Nativity FHE

For Family Home Evening last night we had over my sisters Summer & Esther and their husbands Steve & Bryan. They helped us tell the nativity story to Aubrey.

I got part of this idea from Sharing Time on Sunday.

I wrapped up all of the pieces of Aubrey's plastic nativity. I numbered them in order of their part in the story. Then I handed them out to all of the adults in the room (everyone got the pieces that corresponded to the part of the nativity story they were going to tell.)

I started by asking Aubrey what was under our tree. She said "presents". We talked about how we give each other presents for Christmas. Then I told her that on the very first Christmas we were given the best present we were ever given. I explained to her that baby Jesus was born and that he made it possible for us to live with Heavenly Father and Jesus again someday. Then I told her that we had some presents for her to open that will help us tell the story of baby Jesus' birth.

So then she opened up the presents one by one and we told her the nativity story. She would put the pieces where they belonged in the nativity as we told her the story.

Then I asked her if we should give Jesus a gift this Christmas. I explained that his gift wouldn't be a toy, but that if we keep his commandments or do something loving and kind for someone else then that is a present to him. I had slips of paper for everyone to write on one thing they were going to do this Christmas as a gift for the Savior. I had made little envelopes out of wrapping paper with ribbon on top for each of us to put our paper in. Then Aubrey hung them on the tree to remind us of our gift.

Aubrey was really into the whole thing. She loved unwrapping the presents. And I think it was really fun for her to have her Aunts & Uncles participating in the teaching. I was so pleased with how it turned out.

Earlier in the day Aubrey and I had made star shaped sugar cookies and so then we frosted them and decorated them for dessert. I told her we did stars to help remind us of the new star that appeared at Jesus' birth.

It was a real fun night. Thanks Summer & Steve and Esther & Bryan for joining us and helping us teach Aubrey about the first Christmas.