For Christmas, they have designed a series called "Why Do We Call It Christmas?" The series is intended to give children and families a historical context for our Christmas traditions. Join intrepid newsman Buck Denver and all of his friends on an amazing journey into Christmas that will have your classroom singing and laughing and creating all the way through the Christmas season! You can order the series at this link.
Lesson 4 in the series is entitled "Emmanuel and The Christmas Story." "Emmanuel" is one of the names of Jesus and is key to helping children and families understand the true meaning of Christmas. Below is the video clip link followed by some key strategies parents and teachers can use to facilitate an effective discussion. Here is a link to the video from the lesson. Clive explains why "Emmanuel" is what Christmas is all about. Children's Volunteers The word "Emmanuel" is a great way to share with children what Christmas is all about. He was "God with us." This truth is simple and at the same time infinitely profound. The video does a great job bringing key questions to light and providing answers on a child's level. Be prepared to answer some of the deep questions masked in simplicity that come from the inquiring mind of a child. Who was Jesus? Jesus was God with us. He was God as a man. He was born to a virgin named Mary in a city called Bethlehem. Joseph was His earthly father, but God was His heavenly Father. He lived in Heaven before He was born here on earth. Why did Jesus come to the earth? He came so we could be forgiven for our sins. He came so we could have a friendship with God. He came to offer the free gift of eternal life. If God is with us, why do bad things happen to us? Jesus never said we wouldn't have to go through some tough times here on earth. But He did promise to be with us as we go through the tough times. He promised to never leave us. Why do we celebrate Christmas? We set aside a special day each year to thank Jesus for coming to the earth for us. Parents: This video provides a great tool to help your child understand what Christmas is truly about. Set aside a family night leading up to Christmas where you watch the video and talk about it together. Talk about the questions above on a more personal level. Encourage each child to give a gift to Jesus. It might be a Christmas offering, act of service, or letter written to Him. I would also encourage you to do this as a family unit. It might be taking a gift to someone in need, serving together at a Christmas service, or volunteering in the community. Giving your child the opportunity to tangibly express their love for Jesus at Christmas will turn their focus toward the true meaning.
