New Year!) PLEASE SHARE THIS IDEA ON FACEBOOK – CLICK HERE

Object Lesson - Christmas Ornament Gospel

The first Christmas ornaments were fruits and nuts that were placed on Christmas trees and later eaten from the branches as part of the Christmas feasting. Over time other ornaments were added that brightened up the tree and added additional meaning and significance such as a star or an angel.

PLEASE CLICK HERE TO SHARE CHRISTMAS ORNAMENT GOSPEL ON FACEBOOK

Games using Christmas Ornaments

NOTE:For these games the term Christmas Ornament refers to the round ball type ornaments that are usually painted to look metallic and made of plastic. Originally they were made of blown glass but do not use the glass ones for these games as they will most definitely get broken.

• Chopstick Christmas Tree– You’ll need ornaments and one pair of chopsticks per player. Players must use the chopsticks to pick up and place as many ornaments as they can on a tree in one minute.
• Christmas Ball Conveyor– Each team chooses two people to compete in this challenge. They stand, facing each other, at a distance to be determined by how difficult you wish the challenge to be. A ribbon is wrapped around both players’ waists, creating a loop surrounding them both. The first player has a bowl with Christmas ornaments on hooks as well as a small Christmas tree beside him. To play the game, the first player hooks an ornament on the ribbon. The two players must then spin in tandem in order to move the ornament all the way around the ribbon, ending up back with the first player, who must then hang it on the tree.
• Christmas In The Balance– (Adapted from Minute to Win It) When the clock starts, two youth from each team must first place a yardstick on a vertically standing wrapping paper tube. When the yardstick is balanced on the tube, the youth on each team may then start hanging 5 ornaments of equal size and weight, one at a time for each person, simultaneously on each end of the yardstick. Once a youth has placed the first ornament onto the yardstick and released hands from the ornament, neither person is allowed to touch the tube or yardstick or the game is over. To complete the game, the yardstick, tube and ornaments must be freestanding within the 60-second time limit and must remain that way for 3 seconds.
• Christmas Ornament Count– Before you place your ornaments on a Christmas tree, count them. The person who correctly guesses the number of ornaments on the tree wins a prize.
• Deck the Balls– (adapted from Minute to Win It) Two persons on each team are given a wrapping paper tube. When the clock starts, the first person with the tube on each team uses his or her tube to suck the first ornament from the start bowl and transfer it to his or her partner. That person then hangs it on a tree (or on a string that has been strung across the room between two ladders). If an ornament falls to the floor or is touched with anything other than the tube, that ornament is out of play. To complete the game, 3 ornaments must be successfully transferred and hung on the tree (or string) within the 60-second time limit. All 3 ornaments must remain hanging on the tree (or string) together for 3 seconds.
• Find the Christmas Ornaments– Collect a variety of Christmas Tree ornaments. Before you place them on the tree, take a photo of each. Place the photos on separate cards. Players must draw a card, and run to the tree and collect the ornament on the card. First team to complete a certain number of cards wins. As a variation, have the next person on each team search for the SAME ornament. First to find it and retrieve it gets the points. First team to certain number of points wins.
• Holiday Kiss– (Adapted from Minute to Win It) a string is hung horizontally across the room on each end of the room. When the clock starts, each pair of contestants must use only their lips to pick up an ornament from the start string and transfer it to the second string. If an ornament falls, contestants may start with another from the start string. To complete the game, contestants must transfer 3 ornaments, using only their lips, and have them hanging together on the end string for at least 3 seconds. They have one minute to complete the task.
• Hot Christmas Ornament – With everyone seated in a circle, pass around a Christmas ornament. When the music stops, whoever holds it is out of the game. Continue until there is only one winner.
• Ornament Catch– You’ll need an 8-foot-high ladder, (next to a Christmas Tree makes nice photo opportunities), a Christmas stocking that has heavy wire in the top rim to keep it open and Round Christmas Ornaments (plastic). Set up the ladder in the middle of your meeting area and place the stocking on the floor in front of it. Line up the round Christmas ornaments on the top of the ladder. (Have some spotters to brace the ladder and make sure no one falls off.) Split the youth group into pairs. The first pair has one partner kneel facing the ladder and holding the stocking in his or her mouth. The other partner must climb the ladder so that his or her face is even with the top of the ladder where the five ornaments are lined up. Make sure they hold on firmly to the ladder. The person on the ladder blows the ornaments, one at a time, off the ladder. The partner with the stocking may freely move about to catch the balls but must remain kneeling and continue holding the stocking in his/her mouth. The use of hands is NOT allowed. The partners switch positions and repeat the process. Keep score. Give all the pairs a turn. The winning pair is the one who gets the most ornaments into the stocking. If there’s a tie, have your runners-up repeat the process.
• Ornament Pass– This is a classic game that has been around for ages. In the original game, participants must pass an orange down a line of participants using only their chins. In our version we replace the orange with a round Christmas Ornament.
• Ornament Race– Players race on hands and knees while pushing ornaments with their noses to the finish line.
• Ornament Roll– One Contestant from each team must stand behind a tree ornament holding a gift box. When the clock starts, each contestant may start fanning the tree ornament with the gift box. Contestant and gift box may not touch the tree ornament at any time or the game is over. To complete the game, contestant must get the tree ornament in the designated end zone area within the 60-second time limit. The tree ornament must come to a complete stop without exiting the designated end zone.

TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL

• What are your favorite ornaments on a Christmas Tree?
• If you had to describe yourself as a a Christmas ornament, what would you choose and why?

MAKE IT SPIRITUAL

Use this as a presentation of the plan of salvation for a Christmas Children’s sermon or as a Christmas Object Lesson.

For the object lesson portion of this lesson you will need:

• Christmas Tree
• gold, red, white, and blue bulbs.
• A string of Christmas lights
• A star for the top of the tree

Place the items on the Christmas tree according to the following order and give the explanations for each as you go along.

Gold Christmas Bulb
The Gold Christmas bulb reminds us of Heaven which is filled with the glory of God. The Bible tells us that in Heaven, the streets of the city are pure, clear gold-like glass (Rev.21:21). God wants you to be with Him in Heaven someday.

Have you ever seen a BLACK Christmas Bulb?
THERE IS NO Black Christmas Bulb. Just like there is no black Christmas bulb, there is one thing that can never be in Heaven. That is sin. Doing, or saying, or thinking bad things is called sin. Sin is anything that displeases God. Sin has caused sorrow and sadness in our world. God tells us in the Bible that all have sinned (Romans 3:23). But just like there is no black Christmas bulb, God doesn’t allow sin in heaven.

Red Christmas Bulb
The Red Christmas Bulb shows the way God made for you to have your sins forgiven-taken away. God loves you. He sent His own Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, from Heaven to take the punishment for your sin (John 3:16). Jesus came into the world to save us from punishment for sin. He is called our Savior! “…the blood of Jesus Christ, God’s Son, cleanses us from all sin” (I John 1:7).

White Christmas Bulb
The white Christmas bulb reminds us that you can be made clean from sin. When we sin, we can tell god about our sin, and ask for rogiveness and when we do his blood washes away our sin and makes us white as snow! (I John 1:9).

Christmas Tree
The green Christmas tree reminds us of the new life, everlasting life, we can receive from God. The Bible tells us to “grow in grace in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ” (II Peter 3:18).

The Blue Christmas Bulb
The blue bulb is the same color as water. Jesus, to show he was giving his life to God was baptized in water.

Christmas Lights
Jesus was born as a light of the world. He came to bring us out of darkness and into the light. Do you want to walk in the light of Jesus this Christmas?

A Silver or Gold Star
You can add a star at the top of the Christmas tree as a reminder that the wisemen followed the star looking for Jesus. Will you seek Jesus this Christmas?

PLEASE CLICK HERE TO SHARE CHRISTMAS ORNAMENT GOSPEL ON FACEBOOK

Object Lesson - Candy Cane Christmas

Candy Canes are everywhere. They are used as decorations on Christmas trees and are one of the most popular of all Christmas treats. I have heard several stories about the history and meaning of the candy cane. I don’t know if they are true, but I do think that the candy cane can teach us a few things about the true meaning of Christmas. And while we are at it, I’ve added a lot of Christmas Party game ideas you can play with Candy Canes as well.

Games using Candy Canes

• Candy Cane Connection– You’ll need miniature size candy canes broken in half. Use this game to break your group up into pairs as a mixer. Mix up the halves of the candy canes and hand them out to participants. When everyone has arrived, have participants try to find the other half of their candy canes!
• Candy Cane Conveyor– (adapted from Minute-to_Win_It) You will need Christmas ribbon and Candy Canes. Tie 30 feet of ribbon into a loop and place each player inside of it at their waist to form a conveyor belt. One player must place one candy at a time on the conveyor belt and they must spin in unison to convey the candy cane towards the other player who then picks it up and places into into a basket or holding area. Once the candy cane is removed by the second player the first player starts the cycle again. The first team to successfully transfer 3 candy canes wins.
• Candy Cane Face Off– Place a small candy cane on the forehead of each participant. Instruct the participants to move the candy cane down their face to their mouth using only their facial muscles and head movements. The first person to eat the candy cane wins.
• Candy-Cane Fencing– Give each youth a wrapped candy cane; the thicker the candy cane, the better. One person from each team battles a dueling partner from the other team, fencing with the candy canes. The first person with a broken candy cane loses the battle; the winner goes on to another round. The winner is the one who makes it through the most rounds without breaking his or her cane. Encourage the youth to keep the blows limited to the canes, rather than hitting one another with the candy canes.
• Candy Cane Handshake Relay– Line up a group of players into two straight lines. Give the first player three canes (Normal size, not the mini ones). Youth cannot hold the Candy Canes in the palms of their hands. They need to be stuck between their fingers – one between the index and middle finger, one between the middle finger and ring finger, and one between ring finger and the pinkie! The players must pass the candy canes into the next player’s hand, in the same position, without using their thumbs or any other hand. You’ll need some extra candy canes as there will be some which are dropped and broken.
• Candy Cane Hockey– You’ll need miniature size candy canes, candy goal markers, and a candy hocky puck. Make a goal at each end of a table using markers attached to the table. These markers can be a piece of candy or even candy canes stuck to the table with some blue tack adhesive. Make the goal posts about 4 inches apart. Use a jelly bean for a hockey puck. (It moves but doesn’t roll off the table to easily) Using the candy canes as hockey sticks try to shoot the jelly bean through the net of the opponent. The opponent is allowed to block the shots, but only with the candy canes. If at any time a body part touches the bean or your opponent, it’s an instant disqualification. The first to a set number of points wins. You can also determine the winner by who has the most points after a predetermined amount of time.
• Candy Cane Horseshoes– Candy canes and a stick. Be sure the candy canes are wrapped in plastic as they are almost guaranteed to break into a number of small pieces during game play. For indoor games you can either drive a nail into a flat piece of wood or turn a table or stool over and use one of the legs as the post. In the manner of playing horseshoes, the objective is to take turns to toss the candy cane at an upright stick. Place a stick vertically somewhere in the ground. Then participants take turns throwing candy canes (underhand) at it. A game is divided into rounds and each round constitutes the pitching of two candy canes by each contestant. In each round, the one with the highest score goes first.The objective of the game is to get your candy cane closest. A candy cane must be within six (6) inches of the stake to score. A candy cane that first strikes the ground outside the target area or rebounds from behind the stake cannot be scored, nor can any candy cane thrown from an invalid position. A “ringer” (3 points) is a candy cane that encircles the stake so that a straight edge could touch the two prongs without touching the stake. The closest cane from each pair scores 1 point. A leaning shoe has no value over one touching the stake. The points are scored according to the position of the shoes at the round’s end, that is, after the contestants have each thrown two candy canes. This means it is possible for the second player to knock the opponents candy canes either away or closer to the stake.
• Candy Cane NutStacker Suite– You’ll need 7 larger sized nuts…as in nuts and bolts (Check the size to make sure a candy cane could fit through the hole) Hold the candy cane in one hand by the hook. Using ONLY the straight end of the candy cane, pick up the nuts and place them one on top of another as high as you can. The goal is to reach 7 nuts high.
• Candy Cane Pass– This Christmas party game idea is played like the traditional game known as “Hot Potato”. A candy cane is passed from person to person around the circle while someone plays Christmas music. The candy cane is passed to the youth right next to you who then passes the candy cane to the youth next to him or her. You can choose to play clockwise or counter clockwise. When the Christmas music is paused, the youth holding the candy cane is eliminated from the game. Throwing the candy cane after the music stops does not count. But as a parting gift, the youth gets to keep the candy cane he or she was holding so that everyone is a winner in this Christmas game. The youth must then sit out of the game until everyone has a candy cane. Continue starting and stopping the Christmas music until all but two are “out.” Last youth to NOT be holding the candy cane when the music stops wins. You might want to have an additional Christmas prize for the last remaining youth. If you want to add a little more challenge to the game you can call out the word “CHANGE” from time to time and change the direction in which the candy cane is passed.
• Candy Cane Pick Up– Place a pile of candy canes on a table and provide a tray or basket for each player. Give each player a candy cane to put in his mouth with the hook end down. The player must use the candy cane hook to pick up the other candy canes and move them to the basket. The player with the most candy canes in their basket after one minute wins!
• Candy Cane Pick-Up-Sticks– You’ll need candy canes, wrapped or unwrapped, stacked into a pile. You can use some candy canes of a different color and give them a higher point value. Traditionally, there are Blue Sticks – 50 Points, Green Sticks – 40 Points, Red Sticks – 25 Points, Yellow Sticks – 10 Points. Change this according to the frequency of colors and rarity for your candy canes. Played like traditional pick-up-sticks, the objective is to remove one candy cane from the pile without disturbing the remaining candy canes. Use a small stick such as a kebab skewer or chopstick as a tool in picking up the candy canes. The first player picks up candy canes, one at a time, until he causes any other candy cane to move besides the one he is attempting to pick up. The other team then gets its chance to do the same.
• Candy Cane Relay– Divide the youth into two teams and give everyone a chopstick. (The cheap, disposable wooden ones work fine.) Each team forms a line, and each player holds his or her chopstick in front of him or her. Place a candy cane on the chopstick of the first youth. On “go”, the youth must turn and pass the chopstick on to the next youth who in turn passes it on down the line. Youth may only touch the candy cane with their chopstick. If the candy cane falls to the ground, and the youth cannot retrieve it with their chopsticks, the player who was passing it may pick it up and put it back on his or her chopstick, but a ten-second penalty will be assessed. When the candy cane reaches the last player, the player must run to the front of the line with the candy cane on his or her chopstick. The first team to get the candy cane back to the front of its line wins.
• Candy Cane Scavenger Hunt– Each youth is given a piece of paper and a pencil and asked to find X number of candy canes around the room. You’ll need to hide each candy cane around the room – some should be easy to find and some more difficult. The person to be the first to find them all and correctly list the locations wins.
• Candy Cane Tree Toss– Divide the youth into several teams. Each team must have its own artificial Christmas tree and its own box of candy canes. Each team stands behind a line 8 to 10 feet away from its own Christmas tree and has a minute to toss candy canes at the tree. At the end of the minute, the team with the most candy canes hanging on its tree wins. If any team runs out of canes before the minute is up, one team member may retrieve canes from the ground to toss them from the starting line again.
• Candy Cane Tug– Played in the manner of breaking the wishbone of a turkey, the objective is to connect the two candy canes at the curved end and pull. The first candy cane to break is eliminated. Continue challenges until only a couple winners remain. You can also do this with regular size candy canes or even have them place it in the mouth for the challenge.
• Candy Cane Wrap– You’ll need the hooked type of candy canes, wrapping paper, safety scissors and tape. Give each youth a large candy cane, a 1-foot section of wrapping paper, tape and safety scissors. If you have a large group you can also choose a representative from each team. The first youth to wrap the candy cane completely (no cane can show) is the winner.
• Sniffing for Candy Canes– Santa lost his candy canes in the snow and has asked his reindeer to sniff them out. Each team chooses a reindeer as a representative. Each reindeer is given a pie-tin or tray of whipped cream. In each, lie two hidden pieces of candy canes. The aim is to sniff for the candy canes without the use of hands. If you use a tray, two teams can compete on the same tray. First group to sniff out the candy canes and come up with it in their teeth is a winner.
• Hung With Care– (from Minute-to_Win_It) Two strings are hung horizontally, using whatever distance between them that you want. Players must then hang three candy canes on the string by their tips – not on the actual hook, but the small area at the very end of the hook. All three candy canes must remain hanging, concurrently, for three seconds in order to win the game.
• Kissing Candy Canes– Divide the participants into two teams. Give each team five small candy canes. On signal, the team members pass their canes to the end of the line (one at a time) and back again using toothpicks stuck in their mouths.
• Merry Fishmas– (from Minute-to_Win_It) To play Merry Fishmas, first set up a “fishing rod” by using string to tie a candy cane as the hook onto a chopstick. Tie one end of a short length of string to the straight end of the candy cane and tie the other end of the string to the end of the chopstick. Then, place four small candy canes on a table with the rounded ends hanging off the edge, facing down. When the timer starts, the player puts the chopstick in his mouth and attempts to snag all four of the small candy canes, one at a time, on the end of the large candy cane.

TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL  

MAKE IT SPIRITUAL

To many people, the candy cane is a meaningless decoration seen at Christmas time or just a piece of candy to be eaten and enjoyed. I hope that this year, every time you see a candy cane, you will be reminded of the true meaning of Christmas.

• J– If you look at the candy cane it looks like the letter J. Jesus starts with the letter J, so that should remind us of Jesus and help us to remember that Christmas is Jesus’ birthday. (Luke 2:11, Isaiah 9:11)
• Shepherd’s Crook– If you look at the candy cane like this it looks like a shepherd’s crook. The shepherd used his crook to keep the sheep from wandering away from the flock and getting lost or eaten by a wild animal. The Bible says, “The Lord is my shepherd.” (Psalm 23:1) The candy cane should remind us that Jesus is our shepherd and he will keep us from wandering away and getting lost or hurt. (John 10:11, Luke 2:8-10)
• White– The candy cane is mostly white. White is a symbol of purity. That should remind us that Jesus was the spotless Lamb of God and that because he came to be the sacrifice for our sin, we can become as white as snow. (I John 1:7; Isaiah 1:18)
• Red Stripes– As you know, the candy cane has three red stripes. The Bible tells us that before he was crucified, Jesus was beaten with a whip which made blood-red stripes across his back. The Bible says that we are healed by those stripes. The stripes on the candy cane should remind us that Jesus suffered and died, so that we can have everlasting life. (Mt 26:28) He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his stripes you have been healed. (1 Peter 2:24; Isaiah 53:5)
• Sweet – The sweetness of the candy cane reminds us that God Loves us and wants us to enjoy the many gifts He has given us – especially the gift of His Son, who came into the world on the first Christmas to save us. (John 3:16)

MAKE IT SPIRITUAL

• What is the Significant of Jesus coming as a child?
• What is the Significance of God as a Shepherd in the Bible? Why do you think the angel appeared to the Shepherds?
• What is the relationship between Christ and purity?
• Why was Christ sent? Why did he have to suffer? How do the lashes or Stripes Christ received relate to our forgiveness and healing as Christians?
• How does John 3:16 relate to Christmas?

MAKE IT PERSONAL

• What is the meaning of Christmas for you?
• How can you use a Candy Cane to tell the story of Christmas to others?
• It is said that Christmas isn’t really Christmas till it happens in your heart. Christ cam to save the world, but is he Savior for you? Have you accepted his gift of forgiveness?
• Jesus was born as a Savior to all people, what responsibility have you committed to so that all people might have an opportunity to Choose Christ as Savior?
• How does Christ’s birth and his sacrifice affect how you live your day to day life?

SCRIPTURES

• Luke 2:11 – “For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”
• Isaiah 9:6 – “For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
• Psalm 23:1 – “The Lord is my Shepherd”
• John 10:11 – “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.”
• I John 1:7 – “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.”
• Isaiah 1:18 – “Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.”
• Mt 26:28 – “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.
• 1 Peter 2:24 – “who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness – by whose stripes you were healed.”
• Isaiah 53:5 – “He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.”
• John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

Object Lesson - Gift Wrapped Christmas

We are attracted by extravagantly wrapped gifts with red bows and colorful paper. But its not the wrapper we treasure but the gift. Sometimes the wrapper might give clues as to what is inside but sometimes the gift inside is a complete surprise and totally unexpected. The gift of the first Christmas was not wrapped the way the world expected either. The Jews wanted a mighty warrior with a sword in one hand and King’s crown in the other. But instead, God sent his greatest gift – an innocent, defenseless, vulnerable baby, wrapped in cloths, not wrapping paper.

CLICK HERE TO SHARE “GIFT WRAPPED CHRISTMAS” ON FACEBOOK

Games using Wrapping Paper

• All Wrapped Up – Tear up various types of Christmas wrapping paper and place it inside a large sheet. More is better. There are two rounds to this game. In the first round, each group wraps one of its members in masking tape (STICKY SIDE OUT) from ankles to just below their arms. Arms should NOT be wrapped. Be sure to emphasize STICKY SIDE OUT. The first team to completely wrap up their teammate in making tape with no cracks whatsoever wins. In Round two, first, throw all the torn up wrapping paper on the floor of the playing area and then teams work to roll the wrapped player in as much wrapping paper as possible. After a couple of minutes, tell teams to stop. Award the team with the most wrapping player stuck to their teammate. Be sure to take group photos!
• Christmas dice gift exchange – Have everyone sit in a circle and start with a gift. Play a Christmas carol while 1-3 dice are being passed around (space them out). Each person rolls and passes the dice. If they roll a six, they can trade gift wrapped packages with whomever they want. At the end of the song, everyone keeps the package in front of him or her.
• Christmas Unwrap – Wrap a gift with several layers of paper and heavy duty tape to make it difficult to unwrap. Youth line up and then must roll doubles six on a pair of dice, run to a baseball bat, spin 5 times around the bat, then go to the gift and put on a woolhat, snow / ski gloves and then begin to unwrap the present – first to do so wins the prize. As soon as they get to the present the next person can start rolling the dice to start the process again. When someone new gets to the present, they first person must stop, remove the clothing items and then run back to the end of the line. The youth who successfully unwraps the gift gets to keep it.
• Christmas Wrap Up – You’ll need a lot of wrapping paper, some tape, and a bow for each team. The objective is to be the first team to completely wrap someone up and place a bow on their head like a giant Christmas present. Be sure that your students do not forget to make a gift tag written to whom the present is for and from. You can have an award for the most completely wrapped as well as the most creative and best wrapped. Be sure to take some photos along the way.
• Christmas Wrapping Paper Match – Cut out squares from several different patters of Christmas wrapping paper. You want to have one square for each person in your group. Place them all in box with a small hole cut in the top. You’ll also want two of the squares to be identical in design and pattern but make all the others different. Fold each square and place it inside the box. Let each youth pick one square. Once everyone has a square announce, that the first two people to find matching squares will win a prize.
• Gift Ball – Save used wrapping paper, bubble wrap, cardboard, plastic, and packaging bits to create a ball. To create the gift ball, begin by wrapping a small prize or even money in a piece of used gift wrap. Layer on additional wrap and packaging bits to create a ball, securing it tightly. If you are short of gift wrap you can also use magazines, plastic bags, newspaper, and other things you have around the house. Add a few layers of these between the layers of wrapping paper. You can secure the layers with any kind of tape, yarn, string, and leftover ribbon bits, etc. You can add candy and small gifts to the ball in a bonus layers as you go along. The more the merrier so that everyone has a chance to get something. The bigger the ball, the better, especially if you have a large group. To play, have the youth group members sit in a circle with the gift ball and a pair of dice. One youth begins unwrapping the ball as fast as he can while the player to his left rolls the dice repeatedly until he gets a 7. When he does, the ball is passed to him to unwrap, and the dice are passed to the next player. Tearing off layers and dice-rolling continues until someone finally reaches the prize and claims it as the winner. You can make it more challenging by making the player wear winter gloves.
• Gift Guess – Gift wrap a variety of common objects and place tags on them with numbers (socks, ornaments, a candy cane, holly, pine cones, bells, an angel, Jesus in a manger, a can of eggnog, a Santa hat, a reindeer, a cookie, and any other common Christmas items you can find. Pass the gifts around and give each person a small amount of time to feel the gifts and make their guesses as to what's inside each. Give them a piece of paper to number and write down their guesses. The youth that make the most correct guesses are the winners.
• Gift wrap Relay – Cut up the front pictures of several old Christmas Greeting cards and hide each piece in a separate box. Gift Wrap the boxes. Divide the youth into two or more teams and put the pile of wrapped boxes on a table at the other end of the room. You’ll need to have one set of boxes and one picture for each team. The first player in each team runs to the table, unwraps a present, grabs his picture piece and sprints back to his next teammate. The rest of the team has a turn until all the pieces of the picture have been unwrapped. The teams then need to race to assemble and correctly identify their picture. The first team to do this wins!
• Gift Wrap Snowball Fight – Take a bunch of used wrapping paper and wad it up into balls.  Divide the room in half or quarters so that you have a team in each section. Dump the wadded up wrapping paper in the middle of the room. On go, youth toss the balls of wrapping paper at each other and into other sections as quickly as they can. When time is up the team with the least amount of wrapping paper in their section wins.
• Penguin Gift Race – Divide the youth into two teams. Have players at the start of the line put a gift wrapped box between their knees and waddle to a designated spot and back. The next in line does the same until all youth have had their turn. If the gift is dropped, they must return to start and begin waddling again. The team that finishes first wins.
• Siamese Twin gift-wrapping race – For this Christmas game you'll need to have a box, wrapping paper, scissors and tape for each team. Divide your youth group into pairs who will stand side by side with one hand free and the other around the waist of their team member (as if they were one person with two hands- a left hand and a right hand). The object of the game is to see which Siamese Twin team can gift wrap their present (correctly) in the smallest amount of time.

TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL

MAKE IT SPIRITUAL

Unfortunately, because God came to us wrapped in a human body and not in his majesty and glory a lot of people at the first Christmas missed Him. The gift wasn’t wrapped as they expected. There was no special welcome, no special preparations, no grand entrance and in fact there wasn’t even room for him in the inn nor a real bed to sleep in. The son of God was wrapped in rags and lying in a manger, a feed trough.
Just imagine focusing on the wrapping paper from a Christmas gift and treasuring the wrapper and missing and throwing away the gift.

Unfortunately, today, too many people in the world are so focused on all the wrappings of Christmas – the gifts, the cheer, the celebrations, the wishes of peace – that they forget the real gift – that God sent his Son to save the world.

What matters is not the outside wrapping, but rather the gift inside and what we do with it.

We don’t have to earn a gift, work for it, or do anything other than receive it. Read Romans 2:8: “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith–and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God–”

Read Luke 2:1-20

The people God first told about the birth were shepherds. In general, the shepherds were the poor, the jobless, the powerless, the less educated, the uncultured, maybe even the outcasts. Often when we buy gifts for others, we reserve the best gifts for the special people, the ones who will surely give us something in return, the ones who are our favorites. But the gift of Jesus was first announced to the shepherds, those without titles, those who could return little.

God had given the world a gift it didn’t think it wanted or needed, and certainly not as expected, and he presented the gift to a group of people who weren’t the powerful, the rulers, or those most looked up to. It was a seemingly ordinary gift, in an ordinary wrapper, given to ordinary people.

MAKE IT PRACTICAL
The Shepherds
Read Luke 2:1-20
* Why do you think the angels appeared to the shepherds and not someone else?
* Could the shepherds have chosen to accept or decline the angels invitation? What did they choose to do?
* How long do you think it took them to decide?
* Why do you think it was important to them to see the Baby Jesus first hand?
* Why did the shepherds drop everything to go find out about some baby? Why were they so excited?
* What does this baby mean to them?
* What does this baby mean to us?
* Why was the birth of Christ Good News?
* What are some lessons, truths, attitudes, and responses can we learn from the shepherds?

MAKE IT PERSONAL
* Do you still find a sense of wonder when you consider God’s gift to the world, or has it lost its luster? Are you more focused on the wrappings of Christmas or the Gift God Sent?
* What are you hoping for this Christmas?
* How can you have a deeper first hand experience with Christ this Christmas?
* What can you do to help others see through all the wrappings of the holiday and clearly see the true gift of Christmas?
* The gift is not really ours until we choose to receive it. It is of no use to us unless we take it for ourselves, unwrap it, and make it our own. Have you received the gift of Christ in your life?

SCRIPTURES

Luke 2:11-12 (NIV) – “Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
CLICK HERE TO SHARE “GIFT WRAPPED CHRISTMAS” ON FACEBOOK