“Holiday Hints” Christmas Game

This is a guest post by Mary Kate Warner of Christianity Cove. Have a blessed Advent and merry Christmas!

This Christmas game will help students learn the key elements of the Christmas/Nativity Story.

Game Materials

• Post-It Notes (one note per student)
• Scotch Tape
• Thick Black Marker

Christmas Game Overview

A student will have a note taped to their forehead with a word on it and they will have to guess that word with the hints given to them by their teammates.

Introduction to the Game

To introduce the game, read or paraphrase the following explanation:

It’s finally here: the most celebrated time of the year! Everywhere you look you see presents and trees and cookies and countless other things. But are these things the reasons for celebrating Christmas? Sometimes we get so wrapped up in the commotion that we lose sight of what Christmas is really about. Today we are going to play a game to help us realize the significance of Christmas.

Christmas Game Preparation & Instructions

For each student in the class, write a key Christmas word on a post-it. (Examples: Manger, Frankincense, Mary, Jesus, Star, etc.)

Instructions

1. If possible, split the class into two even teams (for classes larger than ten, divide into four or more teams)

2. Have teams sit facing their opponents on the opposite side of the room.

3. Pick one student from each team to start the game.

4. Without showing them what’s on it, tape a post-it on each student’s forehead.

5. Send the students back to their teams and have them stand or sit with their backs facing the opposing team.

6. The students will then receive hints from their teammates as to what their mystery word is.

7. They may not say the word that appears on the post-it, and they may not use objects in the room as hints.

8. They may only use words and gestures.

9. Whenever the student guesses the word on their forehead, they may send another student up to you.

10. Repeat steps four through nine until all students on one team have taken a turn.

11. The first team to have all students correctly guess a word wins.

12. Keep playing until all teams have finished.

Post-game Discussion

In Luke 2 we find the Christmas/Nativity story:

The angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were struck with great fear. The angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For today in the city of David a savior has been born for you who is Messiah and Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.” (Luke 2:9-12).

Just like us in our game, the shepherds were a little bit confused as to what the angel was hinting at. They didn’t know what to expect before they arrived to see Jesus lying in a manger. During this holiday season, we are bound to lose sight of the true meaning of Christmas one time or another. What matters most is that we find our way back, and that our hearts are at the humble manger, just like the shepherds’ hearts were there at Jesus’ birth.

Mary-Kate Warner is a regular blogger at Christianity Cove. You can often find her writing about Christian Motherhood, Homeschool Teaching, Bible Study and Sunday School Activities, Faith, and inspiring children to love God.