ST. PETERSBURG — Children are out of school for Christmas vacation, and their parents are busy with holiday plans. What better time to hold a vacation Bible school?

That was the rationale behind the Christmas Week Vacation Bible School now in its third year at Wesley Memorial United Methodist Church here, according to the Rev. John Ekers, the church’s pastor.

"It fits so well," he said. "I couldn’t believe that it’s not being done by anyone."

The school helps children understand the real reason for Christmas, gives parents a chance to do last minute holiday shopping or relax, and gets young people into the church, Ekers said.

The format is similar to a traditional vacation Bible school program and includes Bible stories, music, arts and crafts, and entertainment. "The difference is, instead of just talking about Jesus, we talk about the Christmas story," he said.

The church has created its own curriculum that centers on retelling the Christmas story from different points of view. One day focuses on the traditional Christmas story as it appears in the Bible. Other days the story is told from the point of view of a child living in Bethlehem when Jesus was born or from Jesus’ point of view.

The children also make presents for family members, Ekers said. One popular gift is a small box the children wrap. They include a tag explaining that the box should never be opened because the gift inside is too precious to be seen.

"The box contains love," Ekers said. "Whenever the recipient is feeling down, they can look at the box and remember that the child who gave it to them loves them."

This year’s theme is "Home for Christmas," which, Ekers said, is directed more toward parents than the children. "Many of the moms and dads went to church as kids," he said. "We’re just trying to get them to come home."