SWEET CHRISTMAS
This story is told by standing behind a low table with tinsel around the edges so that the listeners can't see what's on the table from where they are sitting. Arranged in order on the table are a collection of  chocolate-bars/sweets/candy. You may need to substitute different sweets which are available locally. Hold up the chocolates at the appropriate time as you tell the story. Best of all you can eat some of them once the storytelling is through !
A long time ago a teenager called Mary heard an Angel tell her that she would be the mother of God's Son.  But how could this be?  She was more than KINDER SURPRISEd. She wasn't yet married to Joseph.  To have a baby now would cause lots of SNICKERS in the village. Joseph also heard of God's plan, but before the baby arrived both Mary and Joseph had to return to Bethlehem to be counted for the census - it was a long journey for the pregnant Mary but Joseph thought the BREAKAWAY would be good.  When they arrived, Joseph tried to find a place to stay, but CLUB after CLUB were full up. No rooms, they all said. Finally an innkeeper let them stay in his stable.  It was there that the little baby was born. He was named Jesus, which means Saviour. He was laid in a manger, lined with straw. 
That night, some shepherds heard Angels singing "Glory to God in the highest" and they were told to take some TIMEOUT a BREAK and go to Bethlehem to see the new born child. When they got there they found Mary, Joseph and Jesus who was lying in the manger.  It wasn't really a nice place - smelly and dirty.  Not really fit for a baby to be born. When the Shepherds saw the Jesus they said KOOL! YOWIE, HUBBABUBBA. Could this be just as the prophets had foretold?  God's special promise. The shepherds returned to the hills praising God as they went.
Meanwhile in a far country some SMARTIES, wisemen ,..were busily scanning the MILKYWAY when they saw a STARBURST through.  Was it MARS? No it was a special star as a sign of the birth of a king. They travelled a long way until they reached King Herod's palace - Herod was very interested to hear about the birth of a special king.  He told the wise men to find the king and then come back and tell him. The wise men TWIRLED around and then followed the star until they found Jesus and offered their BOUNTY... GOLD, frankincense and Myrrh. God then warned them in a dream that Herod was up to his TWIX again.  So they took FLYTE to return home by another way.
Now that's the familiar story - told at Christmas. It has little to do with reindeer and FLAKES of snow and a baby's crib, or m' MENTOS like tinsel.  The true story is not as nice. Jesus was born a refugee. His birth    was seen by some as a threat while others saw Jeusus'  birth had special meaning. Jesus was born so that ALLSORTS of people would know that God's son is our LIFESAVER - showing us God's true love. Many people this Christmas will be looking for some meaning or something EXTRA in their life in difficult times. The Christmas story really is "good news for all people."
HAVE A SWEET CHRISTMAS!
Original idea source unknown. adapted by Don Stott, 2002 , www. Eliab.com

Christmas Story
Mary & Joseph
Jesus
Birth
Nativity
Children's Story/Talk
Chapel
All-age worship