Youth Christmas

So this year most of our older, responsible (I say that loosely)kids are singing with the Choir so that kind of ties up their time, which is fine. We are having the choir's Christmas program the same night as the youth Christmas program. This program has greatly evolved in the last couple of years. The first year we were here (like a month after we got here) the older kids did this really cheesy play that was all about a poor kid giving the teacher a gift and all the kids joking on her for it, only for the teacher to explain to them that it's not the gift that matters just the thought behind it. Following the play Santa came, old Christmas songs like Santa Claus is coming to town, Rudolf the red nose reindeer ect... were joyfully sang and then Santa handed out gifts to the children whose parents remembered to bring them gifts, while if your parent didn't bring a gift you got nothing from Santa........yeah I was shocked, saddened, and just felt a little sick that no emphasis was put on the true reason for Christmas.

After that I was probably totally against the idea of Santa......I have shifted some in my thinking. Last year I suggested doing away with Santa............ohhhh noooo. I tried to compromise by saying well lets have Santa pass out only "christian gifts" you know, no guns, and crap like that.......oh nooooo we couldn't force families to do that. So thankfully some compromise was given and we sang songs like Joy to the World, and O little town of Bethlehem and someone read a poem about SANTA with each letter talking about Jesus or something to do with Faith.. then Santa passed out gifts.......again from parents who remembered. I bought 5-10 extra's so no one would be left out.

But this year.............Oh I am excited about this year. Still have to plan it out but that's where you come in. After the choir sings their hearts out, we are going to transition into a full out "Birthday Party for Jesus" Santa will push a cake on a cart with lit candles, while the children carry gifts to fill Santa's bag. The gifts will be given to several of the families that have already contacted our church this year for help. After this we will have a full out Birthday Party, with cupcakes and ice cream and other birthday party food, and birthday party games and Santa will be mingling and celebrating Jesus' birthday with the rest of us.

What do you think? What are some games and stuff that we could do during the celebration?