Christmas Songs, Poems, Fingerplays and Stories

 Reindeer Poky (sung to the tune of "The Hokey Pokey")
You put your antlers in. You put your antlers out.
You put you antlers in and you shake them all about.
You do the Reindeer Poky and you turn yourself around.
That's what it's all about!
You put your hooves in....
You put your red nose in....
You put your fluffy tail in...
You put your reindeer body in...


Dance Like Snowflakes (sung to the tune of "Frere Jacques")
Dance like snowflakes,
Dance like snowflakes,
In the air.
In the air.
Whirling, twirling, snowflakes,
Whirling, twirling, snowflakes,
Here and there.
Here and there.

Here's a little Candle (sung to the tune of "I'm a Little Teapot")
Here's a little candle dressed in white,
Wearing a hat of yellow light.
When the night is dark, then you will see
Just how bright this light can be.
Here's a little candle straight and tall,
Shining it's light upon us all.
When the night is dark, then you will see
Just how bright this light can be.
Here's a little candle burning bright.
Keeping us safe all through the night.
When the night is dark, then you will see
Just how bright this light can be!

Where is Santa? (sung to the tune of "Frere Jacques")
Where is Santa? Where is Santa? (hands behind back)
Here I am! Here I am! (arms out in front making a belly shape!)
Merry, Merry Christmas! Merry, Merry, Christmas!
(keep arms up through the rest of the song!)
Ho! Ho! Ho!, Ho! Ho! Ho!

Let's All Do a Little Clapping
(sung to "We Wish You A Merry Christmas")
Let's all do a little clapping, let's all do a little clapping, let's all do a
little clapping, & spread Christmas cheer. (You can change the clapping to
other activities.)
2.Jumping
3.Twirling
4.Stretching
5.Bending (Ask the kids for other ideas.)

This is Christmas
(sung to "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star")

What is Christmas? We'll tell you.
It's putting love in all we do;
In our work, and in our play.
In our living every day.
It is showing love for others,
Father, Mother, Sisters, Brothers.

Old St. Nicholas (sung to the tune of "Old McDonald Had a Farm")
Old St. Nicholas had a tree (form tree with arms)
Ho, ho ho ho ho!
And on that tree he had some horns (blow horns)
Ho ho ho ho ho
With a toot toot here and a toot toot there
Here a toot There a toot
Every where a toot toot
continue....
lights-------flash flash
candy canes-------yum-yum
drums-------boom-boom
bells---------ring ring
birds------peep peep
stars------twinkle twinkle
snowflakes-------flutter flutter
this is a good one to use on a flannel board

Legend of the Christmas Spider
Once upon a time, long ago, a gentle mother was busily cleaning the house for the most wonderful day of the year..... the day on which the Christ child come to bless the house. Not a speck of dust was left. Even the spiders had been banished from their cozy corner in the ceiling to avoid the housewife's busy cleaning. They finally fled to the furthest corner of the attic. T'was Christmas eve at last! The tree was decorated and waiting for the children to see it. But the poor spiders were frantic, for they could not see the tree, not be present for the Christ child's visit.But the oldest and wisest spider suggested that perhaps they could peep through the crack in the door to see him. Silently, they crept out of their attic, down the stairs, and across the floor to wait in the crack in the threshold. Suddenly, the door opened a wee bit and quickly the spiders scurried into the room. They must see the tree closely, since their eyes weren't accustomed to the brightness of the room. So they crept all over the tree, up and down, over every branch and twig and saw everyone of the pretty things. At last they satisfied themselves completely of the Christmas tree's beauty. But alas! Everywhere they went had left their webs, and when the little Christ child came to bless the house he was dismayed. He loved the little spiders, for they were God's creatures too. But he knew the mother, who had trimmed the tree for little children, wouldn't feel the same, so he touched the webs and they all turned to sparkling,shimmering silver and gold. Ever since that time, we have hung tinsel on our Christmas trees and according to the legend, it has become a custom to put a spider among the decorations on the tree........ This legend is found in both Germany an in the Ukraine.

To do the spiders I make them out of many different things.......For children the easiest would be take a round styrofoam ball for the body and a smaller one for the head.........Use glue and put either gold or silver glitter all over it and use the same color chenille stems for the legs.....Make a hanger to hang to the tree........Also can make them out of gold or silver pom poms (two different sizes one for body and one for head and add the same color chenille stems for the legs.........Can cut the stems in half and make two out of one..........