The Best FHE Ever

I have wanted to write this post since LAST year
I know, PATHETIC!

And even worse, since we didn't do it this year
I guess I can at least finally get around to writing this post.

So my favorite FHE (and most successful) was our Christmas Lesson
I call it a

Christmas: Progressive Lesson

Room 1: Kitchen Table 2 minutes

• (30 sec) Tell them about Jesus' gift to us
• (30 sec) Ask each child to think about what they could give Jesus that is just as important
• (15 sec) Give them a few age appropriate ideas of what they could "give" to Jesus
• (30 sec) Invite them to follow you to the next room

Room 2: Another living area 3 - 4 1/2 minutes

This room should have: CD player w/ CD already in, & room to sit on the floor

• (30 sec) Tell them that the song you are going to play tells the story of a little boy who loved the Baby Jesus and wanted to give the baby something that showed that love- but he was poor and didn't have anything to give, so instead, he shared his talent, a peice of himself, with the Savior.
• (15 sec) Give each child a pencil and a toy drum or drums made by putting a circle of paper secured by a rubber band over a small cylindrical oatmeal container.
• (30 sec) teach the children to lightly play their drum when they hear pa-rum-pa-pum-pum
• (1 1/2 to 3 min) Play the Little Drummer Boy through the first verse and chorus -at least... turning the volume down gradually to end the song when you need to be done. ( I really like Josh Groban's version because it has a HUGE emotional build up to where he decides to "play for him")
• (15 sec) Invite them to follow you into the next room

Room 3: Close to the Christmas Tree 3 min 15 sec

This space should have: a small box, paper & pen for each, a nativity scene & a

piano or music to sing with (unless you prefer acapella - also the nativity scene

can be fancy, plastic, a picture, or made of pictures glued to cards )

• (15 sec) sit around the nativity scene
• (15 sec) Quietly point out shepherds, wise men, angels, came to worship/love baby Jesus.
• (15 sec) Pass out a small peice of paper and a pen to each person
• (1 min) Ask each person write down - or scribble - the gift they will give to the Savior
• (15 sec) Place each paper in the box and place the box under the Christmas Tree
• (1 min) Sing a song together - Silent Night, Away in a Manger are easy ones
• (15 sec) Invite everyone to follow you to the next room

Room 4: The Kitchen 40 seconds + refreshments

• (20 sec) Bear your testimony of something - your love for the Savior, your love for your family and desire to live together with Jesus forever, etc....
• (20 sec) Invite Someone to close in prayer & blessing
• Bring refreshments to the kitchen table and enjoy them!

Allow 15 minutes for this lesson
8 min 15 sec to 9 min 45 sec of planned material
5+ min of what we call TIME WARP or time that just dissappears unexplained

We first did this lesson when our girls were a young 3 and 5 1/2
The changing of scenery kept them engaged and curious

You could use the 4 corners of a room, or 4 random rooms in your house.
Keep it simple! That's why I indicated timing on EVERYTHING - for us adults & our big mouths

If you have an idea for a different Christmas song 0r message to teach try it! Let me know how it works for you!

If you have older children you can make things a little longer - but not much! Keep it simple -Invite the Spirit and let the Spirit teach!