Planning a Christmas carol concert

[Strawclutching]

I'm planning a Christmas carol concert at our local church. We live in a place with a really mix of faith/strong lack of faith and we always do a relaxed event that is not lead by a vicar but by the community. It's always been popular. We have lots of children happy to take part. I'd love to have any suggestions for carols/ Christmas songs/ readings (religious or not) ideas for things the children can do etc.

We also do a big decoration of the church but we've got stuck in a rut. Has anyone got any ideas to decorate (in a budget as I'll be funding it).

One more thing. I'd love to do a kind of Christmas based activity with the children when they decorate the church so we can make it really fun. Any thoughts?

Paper chains are a great community creation - everyone makes a length of links and then you link them all together. I don't know if you can buy the pre-sticky ones any more, probably not, so you'll be getting some craft paper and cutting it into strips yourself, and then I recommend staples rather than glue.

I would say tea candles, but they're always a fire risk, so maybe not.

Carols - well favourites for everyone are Jingle Bells, Away in a Manger, Hark the Herald Angels sing, While Shepherds Watched their Flocks, We 3 Kings, O come all ye Faithful, Little Donkey, O Little Town of Bethlehem, Once in Royal David's City.
And then you can have We Wish You A Merry Christmas at the end, and Rudolph the Red nosed reindeer at some point, if you can get someone to play Santa and distribute small sweets to everyone.

Absolutely love the paper chains idea! They will love it and I'll put the older children in charge. I'll have a look on Amazon. Keep them coming!

Festive bump

Decor:- White snowflakes.. Fold white paper and cut away and you have your own snowflake! Hang them up.

Large srands of ivy always look good against stonework or wood, perhaps on the windowsills, with a garland or two near the front. Free from a wood near you.

Would the Church funds run to a Christmas tree? You could dress it with velvet bows made from a charity shop curtain.

You could make mobiles with the white snowflakes.

Any child who had fairy wings could wear them on the night?

We invite children to dress in Nativity outfits, if they wish.

Re decorations- hand print Christmas Angels (triangle body, hand print wings, head and halo), gingerbread wise men (gingerbread man decorated with icing pens, edible baubles etc). Have a look on the Messy Church site for some more ideas.

Do you have facilities to serve mulled wine and mince pies afterwards?

Some of my favourite carols are
The Holly and the Ivy
Deck the Halls
We saw three ships come sailing by

and seasonal songs...
Scarlet Ribbons
Winter Wonderland
12 Days of Christmas

2 things I have seen in church which were nice

1. the vicar tells the christmas story and all the children act the parts. So as they arrive there are costumes and they can dress up as kings/angels, donkey Mary Joseph etc.

Then as the story is told they come to the front and you end up with a huge nativity scene with all the kids. The secret is to keep the story very brief.

1. get the fake tea lights (or real candles if you can)

turn all the lights out except for the candles and sing one of the songs, eg away in a manger.

decorations - this depends on time and church. You could have a christmas tree display. You need a whole load of small trees - people could provide their own or you could get them. You are invited to decorate a tree in a theme of your choice, and make a notice to stand by the tree to explain your tree. Anyone can do one, it could be a group eg the toddler group or a family or whoever. It can be a competition, with a little prize. Sometimes people pay to enter, and it goes to a charity.
ideas I have seen:

a recycled tree - decorated with 'rubbish'
a family tree - decorated with family photos
a christmas round the world tree - decorated with souvenirs from all round the world.
a natural tree - decorated with pine cones and apples etc
a christmas tree - decorated with little presents, or with nativity figures
a gold tree - all the decorations are gold
a handmade tree - all homemade decorations.

etc

I will share a brilliant poem this kids do at our Xmas thing at church ( various kids read a voice and wave an appropriate prop eg the socks etc)

www.christmascarnivals.com/christmas-poems/christmas-thank-you-poems.html