God calls us to share the “Christmas Spirit” all year long.  So why does the “Christmas Spirit” fail so quickly after the presents are opened?

Did you ever wonder why we give presents to people to celebrate Jesus’ birthday? I mean, for my birthday, I get presents. For your birthday, you get presents. So why do we receive gifts on Jesus’ birthday?

Years ago, I started having a birthday party for Jesus with my youth group. We brought in a cake with “Happy Birthday Jesus” written on it and everyone brought a gift to give Jesus.

The gifts were the best part. Everyone brought a wrapped box in for the party. We took turns placing our boxes under the tree. As we placed them, we told what we had brought for Jesus. Some might bring their love, devotion, praise, time, etc. Others might bring their bad habits (cussing, smoking, bullying, etc.) or something they need to let go of (ex-boyfriend, bitterness, feeling inadequate, etc.).

When all of the gifts were under the tree, we would pray and ask God to bless our gifts. We would thank God for His gift and we would thank Jesus for willingly coming to earth and giving up His riches and comfort for us.

After our prayer, we would all share one thing we counted as a blessing in our life. Then we played Christmas music and ate cake. Everyone had fun and seemed to carry the “Christmas Spirit” with them longer into the New Year.

Have your youth group “adopt” a family. If there isn’t a family in need at your church, then go to a school and get information on a family (just ages of the children, sizes, etc. ~ never more than their first name) and gather Christmas gifts for them. If you know the family, the whole family can receive gifts. Have the gifts dropped off unwrapped at your church and have the teens wrap them. This is so you can be sure the gifts are new and appropriate. The last thing you want a small child to open on Christmas morning is a bottle of wine or something equally inappropriate. Then on Christmas Eve (or a day close to Christmas Eve) go Christmas Caroling and deliver the gifts. Hold back a few gifts and give them to the parents to have something from “Santa” for Christmas morning. If you don’t put your names on the gifts (leave “from” blank) then the parents can give the gifts to their children. Getting patted on the back isn’t the goal. Giving a great Christmas to someone who might not have a Christmas is the goal. The gifts themselves were not as important as the giving. Bibles make great gifts, just keep in mind that children may prefer a “Veggie Tale” video or a Child’s Bible to a King James Bible. Teens might prefer a Christian CD (in their style of music: Rap, Rock, etc.) or a Christian T-shirt to socks. Be creative and thoughtful to what the receiver of the gift might want or like.

For Thanksgiving,  “adopt” a family and provide a dinner for them (with all the food you normally have for Thanksgiving). Again, get donations and have the teens deliver it. You can prepare the food and deliver it on Thanksgiving (check with the family to make sure this would be convenient) or take the food to the family a few days before Thanksgiving (again checking to see what the family would prefer). You may find you end up with enough food for the family to have many meals after Thanksgiving as well. Limit food donations to non-parishable food and take money donations for the Turkey and other parishable foods (keep in mind that the family may not have the staples we take for granted like eggs, milk, butter, etc.). Once you have purchased all of the food for that day (don’t forget dessert), use the rest of the food to buy things the family can use later like crackers, bread, cheese, sugar, salt, peanut butter, etc.

For other holidays, keep it simple but think of how you can helpothers in need. For Valentine’s Day, give a food love offering to a family in need. For Halloween, host a Harvest party as an alternative and invite kid’s who are less fortunate or those who maybe won’t do anything that night. If you have the funds, open to the whole community. For Easter, host a Spring Fling. Have games and prizes, food and rides (blow-up bouncy rides). Face painting and egg hunts are fun as well. New Years Eve is a fun time to have a great meal for the less fortunate or have a Teen Lock-in so they have something safe to do and do’t get into trouble.

* Whatever you do to celebrate the holidays, incorporate giving and serving your community. Remember, we can’t out-give God but we can be generous with what God gives us.

* Use your talents to give and serve. Be creative and try to do something at least once a quarter for someone else. If your youth group is large enough or they really get into giving, try to do something every month.