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Tracey L. Hurd, Ph.D.
Lifespan Faith Development, UUA
Boston, MA
The holiday seasons seem best when celebrated with children. For decades,
First Parish, Concord, has marked the December season with the Children’s
Holiday Crafts Workshop, a half-day event of homemade gift making. Although
only children make gifts, the adults and youth who serve as “elves”
helping children cherish the event just as much. The workshop involves
100 adults and 180 children—everyone wants to be part of it.
The goal is simple: to provide children with a place, materials, and
adult support to independently create gifts for their families and friends.
It is, however, a truly intergenerational event, where youth, children,
and adults meet and enjoy time together. Here’s a sample invitation
posted in a First Parish newsletter:
Calling all children six years old and up! Join us for the Children’s
Holiday Craft Workshop on Saturday, December 11 from 1:30 – 4:30
p.m. Come and make gifts for your families and friends. There are 18
different projects—ranging from woodworking to jewelry and leather
working, from friendly plastic to cookie baking. Pre-register at coffee
hours on November 21 and 28. Bring a large bag with a handle on it to
put your projects in. (Parents: This is a drop-off event. We’ll
have many adult elves to assist your children as they create.)
To create the Children’s Holiday Crafts Workshop, a leadership
team first decides a date and divides responsibilities. The following
are the aspects needing attention:
- Crafts Planning: Deciding what crafts will be offered and
leaders for those crafts. Crafts must yield results that satisfy children
yet are open-ended enough to allow creativity. An excellent way to plan
the crafts is to do so with a “craft leader” in mind. At
First Parish, one person “runs” woodworking, which included
getting volunteers to obtain wood, pre-cut pieces, and bring in the
tools. Another enjoys being in charge of Candy Cottages (graham cracker
cottages built around milk cartons), including collecting the milk cartons,
arranging for mixers to continually create the necessary sticky frosting/glue,
and providing utensils, paper plates, and decorating candy supplies.
Although crafts vary, some “sure fire” crafts include: woodworking,
candy cottages, bead/jewelry making, clay creations, cookie making (in
the kitchen, of course), clay-pot chalices, and decorated candles. Trying
new crafts is fun, whether successful in “products” or not.
We tried “painted holiday ties” one year. We solicited the
donation of unwanted ties (we received over 200) and had them out for
children to decorate and reinvent with paint and glue-on materials.
While some children enjoyed this, many simply found it too odd!
- Supplies: Although some craft leaders may obtain supplies,
leaders often need to assure that staples such as markers, and scissors
are available. With planning, supply donations can be requested from
the congregation. Making sure that there are adequate and organized
supplies makes the event best for children and for the adults working
with them. Creating boxes with all the supplies for a given craft—a
homemade “kit”—and providing that to the assigned
adults assures that all necessary materials are ready and organized.
Plan where to store supplies prior to and after the workshop.
- Logistics: Arranging a date and the parish space (a large
workshop may use many rooms a well as a parish hall). In addition, tables,
chairs, labels for the tables or rooms indicating which project is happening
there, paper coverings for tables with messy projects, and large garbage
bags that can be taped to the end of tables for easy clean-up, need
coordination.
- Recruitment: Signing up adult “elf” volunteers
and children. When the workshop is well organized, it is a relaxed,
pleasurable experience to be an adult helper. Assigning at least two
adults to each craft assures that adults have company. This is an excellent
event for newcomers—it’s an easy event for connecting with
others. Often parents of children attending the workshop volunteer to
work; teenagers who enjoyed the workshop as children often can’t
wait to be an “elf.” Playful invitations to adults inviting
them to get into the holiday spirit and advertising, “no special
skills except a love of children are necessary” is often very
effective. Advertising the workshop through the religious education
news and flyers is very effective. After the first year, children are
often waiting to find out when the next workshop will be held.
The Children’s Holiday Craft Workshop can become a treasured tradition.
The shared fun and celebration of giving is palpable. There is gift making
and gift giving, connections between adults and children, time for snacking
(we ask all adults who volunteer to work to bring something for the snack
area) and chatting, and time to simply feel intimately a part of the congregational
community.
While some children are very intent on creating a lot of gifts, others
linger. It’s a social event for all. My son still remembers making
his first wooden tool box during the workshop. The man who helped him
was then in his eighties; they shared a hello and smile at church thereafter.
Next year he plans to join the woodworking “elves.” I am sure
that many young children will share smiles with him; happy to know the
cool teenager who helped them make a toolbox.
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