Topsy Turvy Christmas

Every year our church does a family Christmas event in the beginning of December. This year the theme was Topsy Turvy based on the fact that when Jesus came to earth it turned the whole world upside down. Being a member of the children's ministry staff, I was in on the planning for this event which was super fun because everything was very untraditional, bright and creative. The evening started out in the santuary with singing, a skit and some games.
The penguin and panda (this year's VBS character) made an appearance. Mackenzie and Gabby were so great helping us out the whole night with the girls.

Stacie and Brigitte are two of my co-workers. Stacie is in charge of first thru fourth grade children and Brigitte works with the fifth and sixth graders.
After the opening, we walked around as a family to different locations in the church were a variety of activities were set up.
The story of the candy cane accompanied this craft.
Each girl worked very carefully stringing red and white beads onto a red pipe cleaner. They finished off the ornament with a loop and a white bow.
Christmas Tree snack - a.k.a. icing smeared onto an ice cream cone with a bunch of candy stuck to it.Fun to make...
delicious and...

...messy to eat.
The service project consisted of...
...making a card...
...to stuff in a stocking......along with lots of other toys and treats to give to children at a local trailer park and children in an orphanage in Mexico.

There was a petting zoo with a camel...

...donkey...
...and goats.
They had snow made for the night.

(You will never guess how much that little bit of snow cost. But that is the price we pay to see snow in Houston :-)

The kids LOVED it!
The adults did too!

Makin' snowballs
Throwin' snowballsSanta even stopped by. What a wonderful evening to be together as a family, spend time with other families from church, and be filled with a little of the Christmas spirit.