It’s often said that a parent needs to “build their child’s self-esteem.” As important as it is to teach children to love and accept the way God made them, it’s also essential to teach them to view themselves positively because they are God’s “helper.” As Ephesians 2:10 beautifully makes clear, not only do we find significance and value in being uniquely designed by God, but we also find significance by partnering with God in the good works He has planned for us to do.

To prepare, first read John 15:16 with your children and highlight the phrase, “I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit.” Emphasize to your kids that they have been hand-picked by God to contribute to His kingdom and the lives of others.

To make your posters, you’ll need the following supplies:

sheets of plain white cardstock or poster board (one per child)
newspaper to cover your work surface
wax crayons
paintbrushes
diluted watercolour paints.

Here’s how to create your posters:

1. Start by tracing outlines of each child’s hands on their individual posters using wax crayons.
2. Have your children choose their watercolours, then paint over the outlines of their hands.
3. After you have painted over all the hands, use a variety of colours to fill in all the remaining white space on the posters.
4. While your children work, talk to them about how people can use their hands to help others.
5. Once your posters are done, set them aside to dry and decide on a specific service project that will allow you to “put into practice” using your hands to help others. Here are some ideas to consider: giving back rubs, foot rubs, hugs, waving, smiling, dialling the phone to make an encouraging call, making roll-and-cut-out cookies for another family, and doing jobs like shovelling snow or picking up garbage. Pray together and ask God which “God job” He has planned for your family to do today.
6. While you are doing your service project together, refer to your children as “God’s little helpers” and let them know that they are valuable servants of God.
7. If you wish to extend the lesson, you can also keep track of the ways you use your hands to serve others by noting on each poster how that person served someone else.

Note: Another option is to trace each family member’s hands all around the border of your poster and use the centre portion to feature pictures of your family serving others. Add a verse from below if you wish.

Relevant Scripture

Ephesians 2:10 “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

John 15:16 “You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit – fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in My name.”

To make pomander balls:

Help your children make holes in an orange with a toothpick, then poke a whole clove into each hole. (Firm navel oranges work better than mandarins.) Once the orange is covered in cloves, tie a ribbon around it and hang it in an area where you can enjoy the delightful smell.

To sample the scents of the season:

Blindfold your kids and bring them samples of foods to smell. Have fun seeing if they can identify the following scents:

• cinnamon
• gingerbread
• hot chocolate
• freshly baked bread
• vanilla extract
• almond extract
• peppermint extract
• a freshly cut orange
• crushed pine needles
• spiced apple cider
• pumpkin pie
• apple pie
• sage, rosemary or mixed turkey stuffing spices.

Close by praying and asking God to fill your home with His Spirit.

Relevant Scripture

Psalm 133:1 “How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity!”

2 Corinthians 2:14 “But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of Him.”

Begin by displaying a basketful of colourful paper strips in a central location. Let your children know that when someone is noticed sharing God’s love in your home, they will get to add a link to the paper chain. Write on each new link a summary of how God’s love was shared with others. For example, Ben waited patiently for supper to be served. He showed his love for Mom and Dad.

You can explain, too, that just as Christmas decorations make your home beautiful, your lives are attractive if they are “decorated” with Christlike traits like love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, compassion, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control.

Emphasize that these character traits are often linked to each other: when we are loving toward others, it produces a wonderful “chain reaction” and other people are encouraged to live in love too. The Bible says, “Love is patient, love is kind” (1 Corinthians 13:4a). In turn, patience and kindness bring peace and joy to relationships.

Remind your children that it is the Holy Spirit living in us who makes us want to act like Jesus. His love in our hearts starts a chain reaction of more and more love being shared.

On Christmas Eve, Christmas Day or New Year’s Eve, read through the links together and thank God for the many ways His love is evident in your family.

Relevant Scripture

1 Corinthians 13:4-6 “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.”

Galatians 5:22-26 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.”

If you’d like to make a very simple but beautiful “baby Jesus in a manger” Christmas ornament, you’ll find instructions in the hands-on options section of the joy lesson under the heading “celebrate the joy of Christmas.”

As you wrap Christmas gifts together, point out how each package is unique. Talk about how God made each person unique too, in looks, preferences and abilities.

Read Psalm 139:13-16 and discuss the differences between your family members. Stress that each person is cherished by God. Then pray, thanking God for each person in your family and for the ways each one uniquely enriches your family.