Our ward Christmas party was a success. We had a tremendous turnout, way more than I even hoped for, and have had such amazing comments of "the best Christmas party I've ever been to", and "I was a doubting Thomas, but I had to repent for being judgemental because it was wonderful". Wow! The pictures don't do it justice (icky camera, poor photographer). We had a welcome table in the lobby that had a picture of the Nativity w/"Do You Believe?" questioning those arriving. 
We stamped "Believe" on everyone's hand when they entered & gave them a bag of beans; their currency. When they came in we had a "jungle-type" theme w/ palm trees (made from cardboard carpet tubing), & vegetation around (we asked the members to bring silk/plastic trees from home). We had some Mayan-type designs on the walls & we had the Primary kids color pictures of jaguars, parrots, frogs, snakes, etc. . . and we posted them around the room. We had some tables & chairs set up, but most were laid flat on the ground where people had to sit on the floor to eat. We also had marketplace tables set up where people could buy beads and feathers to make necklaces, arrowhead necklaces, bracelets, and headbands.
People came dressed as Nephites and Lamanites & we had great participation (not everyone dressed up which was totally fine). 
We had a dvd of "The Testaments, Of One Fold and One Shepard" playing quietly in the corner in case there were those wanting to sit and watch. We had a delicious feast of sweet pork burritos (with friend flatbread), lime rice, cilantro buttermilk dressing, chips & salsa, bean salads, and sliced pineapple, mangoes, papaya, banana, grapes, kiwi, oranges, limes, and pomegranate, as well as mixed nuts & chocolate brownies for dessert. We did simple tap water for drink (we didn't even do ice). The line for the food wrapped around the table (we had both sides going to dish up), the width of the gym and then the legnth of the gym, down the middle. It was incredible. I thought for sure we would run out of food, but like the loaves and fishes, we were well blessed. It was a Christmas miracle! The only thing we ran out of was lime rice and brownies, and people even were able to return for seconds.
We stamped "Believe" on everyone's hand when they entered & gave them a bag of beans; their currency. When they came in we had a "jungle-type" theme w/ palm trees (made from cardboard carpet tubing), & vegetation around (we asked the members to bring silk/plastic trees from home). We had some Mayan-type designs on the walls & we had the Primary kids color pictures of jaguars, parrots, frogs, snakes, etc. . . and we posted them around the room. We had some tables & chairs set up, but most were laid flat on the ground where people had to sit on the floor to eat. We also had marketplace tables set up where people could buy beads and feathers to make necklaces, arrowhead necklaces, bracelets, and headbands.
People came dressed as Nephites and Lamanites & we had great participation (not everyone dressed up which was totally fine). 
We had a dvd of "The Testaments, Of One Fold and One Shepard" playing quietly in the corner in case there were those wanting to sit and watch. We had a delicious feast of sweet pork burritos (with friend flatbread), lime rice, cilantro buttermilk dressing, chips & salsa, bean salads, and sliced pineapple, mangoes, papaya, banana, grapes, kiwi, oranges, limes, and pomegranate, as well as mixed nuts & chocolate brownies for dessert. We did simple tap water for drink (we didn't even do ice). The line for the food wrapped around the table (we had both sides going to dish up), the width of the gym and then the legnth of the gym, down the middle. It was incredible. I thought for sure we would run out of food, but like the loaves and fishes, we were well blessed. It was a Christmas miracle! The only thing we ran out of was lime rice and brownies, and people even were able to return for seconds.
The Primary children sang "Said Samuel" then we had a "play"/reading about Samuel on the wall & his prophecy of the new star. 
It spoke about how the day had come when the believers were to be put to death because there was no sign of the coming of the Savior in to the world and how Nephi prayed all day for the sign to come. (Ben was Nephi). Then the reading panned to the Nativity and how the Savior Jesus Christ came in to the world the very day that the sign of a new star was given. We turned the lights on bright in the whole gym (we previously had it dim through dinner) when the day and a night and a day w/o darkness came & then dimmed them again and turned on a big star light when the sign of the star came. 
We ended signing all together "Silent Night" and closed the curtains with Mary holding the baby Jesus under the new star. It was truly beautiful. I couldn't have asked for it to turn out any better.
It spoke about how the day had come when the believers were to be put to death because there was no sign of the coming of the Savior in to the world and how Nephi prayed all day for the sign to come. (Ben was Nephi). Then the reading panned to the Nativity and how the Savior Jesus Christ came in to the world the very day that the sign of a new star was given. We turned the lights on bright in the whole gym (we previously had it dim through dinner) when the day and a night and a day w/o darkness came & then dimmed them again and turned on a big star light when the sign of the star came. 
We ended signing all together "Silent Night" and closed the curtains with Mary holding the baby Jesus under the new star. It was truly beautiful. I couldn't have asked for it to turn out any better.I am so blessed to have had a chance to work on this Christmas event for our ward. It was a spectacular amount of work, but it turned out so lovely. I feel the message came across that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world and His coming to the earth was known to all around the world, not just in Israel. I can't convey my gratitude for my Savior, Jesus Christ, and His birth, life and death, all on my, and your behalf.
