It’s that time of year again. Snow is falling where I live, decorations are out, the sounds, sights, and smells of the season are upon us. I was on a walk last night as the light was fading and the crisp wind whistled. The crunch of snow beneath my boots was the only noise to accompany me, and I thought of the sights, sounds, and smells of the first Christmas.

I started to wonder what I would do if, out of the silence and darkening sky, I saw the magnificent light of a host of angels and listened to their song. What smells would I encounter when I ran to a stable in response to their instructions? What sight would I behold to see a tired, but content mother who has just been through labor, looking down upon her son, the Savior of the world wrapped tightly and lying in a manger?

The excitement of Christmas started to feel new again as the hope and joy that only comes through Jesus rushed through my heart. I hope you sense that today. I hope you don’t get so lost in the sights and smells of our own traditions. Beautiful as they are, they don’t have anything on the first Christmas.

But I digress. As for a lesson for Christmas, I’ve always loved how the Magi followed the star. They dropped everything to search for a king and offer him their gifts. May we have hearts like Magi each day, seeking the heart of our King and offering ourselves to him.

Activity

For this Christmas, our kids will be making stars to hang and remind them to seek Jesus like the Magi did.

What You’ll Need:

• Borax
• Water
• Pot
• Glasses or jars
• Popsicle sticks
• Chenille stems (pipe cleaners)
• String
• Access to a stove top
• Star cookie cutter (optional)

What You’ll Do:

• Using a star cookie cutter, wrap a chenille stem around it to get the shape. Twist the ends of the stem together, remove the cookie cutter, and tie a string around one point of the star.
• Tie the other end of the string to a popsicle stick. Set aside.
• Boil water in your pot and add borax. Stir until dissolved. You will need a ratio of 1 cup water to 3 Tablespoons borax.
• Pour your solution into the cups or jars for your students.
• Place the chenille star in the solution, lying the popsicle stick across the top of the jar to keep the star suspended in the solution.
• Wait 2-10 hours for crystals to form on your star.

What’s the Science:

• When dissolved in water, a saturation point is reached where the water cannot hold all the borax molecules. As it cools, the water molecules move closer together causing crystals of borax to form on available surfaces.

How Does it Apply to Me?

• Seeking and finding Jesus does something beautiful to us, too. He starts to make us new and more like him. He fills us with his Spirit, and all the joy, hope, and peace we can find in a Christmas season becomes ours year-round. He molds and makes us into new creations, far more beautiful than any crystal.

Other Free Resources

If you’re looking for helps to teach your kids about the Bible, try reading through one of my Kid’s Companions. Meant to be read alongside the books of Mark, Philippians, Colossians, or 1 Peter, each companion acts as a beginner commentary. You’ll find explanation of the story, help for hard-to-define-words, people of the Bible, and cultural contexts. Great as a family devotion or for a homeschool curriculum.

If you’re a Sunday School teacher looking for ideas for lesson plans, you can find those here.

For videos that explain the basics of Christianity for kids, click here.