Objectives

The students will be able to

• describe all the parts of the celebration of Jesus’ birth from Advent to his Baptism.
• identify the facts about the Holy Family that are contained in the Bible.

Materials

• Student Handout A (The Promised One)
• Student Handout B (Hidden Message Crossword)
• Student Handout C (Prayer Service)
• Family Handout (The Birth of Jesus)

Talk about the many different things they do during the Christmas season. (eat special foods, visit relatives, sing songs, exchange presents) Because the birth of Jesus is so important, we celebrate it over a number of days. 

Ask: When do we begin to prepare for Christmas in the Church? (the first Sunday of Advent) Explain that today they are going to learn about the Christmas season and how it lasts for three weeks.

Begin by reading the Student Handout A, The Promised One.  Then read Luke 2:1–7. Ask: Which feast is described in this reading? (Christmas) What will happen next? (Angels will tell shepherds that Jesus is born, and the shepherds will go to visit him.) Read the next two parts of the story, Luke 2:8–14 and 2:15–20.

Explain that the next feast day after Christmas is the feast of the Holy Family. Read the story about the Holy Family,  Luke 2:41–52.

Then tell the children that Epiphany is the feast day following the feast of the Holy Family. Ask: What does this feast celebrate? (the three Wise Men visiting Jesus) Read Matthew 2:1–12 to the children.

Then ask them what the final feast of the Christmas season celebrates. (the baptism of Jesus) Read to the children the account of the baptism in Matthew 4:13–17.

Using the Student Handout B, Hidden Message Crossword, have the children complete the puzzle and find the hidden message. Use this activity to see if the children have an understanding of the main parts of Jesus’ life celebrated during the Christmas season.

Using the Prayer Service, Student Handout C read Matthew 2:1–11. Make sure you allow time after the reading for silent reflection.

Enriching the Faith Experience

1. Have the children make colorful birthday cards for Jesus and present them at the parish Nativity scene.
2. Teach the children traditional Christmas carols, discussing the lyrics to songs such as “Joy to the World,” “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing,” and “The First Noel.”
3. Acquaint the children with some of the Christmas customs of different nations. If possible, invite a parent or parishioner to share his or her customs with the children.
4. It is a custom in Central America for families to make their own Nativity scene. Each family member makes a figure out of clay, paper, or cardboard, or provides a store-bought one. The figures of the Christ Child, Mary, and Joseph are always made first. However, the Christ Child is always added last, on Christmas Eve. Then figures from the Old and New Testaments are added. Sometimes figures representing the family members themselves are made, as well as figures for the animals. Introduce this custom to the children and share this tradition as a class, or encourage them to share this custom with their families.
5. Invite the children to dramatize one or more of the Scripture passages about the Holy Family found in Matthew 1:18–25; 2:13–23, 13:53–58; and Luke 2:1–52.