Confetti! Midnight! Champagne toasts! Ok, maybe not in the classroom, BUT, setting goals is a great way to mark the new year with your students. Celebrating Epiphany in the New Year with kids in the Catholic classroom is the perfect opportunity to help your students make goals that are Christ-centered.
The Catholic Church begins each new year with a holy day, The Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, on January 1. Then, on January 6th, we celebrate the Feast of the Epiphany, the day the wise men arrived to greet the Christ Child and pay Him homage.
Keep reading to discover ideas for celebrating Epiphany this year with your class!
#1 Leave Your Nativity Up
When students come back to the classroom after the winter break (especially if it’s before January 6), they should visually see that the 12 Days of Christmas isn’t over yet! You can organically start the conversation, “Does anyone know why I haven’t put away the nativity scene yet?” Let it start your discussion about the long journey of the wise men, who didn’t arrive until after Christ was born.
#2 Begin your New Year together with Scripture
After reminding students that the wise men are still traveling to Bethlehem, read the story from Holy Scripture together. Ask them, “How we can be like the wise men?” Start to brainstorm how we can look for Jesus every day in our own lives.
#3 Say a New Year Prayer
Say a New Year prayer together that sets the intention of seeking Christ like the wise men. Check out the link below for a video to help your class pray together.
A printable prayer poster is also included in the Epiphany Activities Packet referenced below.
#4 Write Goals for Becoming Closer to Jesus
Have a class discussion about resolutions and goals that people usually make on January 1, but then ask, what was the goal of the wise men? What were they searching for?
Lead your class through a brainstorming session about what kind of goals we can make for ourselves that would lead us closer to Jesus. For example, learning more about Him by reading the Bible, being close to Him at Holy Mass or Adoration, receiving the Sacraments, living a Christian life by following His example.
Check out the images below for a sneak peek of what is included in this low-prep Epiphany Activities Packet that will help you teach this lesson:
#5 Write New Year Resolutions on a Star
Remind students that the choices they make every day can lead them closer to Jesus. Make a visual representation of their goals by writing them on a paper star, pointing out that when they look at their star, they can think of the Star of Bethlehem and how it led the wisemen to Jesus at Epiphany.
