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food, or clothing and put a large box decorated to look THE GREATEST like a present at the entrance to the room. Instruct the SOCIAL OF ALL TIME youth to place their gifts in the box as they come in. An Edge Night Christmas Social MEDIA The Voice: “The Voice 2014 – Season 7 Voice Coaches: ‘Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas’” (.com) EDGE NIGHT OVERVIEW PTXofficial: “[Official Video] Little Drummer Boy – Pentatonix” (youtube.com) GOAL ShowMobile: “HitStreak Cast – Let It Snow” (youtube.com) The goal of this Edge Night is for the youth and their Walt Disney Animation Studios: “Disney’s parents to celebrate the Christmas season with joy while Frozen ‘Let It Go’ Sequence Performed by learning about different events that surrounded the birth Idina Menzel” (youtube.com) of . MinionsTube: “The Minions Sing ’12 Days of SUMMARY Christmas’” (youtube.com) britt nicole music: “Britt Nicole – Jingle Bell The Gather begins the Edge Night with fun Christmas- Rock” (youtube.com) themed small group games. The Proclaim and Break are combined in a time for parents to give their feedback while the youth break into small groups and discuss the Notes: ______Scripture stories describing the events surrounding the ______birth of Jesus. Everyone comes back together for the ______Send to share about the Scripture stories. The parents and youth then participate in the ______challenge battles and the Edge Night ends in prayer ______with Christmas goodies and social time. ______ENVIRONMENT ______Decorate with whatever Christmas decorations you have ______available to you: trees, lights, Santa, reindeer, manger, ______snowflakes, etc. Play and encourage ______the youth and Core Members to wear cheesy Christmas ______sweaters. Have each family bring a present, canned ______

48 Joyful: A Family Series Joyful: A Family Series 49 3. Put up the cut out on a wall EDGE NIGHT OUTLINE opposite the youth who line up in a single file line. GATHER 4. Youth take turns being blindfolded and spun around before they try to place their star closest to the top of the Christmas tree. Edge Night Introduction (5 min) Welcome the youth and begin in prayer. Introduce Decorating: anyone who is new, recognize any birthdays, and ask Purchase plain ornaments from a craft store, one for about any big events happening this week. Give a brief each youth, and supplies to decorate the ornaments. overview of the topic of the night using the following Suggestions are clear glass ornaments and colorful as an example: tinsel to put inside, and wooden or Christmas tree cut outs and puff paints to decorate. During these past few weeks we have journeyed alongside Mary during her young life. We discussed Christmas Present Relay Races: the event during which she agreed to be the mother of This game is played in small groups. Jesus. We went along with her on the journey to visit her cousin Elizabeth. Finally we celebrate the birth of Jesus! 1. Each group receives one box wrapped in Our Savior is born! We must rejoice! Christmas is a time Christmas wrapping paper. for fun, joy, family, friends, community, and celebrating 2. Youth line up in a single file line and the wrapped that God has come to earth to save us. So tonight we boxes are placed on the opposite side of the are going to have a party, and in the midst of it all we room. will celebrate and reflect on the joy of Christmas. 3. Youth run one at a time to the wrapped box. Festive Joyous Christmas Games (25 min) 4. When they reach the box they can only use one Break a few families into small groups and choose two hand and have one attempt to get off as much of the following activities for everyone to do. Instruct wrapping paper as possible. any youth who do not have family members present to 5. The small group that unwraps the box the fastest create their own small group with a few Core Members. wins. Pin the Star on the Tree: Writing: This game is played in small groups. Using construction paper and markers, make Christmas cards to give to nursing homes, soldiers, seminarians, 1. Each group gets a Christmas tree cut out. or family members. Consider buying blank Christmas 2. Each youth gets a star cut out with blue painter’s cards to use instead of creating your own if time and tape on the back of it. talent are a factor.

50 Joyful: A Family Series Joyful: A Family Series 51 PROCLAIM / BREAK 8th Grade Adaptation Use the following questions for a more challenging discussion for 8th grade youth: Parent Feedback (15 min) Parents break off into a separate room with the youth • What role does Mary play in this story? How is she minister. Use this time to gather feedback about the important to the story? series from the parents: what they liked, what they did not like, and how you can better serve them in • What character would you be in the story? Why? future Family Series. This can also be a time to share • How can this story apply to your life? information about the upcoming semester, events, and feel out parent interest in volunteering or helping with the program in anyway. SEND

Youth Small Group Christmas Reflections (15 min) Youth break into their small groups. Assign each group Christmas Story Sharing (5 min) a Scripture passage to read. The Core Member reads The parents rejoin the large group. Each small group the Scripture story and leads the discussion. briefly shares their reflections with each other as well as their parents. If multiple small groups have the same Matthew 1:18-25 (Joseph’s Dream) story, permit them to share what they liked most about Luke 2:1-7 (The Nativity) the story and why. Luke 2:8-20 (Angels and Shepherds) Matthew 2:1-12 (The Visit of the Magi) The Epic Carol Battle (15 min) Matthew 2:13-15 (Flight to Egypt) This game is played in with six groups consisting of the youth and their parents. Use the following questions for reflection: 6. Download all of the music videos. See Media • What stood out the most to you in the story? Why? Suggestions for the video suggestions. • If you were a character in the story who would you 7. Cut out six slips of paper and on each slip of be? Why? paper write one of the following challenges. • What does this story have to do with Christmas? • Do an interpretive dance to “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.” • Sing and perform the “Let It Snow” using pretend SUGGESTIONS air instruments. While listening and discussing the Scripture passages decorate and eat Christmas • “Sing Little Drummer Boy” like one of our church cookies. choirs. • As a group, sing along to “Let It Go”, but instead of using words, everyone must meow.

52 Joyful: A Family Series Joyful: A Family Series 53 • Sing along to the “12 Days of Christmas” but when Thanksgiving and Joy (10 min) you sing, half the group must sing with their teeth The youth and their families gather together for covered by their lips and the other half must sing a prayer. Everyone stands in a large circle holding with their tongues sticking out. hands and the youth minister leads the prayer: • Find inanimate objects around the room, use these items as fake instruments and sing and play to Lord Jesus, we thank you so much for the joy and “Jingle Bell Rock.” fun of Christmas. We thank you for your mother and the great example she is to us of joyful waiting 8. Place the slips of paper in a hat. and celebration! Mother Mary we ask you to pray 9. Call up one small group and instruct one person for us so that we too may bring the joy of your Son in the group to draw a slip of paper from the hat. to all the world and share with everyone we meet 10. Pull up the corresponding music video to play the news that Jesus our Savior is born! During this while each group has 45 seconds to perform Christmas season we pray especially for all those who the song with their given challenge. The music are lonely, hungry, homeless, and for these special should not be louder than the youth and parents intentions (allow the youth to add in any intentions). along. Lord Jesus we thank you for all the many blessings of our lives and for hearing our prayers. We ask all 11. Award creative prizes to each group such as most this in your most holy name. Amen. creative, most intense, and most participation, etc. Cookies, hot chocolate, and various snacks should be made available and the youth and their families SUGGESTIONS may use the rest of the time to socialize. Play the If you are not able to have the music videos music videos at their full length in the background. playing, just have the music playing in the background. If you do not like the selection Notes: ______of Christmas songs, pick new ones that you know your youth would enjoy. If you do ______not think it would work for the parents and ______the youth to do this together, just have the ______youth do it and the parents cheer them on. ______STEP IT UP Have your Core Team come up with an ______entire dance routine to their favorite ______Christmas song or make a mock music ______video to perform for the youth and their ______families at the beginning of the activity. ______

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