The Story of Christmas Minute To Win It Games

Minute to Win It Essentials

There are many ways to play The Story of Christmas Minute To Win It Games:
1. Single Player (One player tries to complete the task in 60 seconds.)
2. Challenge (Two or more players play against each other at the same time; fastest player wins.)
3. Beat the Record (Players take turns to play and try to beat the best timing.)
4. Team Challenge (Divide into two or more teams; each team sends one representative for each game.)
5. Stations (Set up one game at each station. Players freely move around to play whichever games they like. You may like to prepare a score card for each player and award prizes at the end.)

Whether you are planning a simple Christmas meal with family and friends, or a Sunday School lesson or church event, use The Story of Christmas Minute To Win It Games to share the true meaning of Christmas! The given scripts help you tell a small part of the Christmas story as you explain each game. Use the Bible lesson at the end to wrap up the games in a meaningful way.

1 J is for Jesus!

Say: The candy cane that we will be using in this game looks like a shepherd’s staff when you hold it upright. But when you turn it over, it looks like the letter J. J is for Jesus! Who is Jesus? More than 2000 years ago, there lived a young woman named Mary. She was preparing to be married to a man named Joseph. One day, an angel appeared to Mary and said, “Listen! You will soon have a son, and you will name him Jesus. The baby will be holy and will be called the Son of God.”

In this game, players must hold a “fishing pole” in their mouths and use it to pick up 4 small candy canes off the edge of a table. All 4 candy canes must remain hooked to the “fishing pole”. You must do this in 60 seconds.

(Note: You can modify the game to pick up 1 candy cane at a time and place it on another table.)

Supplies and Set-up:
Make a “fishing pole” using a chopstick, a 12-inch piece of string, and a candy cane.
Place another 4 candy canes on the edge of a tabletop.

For Younger Players:
Pick up only 1 candy cane.

This game is adapted from the Minute To Win It game: On The Hook.

2 Home Again

Say: The Bible tells us that around the time for Jesus to be born, the Roman rulers ordered everyone to return to their hometown to be counted. Joseph and Mary had to travel to Joseph’s hometown of Bethlehem.

In this game, there are 6 different colored candies, representing people from 6 different hometowns. The 6 bowls represent their respective hometowns. Players must “return” each candy to its respective “hometown” (i.e. matching colored bowl). You can only pick up 1 candy at a time. The goal is to return all 36 candies to their respective matching-colored bowls in 60 seconds.

Supplies and Set-up:
36 candies (6 each of 6 different colors).
6 different colored bowls that match the colors of the candies. (Example: if your candies are red, blue, green, yellow, orange and purple, then you will need bowls of the same colors. Alternatively, use identical bowls but label them accordingly.)
Distribute the 36 candies equally into the 6 bowls, 1 candy of each color per bowl.
Place the 6 bowls on 6 stools arranged in a circle around the player, 8 feet away from the player.

For Younger Players:
Play with fewer candies and bowls.
Place all the bowls on the same table.

This game is adapted from the Minute To Win It game: Matchmaker.

3 All Wrapped Up

Say: When Joseph and Mary arrived at Bethlehem, the town was very crowded. They had to stay where animals were kept. While they were there, baby Jesus was born. Mary wrapped him with pieces of cloth and placed him in a manger.

In this 2-player game, the first player must carefully wrap the second player in a roll of toilet paper in 60 seconds. The first player must walk around the second player with the roll of toilet paper, while the second player keeps still.

Supplies and Set-up:
Toilet paper.

This game is adapted from the Minute To Win It game: Dizzy Mummy.

4 Nighty Night Sheep

Say: On the night that Jesus was born, in a field near Bethlehem, shepherds were looking after their sheep. An angel appeared to them and said, “I bring you good news of great joy for all people. Today in Bethlehem, a Savior has been born. He is Christ the Lord!” Then many more angels appeared, praising God for the birth of Jesus.

In this game, players are shepherds who must herd all their sheep back into the sheep pen. Using an empty pizza box, players fan 12 marshmallow “sheep” across the floor towards the “sheep pen”. All 12 “sheep” must be in the “sheep pen” in 60 seconds.

Supplies and Set-up:
1 Pizza Box.
12 Marshmallows.
Mark out an 18” by 18” “sheep pen” on the ground.

For Younger Players:
Use fewer marshmallows.

This game is adapted from the Minute To Win It game: Egg Roll.

5 Follow the Star

Say: Sometime after the birth of Jesus, wise men from the east saw a bright, new star in the sky. They knew it was a sign that a great King had been born. The wise men followed the star to look for the child. When they found Jesus, they bowed down, worshiped him and gave him gifts.

In this 2-player game, Player 1 must roll a tennis ball from behind a foul line onto a star 5 placed feet away. The ball must be touching any part of the star when it comes to a complete stop. If the ball misses the star, Player 2 helps to retrieve the ball and rolls it back to Player 1 to try again. Players have 60 seconds to do this.

Supplies and Set-up:
Tennis ball.
Download, print and cut up the appropriate star.
(Use the larger star when playing with younger children)

Paste the star on the floor.
Mark a foul line 5 feet away from the star.

For Younger Players:
Use the larger star.
Mark the foul line closer to the star.

6 The Greatest Gift

Say: The wise men went in search of Jesus because they knew Jesus was special. The Bible tells us that Jesus is the Son of God. God sent Jesus to be born on earth because he loves us very much. Jesus is God’s special Christmas gift to all of us!

In this game, players must unwrap a gift-wrapped present in 60 seconds while wearing a pair of oven mitts.

Supplies and Set-up:
Gift wrap a box for each player.
A pair of oven mitts.

For Younger Players:
Choose an irregular shaped gift and use less sticky tape while gift-wrapping it.

Bible Lesson – The True Story of Christmas (Condensed)

Discuss
1. Did you enjoy these Minute To Win It games? Which was your favorite game?

Say
Today’s collection Minute To Win It games has a special Christmas theme.

Discuss
2. Do you usually celebrate Christmas? Who do you usually celebrate Christmas with? How do you celebrate?
3. What is Christmas to you? Is it just another holiday, or does it have any special meaning?

Say
There are many Christmas stories about Santa Claus, but Christmas is not really about Santa. Through today’s games, we have briefly summarized the true story of Christmas.

Discuss
4. Do you remember the story of Christmas?

Say
More than 2000 years ago, there lived a young woman named Mary. She was preparing to be married to a man named Joseph. One day, an angel appeared to Mary and said, “Listen! You will soon have a son, and you will name him Jesus. The baby will be holy and will be called the Son of God.”

Around the time for Jesus to be born, the Roman rulers ordered everyone to return to their hometown to be counted. Joseph and Mary had to travel to Joseph’s hometown of Bethlehem.

When Joseph and Mary arrived at Bethlehem, the town was very crowded. They had to stay where animals were kept. While they were there, baby Jesus was born. Mary wrapped him with pieces of cloth and placed him in a manger.

That night, in a field near Bethlehem, shepherds were looking after their sheep. An angel appeared to them and said, “I bring you good news of great joy for all people. Today in Bethlehem, a Savior has been born. He is Christ the Lord!” Then many more angels appeared, praising God for the birth of Jesus.

Sometime later, wise men from the east saw a bright, new star in the sky. They knew it was a sign that a great King had been born. The wise men followed the star to look for the child. When they found Jesus, they bowed down, worshiped him and gave him gifts.

This is the true story of Christmas.
Christmas is the day we celebrate the birth of Jesus.
Jesus is God’s special Christmas gift to all of us!

Use this section for an evangelistic lesson with pre-believers. Alternatively, if you are having a lesson with believers, you may skip this section.

Discuss
5. Do you know why God sent Jesus to be born on earth?

Read
John 3:16

Say
The Bible tells us that God sent his Son, Jesus, to be born on earth because he loves us very much.
God loves us so much that he wants to be with us forever and ever!
But we cannot be with God because we have all sinned.

Discuss
6. Do you know what “sin” means?

Say
Sins are things that we do that make God unhappy.

Discuss
7. Do you think you have sinned?
8. What are some of the things you have done that may have made God unhappy?

Say
We have all done things that are wrong. Telling lies, fighting and stealing are examples of sins.
God sent his Son, Jesus, to come to earth to die on the cross so that all of our sins can be forgiven.
And on the third day, Jesus became alive again!

Jesus is God’s perfect Christmas gift to us!

If you choose to accept the perfect Christmas gift of Jesus, you can be with God forever and ever.

Discuss
9. Have you already accepted the gift of Jesus?
10. Would you like to accept this gift?

You can accept Jesus by:
1. Admitting that you have sinned and asking God to forgive you,
2. Believing that Jesus died on the cross to be punished instead of you, and
3. Inviting Jesus into your life to help you turn away from sin.

You can talk to Jesus about this right now:

Dear Jesus, I know that I have sinned. I believe that you died on the cross to take the punishment for my sins. Please forgive all of my sins. Please come into my life and help me turn away from doing wrong. Thank you that because you took the punishment for my sins, I can have a relationship with you now and will one day be with you in heaven. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen

Conclude
Once you choose to accept the perfect Christmas gift of Jesus, you can be with God forever and ever!