Watching a Christmas movie, may not feel like an event a church should host, but it can be a gift of slowing down, spending time in community, and giving a faith perspective on a season rushing towards a Christmas overload.
Choose a family movie that is appropriate for all ages. I have done Charlie Brown Christmas, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Elf, and other classics. Some movies are wonderful for adults (It’s a Wonderful Life), but are too slow for the younger crowd. I try to pick movies that are less than one and a half hours. Preview the movie and come up with five to seven discussion questions that as a community of faith, what are the ethics, faith, and love-based questions that come up?
Publicize the event!
Have popcorn, snacks, lemonade, water and tea. Make it an intergenerational event, to encourage fellowship and community. Have a table of activities for the very young to do if they become bored. One option, that is a lot of fun, is choose an activity or word to call out every time a certain thing happens on screen (it makes it like a movie scavenger hunt.)
After the movie, have the discussion, encouraging all (and all ages) to answer. It makes for great community building and encourages those who normally would not interact, to get to know each other.
This activity is a great activity for the Sunday before Christmas (as an intergenerational Christian Formation event.)
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