It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

I wonder how you feel about Christmas? Are you the kind of person who gets the Christmas tunes on in November, loves a cheesy Christmas jumper, fills their home with fairy lights and buys pumpkin spice everything? Or maybe you don’t love it... maybe Christmas songs irritate you, your family always argue or you spend Christmas feeling lonely. Or somewhere in between?

 

However you feel, I think there is more to Christmas than how much we enjoy the festivities. As youth workers, people sometimes say to us "your job looks so FUN, playing pool and eating biscuits all day!" And it is fun! But if the reason we went into youth work was just for those ‘fun’ moments, we would quickly run out of steam when we’re standing outside in the rain at Rock Solid, or when there’s boring paperwork to be done.

 

It’s not just about enjoying the experience, but about what we are giving as youth workers that makes our job so worthwhile. Giving our time to young people who need love and support, giving the experience of a trip that someone may not otherwise have been able to afford, giving a safe space to spend an evening.

 

At Christmas, Christians remember the gift that God gave to the world, His Son Jesus.

John 3:16 in the Bible says, "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son.”

For Christians, giving to others reminds us of how generously God gives to us. It doesn't have to just be presents; last year I hosted a Christmas party for my kids and their friends. It wasn't about presents but about giving their friends a fun afternoon and making memories together.  Perhaps this Christmas, have a think about how you could give generously to others. You just might find your spirits lifted!

 

Here are a few tips and ideas I’ve gathered from some of our young people:

• Offer to help with the Christmas dinner - you could even have a nice chat with your mum/dad/nan while chopping those veggies
• Next time you buy a hot drink in town, buy a spare and give it to a homeless person
• Surprise someone with an anonymous gift, possibly someone you think might not receive much otherwise
• Write a thank you Christmas card to one of your teachers/support workers/family members telling them how much of a difference they’ve made to you

Let us know any other ideas you have!

From all of us here at WCYP, we wish you a very Happy Christmas season! x