Resources on Celebrating Christmas

Celebrating the Birth of the Messiah

This page has resources to help Christians celebrate Jesus’ birth in ways that bring intentionality and meaning to families.

In defense

Most Christians have no problem celebrating Christmas because of the rich traditions and religious history behind this holiday. However, each year in December, misinformation is spread about Christmas by those who claim that this holiday has pagan origins. If you have seen these arguments before and would like to learn more about it, check out my blog on Defending Christmas.

A Defense of Christmas

Matt goes through each anti-Christmas argument in detail with counter-claims using scripture, facts, and logic.

“Life in a prison cell may well be compared to Advent; one waits, hopes, and does this, that, or the other—things that are of no real consequence—the door is shut, and can be opened only from the outside.”
Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Letters from Prison

If you only have 15 minutes to spare, watch any one of these videos:

If you have some time, watch these long form videos:

If you would like to really get into this, I recommend you read my post about defending Christmas.

A Defense of Christmas

Matt goes through each anti-Christmas argument in detail with counter-claims using scripture, facts, and logic.

The Incarnation

As the Christmas season approaches, we are swept into a whirlwind of festive decorations, gifts, and family gatherings. Yet at the center of this celebration lies a profound mystery that has shaped history and continues to transform lives: the incarnation of Jesus Christ.
 
What is the incarnation?
The incarnation refers to the moment when God took on human flesh and entered the world as a baby born in Bethlehem. John 1:14 puts it beautifully: “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” This event is not merely a theological concept; it is the very foundation of our hope and joy at Christmas.

Why the Incarnation Matters at Christmas

1. God with us

The name “Emmanuel,” meaning God with us (Matthew 1:23), reminds us that the incarnation is God’s answer to a world broken by sin. Through Jesus, God didn’t remain distant or detached from human suffering. Instead, He stepped into our world, experienced our struggles, and provided a way to restore our relationship with Him. Christmas is the celebration of God drawing near to us in the most intimate way possible.

2. The Fulfillment of a Promise

The birth of Jesus is the fulfillment of centuries of prophecy. From the promises made to Abraham, to Isaiah’s foretelling of a virgin giving birth to a son, the incarnation confirms God’s faithfulness. At Christmas, we remember that God always keeps His word, no matter how long the waiting seems.

3. A Model of Humility

Philippians 2:6-8 describes how Jesus, though fully God, humbled Himself by becoming human and taking the form of a servant. This act of humility challenges us to reflect on our own lives during Christmas. As we exchange gifts and celebrate, we’re called to emulate Christ’s selflessness by loving and serving others.

4. The Ultimate Gift

In the incarnation, we see the ultimate act of love. Jesus came not just to live among us, but to save us. His birth points directly to His death and resurrection, where He would pay the penalty for our sins. As we give and receive gifts this season, let’s remember that the greatest gift has already been given: salvation through Christ.

Rediscovering Christmas Through the Incarnation

In the busyness of the holidays, it’s easy to lose sight of the true meaning of Christmas. Yet, when we pause to reflect on the incarnation, we find a deep and abiding joy that transcends presents, parties, and traditions. The incarnation reminds us that Christmas is more than a celebration of Jesus’ birth; it is the beginning of God’s redemptive work on earth.

This Christmas, take time to meditate on the miracle of the incarnation. Read the nativity story in the Gospels. Pray as a family, thanking God for His love made tangible in Jesus. And let the reality of Emmanuel—God with us—fill your heart with wonder and gratitude.

As we celebrate Christmas, may we not only remember the baby in the manger but rejoice in the Savior who came to rescue us. The incarnation is the heart of Christmas, and it changes everything.

“The Almighty appeared on earth as a helpless human baby, needing to be fed and changed and taught to talk like any other child. The more you think about it, the more staggering it gets. Nothing in fiction is so fantastic as this truth of the Incarnation.”
J.I. Packer

The Christian Reader

Advent

Advent is a part of the liturgical church calendar and is seen as a season of preparation and waiting that leads up to Christmas day. The word “Advent” comes from the Latin word ad-venire, which means “to come to”. It’s a time to prepare for the celebration of Jesus’ birth at Christmas and the Second Coming of Christ. Advent begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas, which is often called Advent Sunday. Advent is often celebrated by completing an Advent calendar, lighting an Advent wreath, and praying through a daily devotional. Below are resources to help you understand Advent and celebrate Christmas. (*Note: There are many believers who have an issue with following a liturgical church season or holiday so using Advent may not be helpful to you and your family. If this is the case, you can skip ahead to the next section.)

Blogs

What is Advent?

by The Bible Project

Why Celebrate Advent?

By The Gospel Coalition

Videos

A few years ago, I did a three part series called “Advent and Your Family” where I dove into some concepts about what Advent is all about. Check out the videos below as well as some cool videos from the Bible Project on the four themes of Advent.
“How many observe Christ’s birthday! How few, His precepts! O! ’tis easier to keep holidays than commandments.”
Benjamin Franklin

Keeping “Christ” in Christmas

Over time, our modern culture has secured and adopted new traditions and experiences for the Christmas season. We have “old faithful” traditions like setting up and decorating a Christmas tree, exchanging gifts, and hanging lights outside your home. There are also new traditions that have come up the past few years like the famous Elf on the Shelf and Christmas movie marathons. There may even be special and unique Christmas traditions that only your family does. These are great and should be kept. However, I’ve seen many Christian families slowly prioritize these secular Christmas traditions over ones that emphasize Jesus. This happens unintentionally many times. Which is why I wanted to create a list of examples of Christmas traditions that glorify God so we can be intentional with our families and cherish this joyous time of year.

Read The Gospel Accounts

This may seem obvious, but you would be surprised about how many Christian families don’t do this. Reading the story of Christ’s birth is a great way to get the whole family centered on Jesus. Reading Matthew 1:18-2:21 and/or Luke 2:1-40 while the kids eat a fun dessert on Christmas Eve night sounds like a great Christmas tradition! Mix it up and make it yours.

Volunteer

Schedule a time where you and family or friends can volunteer in a place of impact. Here are a few ideas for opportunities:

  • Meals on Wheels. Help deliver food to neighbors who are elderly, medically challenges, or homebound.
  • Operation Christmas Child. Pack shoeboxes with toys, hygiene items, and school supplies to ship to children in need.
  • Local Food Back. Help organize and pack food.
  • Soup Kitchens or Night Shelters. Serve meals, pack food parcels, or sort donated goods.
  • Salvation Army. Help the elderly, homeless, and families in need.
  • Angel Tree. Buy Christmas gifts for families in need.

Attend Church

Many families have made a tradition of going to a Christmas Eve Candlelight service at their home church. Usually, families sing Christmas hymns together, a short sermon is preached about Jesus’ birth, and the congregation has an opportunity to focus on the reason for the season. Add it to your calendar so you don’t forget!

Family Advent

There are many Advent traditions that you can incorporate into your family life as Christmas approaches. Here are a few you can experiment with:

  • Advent Calendar: These you can get pretty much anywhere and they have become quite commercialised. But you can use them to read a passage of Scripture each day or just to do something that will remind you and your family of the significance of the coming of Christ.
  • Jesse Tree: There are various versions of this idea, but the one my family and I have is “The Wonder of The Greatest Gift” by Ann Voskamp. It’s a pop up book that has the Jesse Tree, all the ornaments, and a 25 day devotional to read with the kids each night leading up to Christmas. For each of the 25 days of December, you read a bible story with your kids and hang a small home-made decoration on the “Jesse Tree”, each symbolic and relevant to the passage you have read.
  • Advent Wreath: This practice has been adapted and used over the last four centuries by Christians of various denominations. It often involves four candles, each being lit in the four weeks leading up to Christmas. The candles can be symbolic, representing ideas like hope, faith, joy, and peace, or you can simply use them to prompt reflection and anticipation as Christmas approaches.
  • Nativity Set: This is a miniature display of the Christmas story, often incorporating a stable with animals, shepherds, the magi, angels and, most importantly, Mary, Joseph and Jesus. As someone who cares about people knowing the biblical narrative, I sometimes find these scenes painfully inaccurate. For example, the magi possibly didn’t visit Jesus until he was around 2 or 3 years old! But when displayed prominently in your home and used as a complement to reading the gospel accounts, a nativity set can be a powerful visual reminder of exactly what Christmas is all about.

Worship Music

Incorporate Christmas music into family traditions. There are many Christmas songs that have nothing to do with Jesus, but there are also numerous Christmas worship songs that are theologically rich and full of adoration to God. Replace your normal Christmas playlist with one that is more worshipfull. Here’s a Spotify playlist I made if you want to get started.

I hope that these ideas give you the ability to craft a joyful Christmas with your family that helps you focus on what Christmas is truely about. Yes, that’s fine if you have other traditions like Elf on the Shelf, Polar Express Hot Cocoa Movie Night, or Christmas party. These sound fun and are great! But I believe it’s important to put things into perspective. We don’t want to feel empty inside once  the decorations are put away and the music stops. We want a lasting change in our hearts and minds far beyond just December and into the whole year. Take these examples and make this Christmas one to remember!
“The very purpose of Christ’s coming into the world was that He might offer up His life as a sacrifice for the sins of men. He came to die. This is the heart of Christmas.”
Billy Graham

Matt Garcia

Matt is the creator of this website and curates resources on spiritual formation. He is a husband of Jesika and a father of 4 children. He also helps lead a house church. Follow him on Instagram to see what he's up to.

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