Church Christmas Party

Every year, our church has an annual Christmas party. This year, the celebration was incredibly different than any other party I have been to in past years. Typically, the church gym is decorated with Christmas colors, presents, and scenes from the nativity. The highlights of the evening are usually the copious amounts of cupcakes and a visit from Santa Claus at the end of the evening. However, this year, organizers decided to focus entirely on the nativity and the story of Christ's birth. The evening was called "A Night in Bethlehem," and the church was decorated to resemble ancient Israel. Those attending the party were asked to dress in Bethlehem-appropriate clothes and bring canned food for admission into the "inn."

The foods served were also Israel-centric. We enjoyed hummus, fresh fruit and vegetables, rice, and flat bread. Instead of Santa coming to visit the children, the kids were able to color pictures of the nativity and hear more about the birth of the Savior. There was even an entire room set up full of various pictures of Christ with several nativity scenes being displayed.

I must admit that I was a little wary of the children (and myself) enjoying a celebration that was so nontraditional, but the evening was a success! The kids and adults enjoyed the costumes and the feeling of Christmas was definitely there.