DATE: The first Saturday in December

TIME: 10 a.m.- Noon

WHO: Three year olds - 2nd grade

COST: One wrapped gift of mittens and/or hat to be given to a less fortunate child. Example: Abused Women's Shelter, Urban Christian School, Homeless Shelter. The gifts are put under our tree as the children arrive for the party.

Each child gets a personal invitation in the mail. The children arrive and go to their regular Sunday School rooms where their regular teachers and helpers are waiting to greet them. From 10:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. each child makes a tree ornament. Everything is ready beforehand and ideas are based on ages. Example: sheep made from clothespins with cotton balls, manger scenes using cards and popsicle sticks, angels from inverted cups, stars colored and hung with ribbons. Classes come individually to hang their ornaments. Make sure each child has their name on their ornament so they can be returned after Christmas to be taken home. During the season the children show everyone where their ornaments are hanging on the tree.

At 10:30 a.m. all the grades gather together for a special program. We have had Christian puppet shows, magic shows, plays, and teen skits, usually lasting about 45 minutes. After the program we sing Christmas carols together with the children requesting their favorites.

At 11:30 a.m. they return to their separate rooms for refreshments: juice and Christmas cookies. At this time the teachers read or tell the story of the birth of Jesus, "the best gift of all".

Each child leaves with a small gift — usually a candy cane and Christmas book, manger scene picture or Christmas coloring book. This party is a wonderful way to begin the Christmas season and is a favorite among our children.

Eileen Watson, 1992