This Christmas FHE lesson is about receiving gifts with gladness, including the gift of Jesus Christ.
Scripture
Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.
Hymn
Picture a Christmas | Children’s Songbook, pg. 50
1. Picture a stable in Judea.
Picture a sacred, silent night.
And can you hear
The angels near
And see the star so bright?
Picture the little baby Jesus.
Think of his life and words so dear.
Sing praise to him;
Remember him,
As you picture Christmas this year.
2. Picture the kind and gentle Joseph.
Picture the mother, Mary, fair.
And can you see
So rev’rently
The shepherds kneeling there?
Picture the little baby Jesus.
Think of his life and words so dear.
Sing praise to him;
Remember him,
As you picture Christmas this year.
Lesson
SUITABLE FOR ALL AGES
Before the lesson, wrap a photo of Christ as a gift. If you do not have one, you can wrap scriptures, a photo of the temple, or anything else you have that represents the gospel.
To start off the lesson, hold out the present for everyone to see.
Read aloud: During the Christmas season, we give and receive gifts. We create lists and go shopping. We wait in excitement for Christmas morning to see the gifts under the tree.
Ask: What is a meaningful Christmas gift you have received? How did getting that gift make you feel?
Unwrap the present yourself or have someone in the group do it.
Read aloud: Christmas gifts represent the greatest gift of all: Jesus Christ. Heavenly Father gave us his son so we can return to him one day. Because of Jesus Christ, we can experience peace, joy, healing, forgiveness, and more. The gift of Jesus Christ is one we can receive daily.
However, we can lose sight of how special it is to receive a gift. We talk a lot about why we should give gifts, but we do not often talk about how we can receive gifts with a glad heart.
Have someone read the following quote from Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf:
“Isn’t one of the great joys of Christmas seeing the excited faces of little children as they take in their hands a wrapped gift that is just for them?
As we get older, however, our ability to receive gifts with the same enthusiasm and grace seems to diminish. Sometimes people even get to the point where they can’t receive a gift or, for that matter, even a compliment without embarrassment or feelings of indebtedness. They mistakenly think that the only acceptable way to respond to receiving a gift is by giving back something of even greater value. Others simply fail to see the significance of a gift—focusing only on its outward appearance or its value and ignoring the deep meaning it has to the sincere giver.”
Ask: Why do we struggle to receive gifts?
Read aloud: Heavenly Father wants us to receive gifts with gladness and joy. As we enter the Christmas season, we should think about how we can be better receivers.
Ask: How can we receive gifts with gladness? How can we receive Jesus Christ into our hearts?
Share a personal experience about a time when you received the gift of Christ with joy. Finish by bearing your testimony.
Featured Products
Treat
TreatPeppermint Bark Oreos
Ingredients:
Chocolate creme cookies
White chocolate melts or chocolate melts of your choice
Crushed peppermint candies
Directions:
In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the chocolate per the instructions on the package. It is best to do melt the chocolate at 30-second intervals, stirring with a spoon in-between. Dip half the cookies into the chocolate and cover with crushed peppermint candies.
Activity
ActivityUnwrap the Christmas Ball
Visit a local dollar store and gather a number of small goodies and treats your group will like. Purchase a few boxes of plastic wrap. Wrap the goodies in the ball so they are scattered throughout the saran wrap ball. To play, you’ll need a pair of dice. Have someone start unwrapping the ball. The person next to them is trying to roll doubles. When they roll doubles, the ball is passed to them. The next person begins rolling. You get to keep whatever you’re able to unwrap from the saran wrap.
Aleah is a graduate of Southern Virginia University, where she studied English, Creative Writing, and Dance. She now works full time as a marketing and product manager, writer, and editor. She currently hosts the podcast “Single to the Glory” about singlehood in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Aleah served a mission in California and loves baking, Lang Leav poetry, Gaynor Minden pointe shoes, and Bollywood movies.
