Little people can make the traditional Christmas season gingerbread house OR we can get our “Jesus is the reason for the season” on and do a little something different: edible nativities aka gingerbread nativities.

The base is important, so line a deep-dish paper plate with foil to keep the ‘hay’ in place.

Prepare the stable using the graham crackers and the frosting onto the foil-lined plate using craft sticks. Be generous with the frosting and it should harden well for the little people to continue to decorate without fear the thing will collapse. In my new church, I have a dear friend who is helping me set up with homemade, edible ‘paste’ after church, but before the grand event this week.

Must-haves for decorating: M&Ms/Skittles (pop of color), pretzel sticks, animal crackers, and the Pepperidge Farm People cookies (found ours at Publix). Leftover candy from the fall festival is good place to start. This year I’ll also pick up fruit tape and chocolate chips, raisins, and anything else that would make for a fun stable. When all the decorating is finished, top it off with a good crunching of a Shredded Wheat bar over it all for hay. Then all goes home in a 2.5-gallon Ziploc bag.

Christmas Bible Question: According to the Bible, what animals were in the stable the night Jesus was born? Answer: No animals are listed in Luke 2.

This station will be one part of our Kids Family Christmas Party this Sunday.  There will be chili Fritos, T-shirt shaped Christmas cookies, games, and a tacky Christmas T-shirt/Sweater contest.

“You will eat the fruit of your labor; blessings and prosperity will be yours.” Psalm 128:2