Will your Women's Ministry be hosting a Christmas event this year?  Now is a good time to start planning if you haven't done so already.  As you know, it takes a while for committees to form, take time to meet, plan the event and then execute their plan.  Plus, speakers, musicians, entertainers, venues, equipment can have significant lead times.

If your wondering what to do this year, we have some options to kick around:

• Christmas Deserts (plus coffee definitely and possibly egg nog, apple cider, etc).  Add a speaker or music to the event.
• Christmas Concert
• Christmas Tea or Christmas Brunch
• Christmas Cookie Exchange
• Progressive Meal - Travel to different homes for different courses.  This is primarily a bonding time, but you could add other elements such as singing Christmas Carols, reading parts of the Christmas story, completing Christmas quizzes, etc.  
• Christmas Movie - Gather up Christmas goodies and watch a classic Christmas video together at the church or in someone's home.  E.g.'s: White Christmas, Holiday Inn, It's A Wonderful Life, Miracle on 34th Street, etc.
• Outreach - Make a Christmas dinner or goodies and invite women from a shelter; or bring the meal to them.
• Cookies and Letters: Put out the cookies and have a time where the ladies write letters of encouragement to loved ones or to someone they don't even know such as nursing home residents, women at a shelter, etc.
• Gifting: Decide to bless others in need with some gifts.  Pick a group of people, distribute instructions to the ladies and invite them to bring their gifts when the come to some other Christmas event.  This challenge could also go out to the whole chruch stating that it is sponsored and run by the women's ministry.

And of course you can combine or mix and match any of the above ideas.   

Tip: sign up your volunteers in September or October if possible.  Otherwise, they may feel too overwhelmed to volunteer in November / December.  

Good planning now will reap dividends and avoid anxiety later!

Christmas Speakers, Emcees & Musicians

 KTIS Radio announcer / speaker Lisa Barry's Christmas chat is entitled 'Ya Yust Go Nuts at Christmas!'  Lisa's humorous and instructive talk encourages women to manage their expectations, to step back and soak up friends and family and of course to focus on Jesus and all what Christmas really means.  It's a worthy goal each year, but many let it slip through their fingers amidst all the busyness and crazy expectations.  Learn more about Lisa here!

Author Vicki Tiede has a fun Christmas topic called 'Twinkle!'  Vicki's message shines, blinks, glimmers, and guides wise women to their Savior, whose birth we celebrate at Christmas. In the midst of holiday bustle, Twinkle! points women back to their first love, and reminds them to shine like stars in the universe.  Learn more about Vickie Tiede here and watch her video!

Invite Pam Lundell from KTIS to liven up your event with her hilarious and teachable perspectives on Christmas.