[easyazon-image-link asin="B000H2N8KA" alt="A Fruitcake Christmas (Max Lucado's Hermie & Friends)" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/3100MT4CQ4L._SL160_.jpg" align="left" width="125" height="160"](Please note, if you are from the UK and thinking about purchasing this film, please make sure you have a suitable DVD player as it is American.)

A lovely ‘Christmas-themed’ film, particularly good for younger children (under 8s) although I think some older children would enjoy it too.  The film features ‘Hermie the Caterpillar’ who lives within a community of ‘bugs and creepy crawlies’.  They are busy making their Christmas preparations and preparing for the traditional arrival of Grannypillar’s fruitcake!  However, things do not go to plan as Iggy and Ziggy, a pair of ‘naughty’ cockroaches, steal the fruit cake and also take all the spare food in the garden, so that Hermie and his friends do not have enough to eat.  All is not lost though as two little ladybirds (Hailey and Bailey), with God’s help, remind everyone what Christmas is really about and there is  a happy ending to the film after all.

The following two clips, I hope, speak for themselves and don’t need any explanation from me!  The third clip has a few other themes that could be linked to it (please see last paragraph of this post).

From 9 minutes 59 seconds into the film until 12 minutes 50 seconds (approximately 3 minutes)

Hailey and Bailey discover that Iggy and Ziggy have taken all the food from the garden and that there is none left for everyone else.  They have a conversation with their mum and ask her why Iggy and Ziggy are so mean.  Their mum explains that it is because they don’t know the true meaning of Christmas.  She then goes on to explain to her children what the true meaning of Christmas is.  A voice from above (God) also adds an explanation and explains that He loved the world so much that He sent His son Jesus at Christmas.  God explains that Jesus was the greatest gift of all.

From 23 minutes and 36 seconds until 25 minutes and 40 seconds (approximately 2 minutes)

Hermie and his friends realise that the fruitcake has been stolen.  They are all quite upset and ask God why their plans have not worked out as they had hoped.  God reminds them that the fruitcake is not the reason we celebrate Christmas and that perhaps they have been worrying so much about it, that they have forgotten the real meaning of Christmas.  God tells them that Christmas CAN still happen without the fruitcake, but there can be no Christmas without Jesus!  This clip also stresses how much God loves everyone which is why he sent his son Jesus to earth.

From 25 minutes and 23 seconds until 29 minutes and 55 seconds (approximately 4 minutes)

Despite the fact that there is no special fruitcake anymore, Hermie and his friends realise they can still celebrate Christmas and be grateful for the little food they have (which includes a rather old and much smaller fruitcake).  As they are all enjoying the smaller fruitcake, Hailey and Bailey realise that Iggy and Ziggy (the cockroaches) are not with them to enjoy this fruitcake and suggest that they should be invited too.  This is not met with a positive response from the others, as it is Iggy and Ziggy who have stolen the large fruitcake for themselves.  Despite the fact that Hermie and his friends all say Iggy and Ziggy should not be invited, Hailey and Bailey take it upon themselves to go and give them their share of the small fruitcake.  During this exchange Hailey and Bailey sing a song “God gave us the greatest gift of all” and they spend some time explaining to Iggy and Ziggy that God’s gift of Jesus and of love was for everyone, including them.

This final clip, as well as linking in with Christmas, could also be used to demonstrate how we should love our enemies (Matthew 5:44).  It could also link in to how it is important to do what we believe is ‘right’ and honouring to God and not just to go along with the crowd (Exodus 23:2 and also Romans 12:2).

A very easy way of providing a fun and lively activity and at the same time connecting it to a bible story.  We try and use races as described below as ways of introducing a theme or story.  The children I have worked with have always loved taking part in fun races.  We are very fortunate at our church to have lots of sport equipment, however if this is not something you have access to, consider using every day items instead, or even better, ask the parents if they can let you borrow some of the sport equipment that is no doubt taking up lots of space in their garage!

I usually split the children into two or three teams and make sure we have plenty of space (either inside or outside) to do some races.  As a very ‘non-sporty’ person, all the races I organise are about fun!  No particular sporting talent is required, just the willingness to take part.  I find that the ‘sillier’ the activity is that the children are asked to do, the more they enjoy it.  Just make sure you do all the risk assessments to ensure the races are fun but safe.  The children should start by sitting in two lines, one behind each other, facing the course in front of them.  You should have two of everything you need for the course, ie so there is enough for two teams.   Have an adult at the top of the course and one with the children.  Explain and demonstrate the course first, ensuring you have thought of every eventuality!  The winning team is the one which completes the course first and sits back down in their line – and quietly!

Here are a few examples of what our very simple relay races tend to involve:

• Balance a ball on  a racket and walk in and out of the cones (or chairs) right to the top of the course and then back again, without dropping the ball.
• Walk like a penguin whilst balancing a small hoop or bean bag on your head, again in and out of the cones to the top of the course and then back again.
• Make the noise of a chicken whilst hopping your way around the course.
• Dribble a football in and out of the cones
• Dribble a hockey ball with a hockey stick in and out of the cones.
• Throw a foam arrow as far as you can once you get to the top of the course.
• And a few other ideas: Do 5 skips with a skipping rope, go in and out of hula hoop, throw a small beanbag into another hoop, crawl under a play parachute, walk along a piece of tape on the floor, hop, skip, run, jump, score a goal with a football, bounce a ball into a bucket, etc.  The list is endless!

The way to link the race to the bible story is to try and include something from the story in the race!  Here are a few examples:

• Animal noises or walks – Noah, Daniel in the Lion’s Den or Creation
• Pick up a brightly coloured piece of material (could even be the size of a hanky) and attach it to you throughout the course. – Joseph and his multicoloured coat.
• Carry a brightly decorated shoebox with four handles on it (made out of the inside of a roll of kitchen towel) over an obstacle course – the moving of the Arc of God (2 Samuel 6)
• Pick up a letter of the alphabet at the end of the course and bring it back to the rest of your team.  Once all the letters have been collected, work out what the word spells (can be anything to do with the theme or story for that day).  You could also do this with a bible story picture which you have cut up to make a jigsaw.
• Push a cuddly toy sheep (or little plastic one) around the course with a walking stick or hockey stick – the parable of the lost sheep.
• Make each child dress up as a shepherd or king as they go around the course – Christmas
• Throw a small ball or bean bag at a large teddy or doll – David and Goliath
• Give each child a cup of water to carry around the course, without spilling it! – The parting of the red sea, Jesus turning water into wine, the woman at the well, in fact any story in the bible that mentions water! (water games are always popular with our children – but be prepared for lots of wet clothes!)
• Give each team a doll to carry around the course and various baby equipment to pick up on their way, eg bottles, nappies, spoons, blankets, etc. – Christmas, Moses (as a baby)
• Have a tray of sand at the end of the course and the children have to build a Lego house on the sand, one brick at a time which they have picked up along the way.   – the wise and foolish men.
• Tell the children a bible story before the game begins.  Have about 10 items at the top of the course, some of which were mentioned in the story, some of which were not.  The children have to do the course and then choose which item they should bring back to their team that is related to the story.  Eg Easter or Moses would be good.
• Include a dice in the course (you can buy giant foam dice) where the children have to throw a six or one before they can continue the course – link with the time the soldiers gambled for Jesus’ clothes when he was being crucified.
• Hopping, using just one hand for something or having to crawl instead of walk – any story about healing in the bible.

Some of these ideas I have tried out and some I have just thought of off the top of my head!  The point is that relay races can be adapted so very easily to fit in with your theme for the day (however vague/weak that link might be!)  I am sure the list is endless and if I think of any more ideas will be sure to add them to this list!  Have fun!