All Age Christmas Day Service

'Gifts from the Wardrobe'

With the release of the new film version of 'The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe' we thought it would be a great focus for worship on Christmas Day! The basic idea would work well for inclusive Worship at other times in the season of Christmas.

The following are some suggestions for a service that is based around gift giving and receiving. We have made suggestions but are also aware that there will be many traditions that are part of your service on Christmas Day. We have kept the structure as loose as possible to enable you to adapt the material. Any quotes are abridged and are taken from the Harper Collins Modern Classic edition.

There is a huge range of pictures, both from the film and the original books, available from www.narnia.com You can use these in different ways to add atmosphere and to illustrate the events and themes.

Many services invite children to bring along a gift they have received and to share it with the congregation. It can be fun to see that latest trends in toys and games but have you thought about asking the children what gifts they have given this Christmas, or perhaps even what gifts the rest of the congregation have received?

After looking at the gifts around, share a gift of your own with the congregation - some Turkish Delight and perhaps something hot to drink. If you are able encourage people to share this hospitality together. Ask them if the Turkish Delight or the hot drink reminds them of any particular story. You can prompt them by reading the following passage from the book, or maybe using a picture.

'Perhaps something hot to drink?' said the Queen. 'Should you like that?'
'Yes, please, your Majesty' said Edmund, whose teeth were chattering.
The Queen took from somewhere among her wrappings a very small bottle which looked as if it were made of copper.......  right down to his toes.

The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe Harper Collins Modern Classic p37-38

Someone will be able to explain the context of this part of the story and you could discuss the following issues - Why do you think Edmund took the gifts from the Queen? Wasn't it quite obvious that she was not a very trustworthy person? Was it because he was deluded by the air of 'Magic and Sparkle' that was around the Queen? Perhaps it was because he did not feel special - Peter and Susan were older than him and having teased Lucy it now turns out she was right all along. 

(This can be true for us when we are not being able to recognise our own gifts; we think there is nothing special about us and we feel low. But we all have gifts, ones that have been given to us by God - including the very special gift of the Christ child.)

In the book Narnia is a place where it is always winter but never Christmas. What would the significance of this be? How would it feel to always be waiting for Christmas but it never coming? How would the world be worse off without Christmas?

Use the Christmas readings from the Gospels to remind people of the huge importance of the gift we are given at Christmas, both past, present, and future. (Matthew puts the visit of the great wise men in the story to illustrate this, Luke has the great cosmic event of the star and John the powerful imagery of the Logos.)

During the prayer time in this service leave space for thought and action about what gifts you would like to give to the world this Christmas. You could introduce the gift giving theme by using the following passage from 'The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe' 

'And now' said father Christmas, 'for your presents. There is a new and better sewing machine for you, Mrs Beaver. I will drop it in your house as I pass.' .....'If any of your friends is hurt, a few drops of this will restore them.

The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe Harper Collins Modern Classic p107-108

Thinking over the events of the last year where in the world needs a particular gift of love and prayer? Encourage people to share these together or perhaps come forward and place markers on a map, notes on a background, or hang prayers on a lampost or a Christmas tree. You may like to play some music over this to remind us that we are all precious to God.

Other songs to sing are included below in pdf format for you to download.

Who will set us free? (pdf 72K)

If you believe and I believe (pdf 85K)

Cradled in a manger meanly, Hymns and Psalm 98 (especially last verse)