You will need:

• Cardstock
• Scissors
• Tape or glue
• 20–25 6-inch wooden dowel rods
• Colored pencils, markers, or crayons
• Green and blue colored paper for the backgrounds

Instructions:

Print pages 3–17 on cardstock if using the colored version. If you plan to color the pieces yourself, print out pages 18–32. Cut out the pieces. Glue or tape 6- to 8-inch dowel rods to the back of each figure. The scenery pieces (such as the houses or the tree) can be used for backdrop scenery on a bigger piece of paper. Use these paper puppet pieces to retell the story of the first Christmas as told in Luke 2:1–20. (Optional: For durability, cover the front with clear contact paper before cutting out the individual pieces.)

You can also use these figures for other activities, such as a Christmas mural, coloring pages, or flannelgraph pieces for storytelling, Christmas cards, baubles for the tree, etc.

Sample Scenes

Here are some scene ideas you can use to tell the story in your own words or to use to help illustrate the reading of the story.

Scene 1: Meet Joseph and Mary.

Scene 2: An angel visits Mary.

Scene 3: Meet Zacharias and Elizabeth.

Scene 4: Elizabeth and Mary are both expecting special babies.

Scene 5: Everyone must return to their place of birth.

Scene 6: Joseph and Mary travel to Bethlehem.

Scene 7: The only place to stay in Bethlehem is a stable for animals.

Scene 8: Jesus is born. Shepherds come to visit.

Scene 9: Wise men from the East follow a star. King Herod is not happy.

Scene 10: The wise men find Jesus and bring Him gifts.

Scene 11: Joseph, Mary, and Jesus flee to Egypt to be safe.

Scene 12: Merry Christmas!