Kids Alive! Christmas Special 2022

Illustrated by Philippa Martin

Subscribe* to

Now available online! Delivered to your door 26 November 2022 salvationist.org.uk/kidsalive KidsAlive! formerlyTheYoungSoldier IssueNo 50p Theworld'slongest-runningpublicationforchildren! salvationist.org.uk/kidsalive this AmazingCreatingweek...an Space to Connect with God this week... lifestyle your mental spiritualwell-being.TreeNational Week WIN! 2022 Sony Pictures U.K. Tristar Pictures 4–5 The Nativity Story 6 Advent Re ections 7 Festive Fun 8–9 Giggle in the Middle 10 Dinosaur 3D Puzzle Competition 11 Colouring Corner 12–13 The Christmas Catastrophe 14–15 The Nativity Story 16 Patch’s Pals PICK OUT PATCH: Page 6. FESTIVE FUN Snow: snowman, snowball, snowfall, snow angel, snow ake. GIGGLE IN THE MIDDLE TRICKY TREE 1 At. 2 Eat. 3 Tale. 4 Bleat. 5 Stable. BIG MYSTERY: Tinsel. CROSSWORD ACROSS: 1 Wish. 3 Ache. 7 Santa. 8 Ass. 9 Dancing. 13 Two. 14 Event. 16 Noel. 17 Afar. DOWN: 1 Wise. 2 Son. 4 Chain. 5 East. 6 Watched. 10 Adore. 11 Stun. 12 Star. 15 Elf. EDITOR Justin Reeves DEPUTY EDITOR Cara Mott GRAPHIC DESIGNER Philippa Martin EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Melita Day-Lewis KA! JAM CO-ORDINATOR Ibukun Baku PROOFREADER Chris Horne Kids Alive! of ce: 020 7367 4910 Email: kidsalive@salvationarmy.org.uk 101 Newington Causeway. London SE1 6BN. Switchboard: 0845 634 0101Published by The Salvation Army United Kingdom and Ireland Territory (cost in the Republic of Ireland: 65c). Founder: William Booth General: Brian Peddle Territorial Commander: Commissioner Anthony Cotterill Editor-in-Chief: Major Mal Davies The Salvation Army is a Christian church and registered charity. The charity number in England, Wales and Northern Ireland is 214779, in Scotland SC009359 and in the Republic of Ireland CHY6399 ISSN 1363-5662

£4.33

Round the virgin mother and child; Holy infant, tender and mild,

RESTS IN HEAVENLY PEACE

Welcome to the Kids Alive!

Christmas special! The big day is getting closer, so we’ve got the Chrimbo tunes blaring and the fairylights ickering. What’s it like in your home? Is it as busy as Santa’s workshop? There always seems to be so much to do at this time of year. There are decorations to put up, presents to wrap and lines or songs to learn for plays or shows. With all the festivities it can be dif cult to nd some peace in the run-up to Christmas. But guess what? Despite the busyness it is possible to nd peace during the festive season. Christmas is all about celebrating the birth of Jesus and one of the titles Jesus was known by is Prince of Peace. Part of God’s plan for sending Jesus to Earth was to bring people peace. The angels who visit the shepherds in the Nativity story even tell them peace is for everyone. But what does that mean? Well, Jesus’ peace comes from spending time talking and praying with him. By having a relationship with Jesus, he can help you with any fears or worries you have, making things less scary or hectic. But that’s not all. You can also share peace with others. Wherever you see sadness, think about ways you can help. Is someone in your family stressing because they’ve got millions of sprouts to prepare?

Lend them a hand to make their task easier. Know someone at school being bullied? Stand up for them so they know they have a friend. See someone experiencing homelessness? Could your family offer them some food or a warm drink to make them smile?

We hope you all nd some peace this Christmas and share it around. Make the world a happier, more peaceful place, one small step at a time.

HAPPY cHRISTMAS!

I wonder what you think of when someone mentions peace. Maybe you think of a world without war. Perhaps you think of quiet. For some, peace is being surrounded by friends and family enjoying a good time and making lots of noise.

not sure things have changed. Peace feels like a tricky thing Kids Alive! wants to bring you a little the pages of this Christmas special. Enjoy the puzzles, laugh at the jokes, read the Nativity story, say the prayer from

Whatever peace looks like to you, I hope you get some of it this Christmastime. Most of all I hope you get to know Jesus better and enjoy the peace he wants for you.

Illustrated by Philippa Martin

Name:

A d ve n t Re f l e c t i

During Advent, we look forward to the arrival of Jesus at Christmas. In Isaiah 9:6, Jesus is called the Prince of Peace. This Advent season let’s welcome God’s peace into our hearts.

Peace of Mind

Matthew 1:18–25

When Joseph found out Mary was pregnant, he felt betrayed. Even though he was worried about what others would think, Joseph wanted to protect Mary’s reputation. So, when the angel told him, ‘Don’t be afraid!’ and explained God’s plan – Joseph nally felt at peace.

There might be situations right now that you’re worried about. They could be about your family, friends or something that’s happening in your school or local community. God gives us the same message he gave to Joseph – you don’t have to be afraid or anxious. Instead, you can share what’s on your mind with Jesus and trust in his love and good plans for you. Then, like Joseph, your mind will be at peace.

P ra ye r

Dear Jesus, Help me to talk to you whenever I’m worried, so I can receive your gift of peace. Amen.

KA! JAM is the coolest Bible activity club around. As a member you’ll go on amazing adventures through the Bible learning about Jesus. Each activity sheet is filled with lots of great stuff about being a Christian. You’ll also receive our mini-mag, Chatterbox, which is filled with jokes, games and much more. And to top it off, there are loads of awesome prizes to be won!

To join KA! JAM and complete the Bible activity courses online, go to salvationist.org.uk/kajam.

Or if you would like to receive the postal version, simply fill in the coupon below.

To join KA! JAM just ll in the application form and send it – along with two rst-class stamps – to: KA! JAM, 101 Newington Causeway, London SE1 6BN. Applicants must be between 7 and 17 years old to join.

Date of birth: Address:

Postcode: Boy or girl: Do you attend a church, and if so, which one? apply for membership of Kids Alive! Jesus And Me. I understand that joining KA! JAM doesn’t mean I have joined The Salvation Army and that it is not a free subscription to Kids Alive!

I, (signature) PLEASE USE BLOCK CAPITALS.

CHRISTMAS MAZE CHRISTMAS MAZE

his way back to Father Christmas.

Haha,haha,haha!

He he, he he!

Hoho,hoho!

Ho ho, ha ha, he he!

Hehe,hehe!

TRICKY TREE TRICKY TREE

Starting at the top, use the letters from each row to make a new word in the row below until you arrive at the base of the tree with a six-letter word that will tell you where the Nativity took place.

by Neil Locker

What did one angel say to the other? ‘Halo there!’

Hoho,haha,hehe!

Did Rudolph go to school?

No, he was elf-taught!

What did Adam say on the day before Christmas? ‘It’s Christmas, Eve!’

Ho ho, ho ho!

he Ha ha, ha ha, ha ha!

What did the Christmas tree say to the ornaments? ‘Quit hanging around!’

How much did Father Christmas pay for his sleigh? Nothing, it was on the house!

He he, he he!

Ho ho, ha ha, he he!

What do you call a snowman with a six-pack? The abdominal snowman!

Who’s never hungry at Christmas?

The turkey, it’s always stuffed!

Puzzles are perfect for festive family fun, so it’s great timing that we’re giving away some roar-some dinosaur puzzles in this week’s competition!

Discovery’s 150-piece Prime 3D Dinosaur jigsaw puzzle range has three awesome designs to choose from. The puzzle range features one of the most ferocious predators to ever walk the Earth – the mighty T-rex! Did you know the name tyrannosaurus rex comes from Greek and Latin? It means ‘tyrant lizard king’. Well, the T-rex was a seriously big beast, growing up to 12 metres long and 6 metres tall! Also featured in the range are the monstrous triceratops and bird-like velociraptor. So there’s something to suit all dino fans. Also, the new Prime 3D lens gives the image great depth and movement, which you’ll love.

For your opportunity to win a Discovery 150-piece Prime 3D Dinosaur puzzle, answer the question below and email your full name, age, address and answer to kidsalive@salvationarmy.org.uk.

Remember to put ‘Dinosaur 3D Puzzle Competition’ in the subject box. Your entry needs to reach us by Friday 30 December when the winners will be chosen. You can also enter by lling in the details on the coupon below and posting it to: Dinosaur 3D Puzzle Competition, Kids Alive! 101 Newington Causeway, London SE1 6BN.

christmastime colouring

If you’ve read page 3 you’ll know that even in the busy run-up to Christmas it’s important to nd some peace. Colouring is the perfect activity for a bit of quiet time. Add some colour to the design below to see if it helps you nd some calm in the chaos. Top tip – grab yourself a hot chocolate for extra festive feels too! If you’d like to share your artwork with other readers, email your colourings to: kidsalive@salvationarmy.org.uk. Make sure you write ‘Christmastime Colouring’ in the subject box and give us your full name, age and address. Alternatively you can post your colourings to: Your Space, Kids Alive! 101 Newington Causeway, London SE1 6BN. One last reminder, if you’re sending by post remember to ll in the details below so we know who you are. We send a gift to everyone whose colouring we publish, so don’t miss out!

The date was 23 December and as everyone slept they had no idea what the day ahead would bring. It was a cold, wintry morning … well, most mornings were like that here. Thankfully, Nick was wrapped up warm in his snug red pyjamas in bed. Snow was falling outside the window –everything was a blanket of white. Nick would have loved to lie there all day, but he’d soon have to get up for work. You can’t laze around in bed all day when you have a job as important as Nick does!

the snooze button had already been pressed

‘Mooooorning,’ Nick yawned to his wife. He sat up with a groan. ‘I’m getting too old for this job. I’m 919 … or is it 920? Oh, I don’t know.’ Opening the big, wooden workshop doors, Nick was expecting to be greeted by happy faces. He certainly wasn’t prepared for what was waiting for him!

Elves were running this way and that, while others stood still in shock! Snow had blown in from the chilly outdoors covering Nick’s desk and pieces of brightly coloured wrapping paper covered Nick’s super organised assistant, Honey Picklefrost – who always had her Bluetooth headset and tablet computer handy – ran towards Nick. She did not look her usual calm self!

‘SANTA! It’s all gone swiggledy here!’ said Honey. ‘Someone left the back door open and old Bjorn the polar bear smelt the gingerbread cooling in the kitchen and came crashing through!

‘He’s sat on presents, trampled snow through

the wrapping department and tripped and damaged the main power cable. We’ve got no computers, no hot chocolate maker and worst of all no internet!’ said Honey, shaking her tablet in Nick’s face. ‘How are we meant to work without Google?!’

When Nick entered the elf technology (ET) department it was like stepping into a spaceship! So many machines with things to push, turn, slide or twist! ‘Every year, this place gets more complicated,’ thought Nick. ‘How am I meant to keep up?’

Everywhere Nick looked there were elves scratching their heads, pressing buttons or unplugging and re-plugging cables.

‘It’s a Christmas catastrophe!’ said Merry Snowdancer, head of ET. ‘I thought 2017 was bad. You know, that business with the new American president. You’d think he’d understand

really was no reason to involve the US Air Force! But this is something else!’

‘Let’s try to stay calm, everyone,’ said Nick.

John MacGregor

‘Stay calm? We need to update the SantaNav system tonight, and the gift list is saved on the computer! How will we know what the children want?!’ said Honey, panic written all over her face. ‘Santa! Santa!’ Another frazzled-looking elf burst into the room. ‘We need you urgently! The mountain snow giants are angry again! They say the noise from the workshop is keeping them awake – and there’s nothing worse than a tired and grumpy snow giant!’ Nick shook his head and sighed. ‘I’ll go and

‘What a day!’ said Nick. ‘I’d better go and see how Honey is getting on.’ ‘You sit down and have this hot chocolate. Honey

power cable so everything’s back online. The mess has been cleared up and I got all the elves together to calm them down. This isn’t how Christmas should be – all rushing around and panicking about presents! Christmas is about spending time with the people you love. That’s what really matters. Rest up, we’ve got our lovely friends, the Easter Bunny, Cupid and Tooth Fairy arriving for the Elf Carol Service soon.’

Nick trudged back down the mountain wrapped tightly in his coat, scarf, hat and gloves. It was so cold he even had two pairs of thick socks inside his wellies. Thankfully his meeting with the snow giants’ leader had gone well – you can smooth over any situation with an apology and some mince pies!

‘I remember when Christmas used to be simple,’ thought Nick. ‘Now there are more and more children to get presents for and they want far more complicated things. Computer games consoles and iPads are so much harder to make than wooden trains and teddy bears! And don’t get me started on all the thingamajig gadgets needed to make Christmas Eve run smoothly!’

saw the beaming face of his wife. ‘You look like you need a hug,’ said Christina as she wrapped her husband up in a big snuggle.

The North Pole Chapel looked beautiful! There were two large Christmas trees with sparkly silver decorations, candles walls, and most of all there were lots of smiling faces as elves greeted friends and family. ‘This really is my favourite part of Christmas,’ thought Nick as a big grin made its way across his face. ‘Everyone getting together to remember that Christmas is really about celebrating the birth of Jesus.’