Breakfast in Bethlehem continues Saturday
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Breakfast In Bethlehem is a fun Christmas experience for the whole family.
As you and your children children move from station to station, at 269 Quarter Town Line, they learn about the Christmas story by doing crafts and activities. Each area focuses a different part of the story.
“If you go to all of those areas you will pick up each part of the story,” said Pastor Brent Shepherd. “The idea is to tell the Christmas story in an atmosphere that kids love – doing crafts and games. Kids love to learn by doing and being active.”
The delicious pancake and sausage breakfast ($3) adds to the experience.
Music plays on the sound system as kids play a game with gnarly wooden staffs on stage. Below the stage there is a petting zoo.
“The Shepherd’s game. You hold the staff, and all try to rotate at the same time (letting go of your staff and catching your neighbour’s staff). You spread out a little bit each time… and it gets harder to do. If you drop it, you’re out. Simple but fun.”
Rope making did not return from last year’s marketplace.
“We love to get feedback from the people that are coming, and every year we try to make adjustments to make it the best possible. We change things up just to keep it fresh.”
Many of the elements that were most popular last year are back including the petting zoo, the story area and many of the craft stations.
“We added the photo element which is really popular this year. And we added a coat check which allows people to stay longer, not carry as much.”
By the end of the morning, they had 136 people on their first Saturday. The event continues next Saturday, Dec. 7, from 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Bethel Pentelcostal Church – everyone is welcome.
“Families have really enjoyed it,” said Shepherd. “We’ve seen more families come through than we did the first week last year. Always, when you do it two weeks, the second week is busier.”
Through the week, many of the craft tents remain in place. The animal pen, of course, is an exception.
“The animals have to go,” Shepherd laughed. “Feeding them’s not so bad, it’s the cleaning up… they don’t stay here but they do come back.”
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