The Assemblies Website - Christian Festivals from the Archive (Primary)

Christian Festivals from the Archive

Advent
Christmas
After Christmas/Epiphany
Valentine's Day
Shrove Tuesday/Ash Wednesday/Lent
Holy Week/Good Friday
Easter
Ascension / Pentecost
Saints' days
Harvest

Advent
Title	Suitability
Getting Stirred Up! Helps children to begin to 'get ready' for Christmas by reflecting how to make a better world. This assembly is designed for the week preceding Advent.	Whole school
Everybody's Waiting Introduces Advent as a time of waiting and preparation. The assembly looks at the people who were waiting for the Messiah to come, comparing it with the waiting that we do as we travel through advent.	Whole School
Advent Introduces and explore the season of Advent, using different Advent Calendars.	Whole School
Everybody's Waiting: an Advent assembly Explores the theme of waiting, and relate it to Advent.	Whole School

Go to top

Christmas
Title	Suitability
The Cook's Tale Looks at the story of The Three Wise Men from a different perspective. To think imaginatively about hidden characters in stories. To highlight the importance of love in a materialist world.	Key Stage 2b
Silly Christmas Poem Provides something silly for Christmas - with a serious point about the meaning of the festival.	Whole School
The First Christmas Eve Recounts the Christmas story from the perspective of one of the Bethlehem shepherds.	Key Stage 2
Celebrate Together Reflects upon the idea that celebrations such as Christmas mean so much more when shared with others.	Whole School
No room A dramatic retelling of the Nativity, involving the whole school, that can be used to focus on the Bible story and meaning of Christmas and/or the issue of homelessness.	Whole School
The shepherd's story Celebrates the Christmas message in a humorous way. This assembly features the narrative of one of the shepherds.	Whole School
The legend of St Boniface Reflects upon experiences of fear and to appreciate the significance of the 'Christmas tree'.	Key Stage 2
Christmas in Iceland Presents a Christmas story from another culture. This assembly features a scripted mime, which looks at the Christmas culture in Iceland.	Whole School
The best gift Introduces the idea of Jesus being a gift to us all from God.	Key Stage 2
Let's celebrate: a Christmas assembly Tells the Christmas story using ‘Pass the parcel’, using different paper layers to explain the mystery of Christmas.	Whole School
Faith and festivities Reminds children that Christmas is about faith as well as fun.	Whole School
The gift of Christmas Celebrates Christmas and to reflect upon its Christian significance.	Whole School
Christmas greetings Recalls the significance of Christmas greetings, looking at the history of Christmas cards and their significance in our modern celebrations.	Whole School
Mother Christmas (Babouska) Shares a Christmas legend from another country and think about what it has to say to us. The assembly features the story of ‘Mother Christmas’ - Babouska - from Russia.	Whole School/Key Stage 2
The king's birthday Provides a ready-made presentation for Christmas. A simple nativity play, which requires some preparation.	Key Stage 1/Key Stage 2
The Christmas card Shows what happens to the greetings cards we send and to convey the Christmas message in a simple way.	Key Stage 1/Key Stage 2
God's Christmas list Considers what gifts the world needs this Christmas.	Key Stage 1
A letter to Santa Claus Remembers the importance of thinking of others at Christmastime.	Key Stage 2
Rumours of Rudolf A fun-packed seasonal whole school assembly that reflects upon the meaning of Christmas goodwill. This assembly encourages us all to include everyone in our Christmas festivities.	Whole School

Go to top

After Christmas/Epiphany
Title	Suitability
Escape from danger Helps children to understand the plight of those who are refugees. This assembly features the story of the flight into Egypt, traditionally told the weekend after Christmas.	Key Stage 2
Epiphany Explores the meaning of Epiphany: God showing that he cares not just about one group of people, but for everyone.	Whole School

Go to top

Valentine's Day
Title	Suitability
Saying 'I love you' Encourages the children to say 'I love you' and ‘Thank you’ when appropriate.	Whole School
The perfect Valentine Helps children understand that no two people are the same, or were ever intended to be.	Whole School

Go to top

Shrove Tuesday/Ash Wednesday/Lent (Movable feast)
Title	Suitability
Shrove Tuesday/Lent Explores the meaning of Pancake Day (Shrove Tuesday), and Lent. This assembly looks at pancakes, and discusses where the tradition of keeping Lent came from.	Whole School
Recipes (Shrove Tuesday) Provides an assembly leading up to Shrove Tuesday and Lent that explores the idea of a ‘recipe for life’.	Whole School
Ash Wednesday Teaches the children how the name Ash Wednesday came about, and to explore its significance.	Key Stage 2
Precious perfume: for Lent and Mother's day Helps children to think about the story of the woman who anointed Jesus with perfume and to reflect upon generous actions and attitudes.	Whole School
Giving up for Lent Explores why some people ‘give things up’ for Lent.	Key Stage 2
Lent Explains the meaning of Lent and looks towards Easter.	Whole School

Go to top

Holy Week/Good Friday (Movable feast)
Title	Suitability
True supporters Explores issues of loyalty and peer-group pressure with reference to the events of Holy Week and the experience of the disciple Peter.	Key Stage 2
Peter's story Thinks about the story of Jesus' arrest from the perspective of Peter, and reflects on bravery and cowardice, loyalty, fear and forgiveness.	Whole School
The Last Supper: an Easter assembly Tells and explores part of the Easter story – the Last Supper.	Whole School
Easter: carrying the cross Looks at the story of Simon of Cyrene carrying Jesus’ cross.	Key Stage 2

Go to top

Easter (Movable feast)
Title	Suitability
Mary's story Considers the story of Jesus' resurrection from the perspective of Mary Magdalene. To reflect on her joy and amazement that Jesus was alive again!	Whole School
Easter: Sunday morning Tells the story of the first Easter Sunday morning. A re-telling of the story for the whole school to take part in.	Whole School
The world's waking up Provides an opportunity for an Easter celebration. This reflects the ‘waking up’ feeling of nature around the time of Easter.	Key Stage 1
Nails Shows that simple objects such as nails have an important part to play in our lives. To introduce the Easter story in a different way. This assembly takes in the solemnity of the Good Friday story, giving a chance for reflection on the death of Jesus.	Key Stage 2
Hot cross buns and Easter eggs Explores the story of Good Friday and Easter Sunday (death and resurrection) using popular Easter foods. A simple use of Easter eggs and Hot cross buns to relate to the story.	Whole School
Easter signs Considers the different signs and emotions connected with the Easter story.	Whole School
Life's amazing Celebrates the miracle of life (with reference to springtime and Easter themes).	Whole School
Easter: fingers and thumbs Tells the story of the resurrection by showing it with our fingers and thumbs!	Whole School
No escape? Explores an aspect of the Easter message: that Jesus showed great courage when he could have escaped the cross.	Key Stage 2
Trees Considers the importance of trees and their part in the Easter story.	Key Stage 2

Go to top

Ascension / Pentecost
Title	Suitability
(item) (notes)	Whole School

Go to top

Saints' days
Title	Suitability
St David's Day: 1 March Reflects on David's personal qualities and what we can learn from them.	Key Stage 2
St David's Day: 1 March Teaches the story of St David, and reflect on its meaning.	Whole School
St Patrick's Day: 17 March Celebrates the life and journeys of St Patrick.	Whole School
St George's Day: 23 April Tells the 'story' of St George and encourages us to think about our own 'dragons'.	Whole School
Surprising St George Encourages us to think about St George, who he might have been and what we can learn from England’s patron saint.	Whole School
All Saints' Day: 1 November Celebrates the Christian festival of All Saints by demonstrating that 'saints' are ordinary people who love God.	Whole School
All Saints Explains why the Christian Church commemorates All Saints’ Day (1 November).	Key Stage 2

Go to top

Harvest (this site has many Harvest assemblies; these are only a sample)
Title	Suitability
The flying pizza Helps children to appreciate the scale of global food production and the concept of 'food miles'.	Whole School
Favourite foods Helps chilren to recognize the different diets of living creatures and to be thankful for our favourite foods.	Whole School
Food, glorious food Shows the wonder of God's provision of food and reflects on the need to share food around the world.	Whole School
Vegetable plot Encourages children to give thanks to God for the rich diversity of vegetables and celebrate their place within our diet.	Key Stage 1/Whole School
Harvest: a USPG resource Takes a different look at Harvest through an African focus.	Whole School
Harvest thanksgiving Helps children give thanks for their food – even if it isn’t their favourite!	Whole School
Oats and beans and barley Helps children to think about how our food grows, seemingly with little help from us.	Key Stage 1

Go to top