The Text This Week usually tops my list of go-to sites for Christmas resources. Great links to pageant ideas and worship services and I really feel I do not need to add more ideas than you can find here.
However, I just came across Rev. Mindi Welton-Mitchell’s website: Rev-o-lution with its rich resources for Advent and Christmas including some good (and simple) downloadable ideas for children’s pageants especially good for small churches.
Enjoy these Prayers for the 12 days of Christmas
Though not specifically about Christmas I also heartily recommend CNN’s Best Space Photos for 2022. It is an inspirational collection of photos that is worth meditating on as we consider the story of Christ.
Slide Show to go with the Lectionary Readings
The Nativity in Art from the National Gallery in London (slides)
The Christmas Story in the Art of the National Gallery in DC (long video)
The Christmas Story in Student Art from Australia (slides)
Story of Christmas told in Sand by Artist Joe Castillio (short video)
Nativity art from around the World
If you are looking for a delightful video to show in an informal Christmas service, I highly recommend this one from St Paul’s Church in Auckland, New Zealand.
And don’t miss this beautiful reading of the nativity story with original music by Malcolm Dunn.
And if you are celebrating alone this year, you may like to listen to this recording of the Nine Lessons and Carols from King’s College Cambridge.
Multicultural Resources
- Watch Black Nativity
- Black Christmas Music Playlist
- 24 Multicultural Children’s books about Christmas
- The Ultimate List of Diverse Children’s Christmas books
And a few suggestions of my own for celebrating the twelve days of Christmas:
Christmas Eve Prayer Walk
On Christmas Eve walk around your neighbourhood with your family and friends. Imagine that you are Mary and Joseph looking for a place to stay until their baby is born. Pray for the people in the houses you pass that they will open their hearts and provide a place of welcome for the Christ child this Christmas. Pray the following prayer of blessing in front of each house.
Lord encircle this house with your presence
Fill it with your peace
Surround it with your love
Protect it with your strength
Lord encircle this home
Fill it with your joy
Surround it with your hope
Protect it with your grace
Lord encircle this home
Fill it with hospitality to reach the lost
Surround it with generosity to touch the poor
Protect it with truth to guide all lives
Lord encircle this house with your presence
You may like to combine this prayer walk with a time of carol singing around the neighborhood. Or perhaps you could bake a batch of your favorite cookies to give to each of your neighbors and deliver them on Christmas Eve. Pause before you enter each house and pray for the people that live there. Or, pray for each family while you are baking the cookies, enclose a special prayer with each plate. Here is a suggestion:
God bless your household
With love to surround you,
With grace to uphold you
With life to sustain you
God bless you this year
Guide your paths to what is right
Your thoughts to what is true
Your minds to what is good
Each day in every way
May you be kept in the shadow of God’s wings.
Celebrating the Twelve Days of Christmas
Sit down with your family the day after Christmas – read the story of the angels appearing to the shepherds in the fields. To me this is one of the most incredible stories in the Bible. Imagine it. This event was so incredible that even the angels were excited. In fact, they were so excited that they could not contain themselves. They had to break into the earthly realm with shouts of joy proclaiming that the promised Messiah had come to live amongst us.
Discuss your reactions to this story and to the whole account of the birth of Christ. When you read through the gospel account how do you feel? What is your earliest memory of when Christ first appeared to you? Share how you felt at that time and talk about the difference that Christ’s presence has made in your life. Then ask yourselves: What most excites you today about the presence of Christ in your life? How does his presence impact your life? Next discuss ways that you could share the joy of Christmas with others during the following days. You might like to write down one suggestion for each of the 12 days of Christmas that could extend the joy of the season to others
Here are some suggestions. Do you know people that are alone at this season? Take them out for a meal or invite them to go skiing or if you are in the southern hemisphere, swimming with you. Share with them your reasons for continuing to celebrate the joy of Christmas beyond December 25th. Do you know people who are disabled? Take them for a drive around your neighbourhood to enjoy the Christmas lights. Do you have friends, acquaintances or family your rarely speak to? Phone one person each evening during Christmas to share your joy with them.
And let me know your suggestions so that we can put together an expanded list next year. How do you celebrate the 12 days of Christmas?
This is part of a series on Christmas/Advent resources.
- Advent Activities for Families and Kids for 2020
- Helping Kids Give Back This Christmas
- Celebrate With Simplicity This Christmas
- Advent/Christmas Music from a Rich Array of Traditions
- Getting Ready for Advent/Christmas Worship Resources for the Season
- Choosing Your Scripture Readings for the Coming Year
- Who Will You Invite to the Manger?
- Advent Candle Light Liturgy
- What On Earth Are The O Antiphons
Resources from Godspace for Advent and Christmas
Godspace has a variety of resources available for celebrating this season.
- NEW DEVOTIONAL! Lean Towards the Light this Advent & Christmas + Advent Cards Bundle compiled by Christine Sine and Lisa DeRosa
- A Journey Toward Home: Soul Travel For Advent to Lent compiled by Kristin Carroccino and Christine Sine
- Waiting for the Light: An Advent Devotional compiled by Ricci Kilmer, Susan Wade and Christine Sine
- Prayer Cards – more than Christmas gifts. These have been used for daily devotions, grief counselling, small groups and congregational prayers.
Check out the entire resource list here for more ideas for Advent and Christmas.
Godspace has a number of Advent resources available for both free download and purchase. Visit our store.