Splink | Excellence of Love

Love Your Family Day

Declare a “Love Your Family Day.” Each family member should write their name on a slip of paper and throw them in a bag. Ask each one to draw a name, but not let anyone see it (to add a little suspense). The name they draw is the person they must show love to the WHOLE day. (Coach the younger ones if they need ideas—letting a sibling pick the TV show; do their chore; write a kind note; draw a picture; play a game; give a small gift; refuse to argue; read a book; compliment the other; share a favorite toy; etc.) Enjoy a treat together to celebrate a good day of loving!

Optional idea: You could declare a “Love Your Neighbor Day” instead and think of ways to show love to others outside your family.

Tree of Love

Look in the Bible and read 1 Corinthians 13 to your family. Invite the kids to find the characteristics of love (kind; patient; unselfish; humble; pleasant—not quarrelsome; forgiving; doesn’t give up; happy for others; etc.). Designate one person as the “recorder” of the characteristics.

Build a Christmas tree of love. Cut pieces of green construction paper in half and assign each family member a characteristic of love to write on a piece of paper. If you have time, let them draw ornaments on their paper. Stick these on the wall (or fridge) in the shape of a tree. Cut out a star, write “LOVE” on it, and stick it at the top.

The greatest gift to give each other this Christmas is love!

The Greatest Love

Host a birthday party for Jesus to share about the greatest love ever given. Involve the whole family—plan games, make a birthday cake or cupcakes with candles, sing “Happy Birthday” and celebrate Jesus’ birth into the world. Read the Christmas story (Luke 2:1-20) by candlelight.

***A simple game I love to play at Christmas is hide and seek. Ask for two volunteers—a hider and a seeker. Send the seeker out of the room. The hider will then hide a piece of the nativity set (make sure everyone sees where she hides it). Bring the seeker back in and sing songs to help him find the hidden piece (sing louder the closer he gets to it; sing quieter when he is far from it). When the object is found, pick a new hider and seeker and continue playing.