Cool Christmas Parade Float Ideas for a Church Youth Group

Putting together a float is a great project to use for a team-building exercise in a youth group. It's a way to encourage creativity and let the community know what your church is all about. Christian parade float ideas take some time and effort, but they don't have to be boring. Make your youth group's next Christmas project a float to remember.

Remind parade-goers of the reason for the season with this symbolic float. Place a manger with a doll in the center of a flatbed trailer. Recruit one of the youth group members to dress in a full Santa suit and beard. Assign the other youth group members to sing a prepared list of Christmas carols. Some members of the choir will stand or sit in the trailer while others walk beside it. "Santa" will kneel by the manger in an attitude of prayer. Rig a spotlight to shine down over the display if the parade is planned during the evening. If there is room on the trailer, add other figures of the nativity such as Mary, Joseph and shepherds.

Set up a large Christmas tree in the center of the float. Spread cotton batting or other soft white material out on the platform for snow. Have all the youth group members dress in winter clothing or pajamas. Wrap large cardboard boxes in Christmas paper, top with huge bows. Have youth group members sit beside the boxes, positioned as though they are pulling signs from the boxes. Write gifts on the signs such as "Love," "Peace," "family" and "health." Create a banner for the float that says "All good gifts come from God."

Divide group into shepherds and angels. Dress the angels in white, gold and silver costumes with glittering wings. Assign trumpets to some of the angels. Designate one angel as Gabriel. Give him (or her) a large, glittering star to hold. Position the angels on the back of a flatbed trailer. Create levels with wooden platforms or hay bales. Drape the angel's platforms with black fabric. Cover the front of the trailer with hay or fake grass. Place the shepherds in seated positions. Create sheep from cardboard cut-outs or borrow real ones from a local farm.

If you're looking for Christmas youth group ideas, an interactive parade float provides plenty of opportunities. For this one, place a twin-sized bed in the middle of the float. Assign a teenager to be a sick person. They will lie in the bed covered with a blanket. Assign another teen to sit or stand beside the bed. They have the option of holding flowers or pretending to read the Bible.

Dress three group members as homeless people and have them sit at the front of the float. Two group members stand or kneel behind them with soup bowls as though they are handing out food. Other youth group members walk beside the float and throw out candy and slips of paper with encouraging Bible verses to the crowd. Create a banner for the float that says "Give the gift of Jesus this Christmas."