10. Doing an Emoji Christmas Story Night
Emoji’s have become an official language in the United States recently. Every student in your ministry I could guarantee writes and speaks to their friends in Emoji’s. Take one night in December to write out the Christmas story with your students in Emoji’s and have them send it out to their friends.
9. Ugly Sweater Contest
We do this every year, and the students love it! We have a contest for the most creative and the ugliest. Students make their own, and you will laugh alongside your students when they walk in with their sweaters.
8. Christmas Service
There is something special about gathering together with your students and sing Christmas songs and have a unique service to talk through the Christmas story.
7. Sock Swap
Our girls meet every year for the last I do not know how many years to exchange funny, colorful, and crazy socks. They draw names, or they play it as a white elephant game with students drawing a number for who goes first.
6. Bro Tie Bash
In my ministry, I am known for wearing bow ties, and our students three years ago asked if we could start a Bro Tie Bash to exchange bow ties. We then wear our bow ties to the church that Sunday and we get a group photo. I recommend this one for a great male bonding event.
5. A Youth Christmas Party
Who does not love a great party? Doing a Christmas Party allows for an individual bonding moment with your students and provides for both Middle and High School students come together for a special night. The Christmas party could be a pizza filled or even ask youth parents to open their houses for a progressive dinner. I always make a Middle School progressive dinner on one side of the town, and the High School dinner stops on the other side of the city. Then the night ends with both ministries coming together for dessert at a central location usually Youth Building where we all come together.
4. White Elephant/ Dirty Santa Game/Yankee Swap
I have provided a link to this game, but it is a great game to play with students and encourage them to get outside of their box. an excellent game for Wednesday Nights or a Christmas party. Here is the link: www.whiteelephantrules.com
3. Giving Christmas to the Homeless
Everyone has clothes that they have outgrown or that they no longer wear, but some students may have a talent for crocheting or knitting. Have students bring in jackets, gloves, hats, and other items they have or made to disperse to homeless in your area. I would say be smart because you know your context. The goal would be that you would allow your students give back to the community. I would keep the number low at each location, so you do not overwhelm the person. Also, I would have a few adults at each site with you.
2. Operation Christmas Child
I am a very competitive person, and I love doing Operation Christmas Child because you can challenge both Middle and High School to a competition to see which group raises funds for shipping, supplies to pack, and then how many boxes they prepare. I do a packing party with our students, and then we pray over the boxes before taking them to a drop off site.
1. Christmas Caroling to Elderly Church Members
Caroling has become a new tradition in our ministry, but one I love. We take out two vans of students to homes of shut-ins, elderly, and those who may not see our students that often. We sing three songs at each home, and then we give them a container of cookies that we made for them earlier in the day. Christmas Caroling is a unique tradition that we get to love on those in our church and community for one night during the Christmas season.
SCOTT TALLEY has been doing youth ministry for 13 years. He serves at Ebenezer Baptist in Hillsborough, NC as the Pastor of Students. Talley has studied and written on youth ministry and received his Doctorate in Global Mobilization at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. Talley seeks to help fellow youth pastors reach teenagers with the Gospel, while also engaging students to make disciples locally and internationally.
Facebook: FACEBOOK.COM/SCOTT.TALLEY
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Website: ELEVATESTUDENTMIN.COM
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