A New Family Tradition: Christmas FHE Lesson

A dear friend of mine shared this Family Home Evening idea with me and it was too good not to pass along. 

It's a lesson for all ages that will invite the spirit into your home and help your family remember our Savior Jesus Christ.

Christmas Tree of Life

Shared by Heather Walker

What you will need:

            Christmas Tree

Gold Ribbon with  1 Nephi 11:13-23 written on it 

Sugar Cookies frosted with Royal Icing (or simply white sugars) with ornament hooks in them to hang on the tree (Butter Cream frosting makes the cookies too heavy to hang)

Gospel Art Picture Kit (Picture 201-The Nativity)  and a picture of the Tree of Life in Nephi’s Vision if you have it

Scriptures – 1 Nephi 8:10-12, 1 Nephi 11:14-15, 18-23 and John 3:16

Preparation:

Hang the sugar cookie ornaments on the tree to represent “the fruit of the Tree of Life”

Opening Prayer:

Opening Hymn:  Away in a Manger (Hymn 206)

Introduction:

With the family gathered around the Christmas Tree, ask the following questions:

               

Why do we celebrate Christmas?

           

Whose birth do we celebrate?

It’s such a special time of year that we decorate our home to help us remember Jesus’ birthday every day as we get ready for Christmas.  Do you know that before Jesus was born, prophets testified that the Savior of the World would be born to the Virgin Mary in Bethlehem, and they told the people to prepare for his coming.

Look at our Christmas Tree.  It is so beautiful with all the lights and ornaments on it.  And when I look at it, the Christmas tree helps me remember Jesus’ birth.

Scripture:

In the Book of Mormon, the prophet Lehi saw a vision of a tree that may have looked something like our Christmas Tree.  (Read 1 Nephi 8:10-12.)

Picture:  (If you have a picture of the Tree of Life, show it now.)

Let’s pretend we are Lehi and his family and partake of the Fruit of the Tree of Life. 

(Invite each family member to take a cookie off the tree and “partake” or eat the cookie.)

Isn’t the fruit of the Tree delicious, like Lehi said?

But what do you think the fruit in Lehi’s dream really was?

His son, Nephi, asked the Lord to know what his father’s vision meant, and this is what he saw.  (Read 1 Nephi 11:14-15, 18-20)

Picture:  Show the picture of the Nativity (picture 201)

He saw the birth of the Savior, Jesus Christ, to the Virgin Mary!

Scripture:

Read 1 Nephi 11:21-23

Nephi learned that the Tree of Life represents the Love of God, and the Gift of His Son, Jesus Christ.  When we partake of the “fruit of the tree” we receive the Savior, Jesus Christ, which brings us great joy.  (Read John 3:16)

God so loves the world that he gave us his Son, that if we believe in him we can have joy and everlasting life.  That is the message of Christmas.  It is my prayer that whenever we look at our Christmas Tree this season that we will remember God’s gift to us all, and rejoice that Jesus was born to be our Savior.

Activity:

Hang the scripture garland around the tree.

Closing Hymn:  Joy to the World  (Hymn 201)

Closing Prayer: