what to do in your town

Get Snapping!
Try to get hold of a really good digital camera and go around taking photos of your town during the Christmas period. Take for example, some shots of your town’s Christmas tree, or well known buildings that are decorated or covered in snow. Be imaginative with camera angles and effects.

Then, send the best ones to your local Town Council and local newspaper saying: "We sometimes rush around so much at Christmas that we don’t stop and see the great things that are all around us. So, this Christmas, I decided to take a camera round and take some photographs to help us all stop, stare and enjoy both our town and our Christmas."

[NB – photographs of people, may need consent from those in the photo or anyone under 18 usually needs the consent of a parent/guardian.]

Get Wrapping!
If your church is in the town centre, then why not set up a gift wrapping service? You supply the sticky tape, they supply the paper and gifts to be wrapped (buy some wrapping paper just in case). Then, put up a poster saying "[St Michael’s] serving you this Christmas’. Also, be smart and have some flyers printed out ready [or your local church magazine] listing all the dates of your Christmas services this year.

Get Baking!
Open your church up and offer free hot drinks, mince pies and chairs for weary shoppers/travellers.
Get some good music going on the church sound system and maybe some nice smelling candles to create a warm environment. But don't stop there! You can take also take drinks and cakes out onto the street to give away. Have available information about your church and suitable Christmas booklets to give away. Or merge the above two ideas into one. Get a team out there in the shopping centre wrapping presents, and encourage them to send people along to the church for free refreshments. Think big and bless the shopping community!

Go Singing!
Not for the faint-hearted, but this will make a big difference! Go Carol singing to a local elderly care home, hospital, or sheltered accommodation. Some care is needed in selecting where to go, but ask around at church as you may have a care worker or relative of an elderly person who could help arrange this with you. Thye may have a good contact they can hook you up with.

Get Decorating!
Decorate the outside of your church – make it bright, relevant and welcoming. Are the posters on your church notice board a bit naff? Do you have the skills to design and print out some really striking images this Christmas, ones that will attract people along to find out more about the Christmas story?

What To Do In Your School