Prison Fellowship Angel Tree® Christmas parties bring joy to the boys and girls receiving a gift from their incarcerated mom or dad. They’re also a meaningful opportunity to help teens and kids in your church learn the value of serving others.
If you’ve been looking for ways to include the children in your church in your upcoming Angel Tree Christmas party, these six ideas will get them engaged and excited!
1. Have the kids help distribute gifts.
Encourage your church youth group to assist in distributing gifts. Serving as a gift helper will not only be fun for your church’s children; it will also encourage a spirit of generosity and compassion.
2. Invite them to participate in craft activities.
Have older children plan out simple craft ideas to be completed with Angel Tree children attending the party. Set up a craft table at your event where the children can work together. The completed crafts make bright and festive keepsakes for visiting families.
3. Invite kids to serve on the welcoming committee.
Every gathering needs a few friendly greeters to make their special guests feel welcome. Assign some of the children in your church to welcome families as they arrive. Not only will visitors be warmly received, but the children serving as greeters will experience the importance of showing hospitality and kindness to others.
4. Help the children put on a show at the Angel Tree Christmas party.
Have your children’s ministry staff create a small show for the event. It’s important to keep in mind that the performance should be uncomplicated and fun—such as singing well-known Christmas carols—that the children attending the party would feel welcome to participate in. Another option might be to have the church’s young people act out a Nativity play at the party.
5. Have the older children share stories with younger kids.
Ask the older children in the church to practice reading the story of Jesus’ birth in Luke 2:1–20 as a “story time” for younger visitors. It’s a special moment of community that may instill a love for evangelism in your helpers.
6. Set up Christmas game stations.
Depending on the space available at your church, have your church’s youth group set up two or three game stations at your party. Try games that all ages can have fun at, such as Stack the Gifts, where each player stacks festively wrapped empty boxes as high as possible until the boxes come crashing down or Pin the Nose on Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.
Try one or more of these ideas for an Angel Tree Christmas party your church's kids won't forget! Whichever ideas you choose, be sure to pray together for God’s grace over all of your events.
By involving children in these activities, you’ll make your Angel Tree Christmas party more engaging—and teach your young helpers valuable lessons about giving, creativity, and community.
DISCOVER MORE ABOUT ANGEL TREE
Every child has a story. For 1.5 million children in the U.S., that story may be one of having a parent in prison.
In partnership with local churches, Angel Tree®reaches out to children of incarcerated men and women with the love of Christ. Your church can join Angel Tree to come alongside families in your community. It starts with a gift, but it doesn't end there!
