Christmas party games and Christmas party ideas are key to every grand Christmas celebration. Christmas party games provide fun activities for young and old alike to enjoy the holidays and the special time with family. Original Christmas party ideas guarantee lasting impressions on family and guests. But, this year, as Christmas party ideas are considered and Christmas party games are constructed, Christians might want to keep in mind who we celebrate and the reality of many of our Christmas traditions. Too often we accept tradition as truth and we find ourselves caught up in activities that have more to do with frantic goals and less to do with a Holy God. Click the link below to take a Christmas Quiz.

When putting Christmas party ideas into action and pulling together the Christmas party games, families could use the opportunity to teach of Christ, his birth, life and death on the cross. Planning a celebration with Christmas party ideas while working with children and other family members might be an opportune time to visit the truth about why we celebrate. There can be activities and Christmas party ideas that will bring glory to Christ, and there are creative ideas listed throughout the Internet and through church resources. But, a simple investigation of where many of the current Christmas traditions come from will reveal that many of the Christmas party games we play and Christmas party ideas we use have their origins in ancient pagan practices.

An eye-opening example is the tradition of decorating a tree. The Christmas tree, the very center of many Christmas party ideas, was actually a symbol of the resurrection of a pagan god. The Pagan sun worshippers would place a Yule log on their home fire to symbolize that their pagan god, Nimrod had died. This event took place when the days were shorter due to the winter sunlight. But, the very next day, the pagans would cut down an evergreen tree and erect it in their homes to symbolize the resurrection of Nimrod through his son, Tammuz. The green tree was a sign of life and it was decorated in red berries with small balls that represented the sun, all as a worshipful ceremony to a god that does not exist. “For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe. They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers that it move not.” (Jeremiah 10:3-4) To explore more about the Lord’s desire for your life, please take the Christmas Quiz.

There are many other Christmas traditions and Christmas party games and activities that come from origins that are older than Christ. If Christmas party ideas and Christmas party games are to be the center of celebrating Christ, then we must evaluate what we can do to keep Christ as the center of celebration. Understanding where the symbolism for much of our Christmas party ideas comes from will help us maintain the uniqueness of our Savior reigning King, Christ. To discover more about the truth behind the story of Christ and our Christmas celebrations, visit the links below. “For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men…” (Mark 7:8)

For more information about Christmas party ideas and our Christmas Quiz, visit:
http://www.christianet.com/bible/
http://www.christianet.com/

Share This

I have two children and even though I love them to bits, I have to say that at times they need motivating to do their homework or to help out around the house, for example. This article describes how I go about this child motivation. The methods have helped my own children no end and I am sure they could help other parents in a similar situation.

I remember when I met my step-daughter who is called Taryn. She was five years of age and quite a character. I felt a bit sorry for her however as she spent a lot of time at a childminders. The childminder would take her and pick her up from school. On some days her mother would not be able to collect her until around 8pm.

After a few months of dating her mother, I offered to help out by stating that I could take Taryn to school and pick her up. Taryn said that she wanted me to do this and it was all agreed.

Up to this point Taryn had never really been made to do her homework, either by her mother who was very busy and often tired or by the childminder.

When we arrived home from school on the first day of me picking her up, I asked Taryn if she had any homework. She passed me her reading folder. In the folder was a book which she was supposed to read. Come on then Taryn lets read this book together, I said. I don’t do homework, Taryn replied. I stated to her that that was the past and that from now on she would be doing it.

Taryn had a bit of strop and started to cry. Your not my dad, you can not make me do it, she continued. I basically had to be very strong and made her read the book. There were a number of words which she could not read and I wrote them on a list. We then spent around ten minutes where I attempted to teach her the words. She found all of this very boring.

I then told her that we would now play a game, which is called the mouthing game. She would pick a word from the list and just mouth the word without making a sound. If I could guess what she had mouthed, she would get a point and then it would be my turn.

Taryn really enjoyed this game and on the way home from school on the next day, she asked if we could play the game again. Of course we can but we need to read the book first, I said. Taryn replied that this was fine. This is one example of many games we play when doing homework or any other task which the children see as mundane.

I also compliment both children and tell them how much I love and am proud of them at regular intervals. I give them rewards when they have a good school report and encourage them to always give things ago even if they believe that they might fail in the specific task. In my opinion there is no such thing as failure if you have tried your best.

Stephen Hill helps to promote a number of websites including:

stuttering

free poker advice

aviation cleaning products

Share This

What would childhood be without games? We can broaden this question to life in general. What would life be without games?

Games are the one essential in life which we should strive to maintain, no matter how old we are and no matter how worn out we might be. I am not talking about sports, here, though some possess a “game” quality. I am talking about the act of having fun while doing certain activities.

Much like Mary Poppins. Remember that, just after she made herself hired and went to the children’s nursery, she decided that they should tidy up the room? The children were upset and she said that they would make a game of the activity.

“This is a game, isn’t it, Mary Poppins?” was Jane’s concerned question, in which she replied that you have to have an element of fun in everything you do. As a consequence, the activity, instead of being perceived as an ordeal or a chore, is then perceived as a collaborative game; it becomes enjoyable.

So, what did Mary Poppins do? She started a song (music is very important), added some magic in the activity, and pronto! The children were engaged and while doing the chore, everyone was super happy. What a game tidying up the nursery had become!

Now, granted, most of us can’t do magic, even if our lives depended on it (I could use some magic for house cleaning, trully); but the idea still remains. We sure can add the quality of fun in everything we do (house cleaning included).

So how can we make our daily activities enjoyable? Here are some examples:

1. Cleaning: Put on some music; dance and sing along. Desi Arnaz once put the newspaper in front of the vacuum cleaner so that he could enjoy the news while vacuuming the house; you could read a book, as Renee Zellweger did, in Bridget Jones;

2. Folding laundry: Watch you favorite movie or speak on the phone with your favorite person;

3. Cooking: Do what Cate Blanchet did in the film “Bandits,” but don’t overdo it or you will have a lot of cleaning to do after dinner is ready and you might regret that bit of fun;

4. Commuting: listen to a great comic relief on CD;

5. Homework: Listen to some Mozart while you are at it. You have heard of the Mozart Effect, I am sure.

6. Work: Take breaks every hour or so, take a deep breath, do a little stretching, read some jokes on the Internet, play with one of those magnet puzzles;

7. Errands: Make up a treasure hunt game and follow it whenever you need to go;

8. Dishes: “The best time for planning a book is while you’re doing the dishes. ~ Agatha Christie.” You can also plan your next vacations. Enough said.

9. Buying food: Pretend you are a spy. Look for hints of a bad guy in every aisle of the supermarket. Make sure no one is spying at you and hide when you spot a spy. Any person can be a counter spy.

10. Mowing the lawn: Do what Steve Martin did in “My Blue Heaven”: Dress up and read a book while you mow the lawn. People will think you are nuts. You will feel great!

So here are just some simple ideas on how you can use the Mary Poppins Principle to have more fun in life. What else can you think about? Go overboard, exaggerate, feel silly. But most important of all, feel good!

© Maria Moratto 2005

About the author

Dr. Maria Moratto holds 5 degrees and is a life coach. She promotes coaching, seminars and courses in developing the perfect life’s blueprint, which includes attracting abundance and loving relationships, time management, stress management, diversity, goal setting, career search and change, values clarification, leisure, self-improvement, college life, communication and learning styles, spirituality, natural health and lifestyle.

She is also writing two books: one on successful relationships and the other on attracting the perfect lifestyle; both coming soon. Visit her website at http://www.rx4bliss.com and sign up for a no-cost e-zine that is short, informative, and fun.

Go to her blog at: http://www.rx4bliss.blogspot.com for great discussions on these topics. You may reprint this article in its entirety as long as you add this source box. She would also appreciate an email to: drmoratto@rx4bliss.com Please, rate this article if you found it useful.

Share This