Christmas prayers serve as a beautiful and meaningful way to connect with the true essence of the holiday season. They provide us with a sacred opportunity to express our gratitude for the extraordinary gift of Christ's birth, a momentous event that has shaped the course of human history. As we gather with our cherished family and friends, these prayers enable us to acknowledge and appreciate the bonds of love and togetherness that define this special time of year.
Praying during the holiday season also helps us to pause and think of those less fortunate. Just as Jesus Christ came to serve, we can look for ways to extend our compassion to those who may be experiencing hardship or loneliness during the holidays.
During the modern Christmas holiday, there are many worldly distractions from the original meaning and reason for celebration: the birth of Jesus Christ. The busyness and stress of the holiday season end up crowing out the very peace and joy that is offered to us through Jesus Christ. Taking a moment to pray, read Christmas Bible verses, and sing Christmas hymns, whether with family or alone in quiet time, can help us refocus on the true meaning of Christmas.
“Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” - Luke 2:14
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Take some time to reconnect with God and give thanks for our salvation in Christ with these powerful Christmas prayers. Christmas prayers, whether you traditionally say a prayer on Christmas Eve or while sitting around the Christmas Day meal, inspire everyone to give thanks and rejoice.
Here, we have gathered some of our favorite prayers for the Christmas season - some are older traditional favorites, while others are contemporary, simple prayers. May these words fill your mind, heart, and spirit with joy and gratitude and guide you closer to the true reason for the season!
Dear God, we give thanks for this time when we can all be together. We give thanks for this food and the hands that helped prepare it. We give thanks for this joyful holiday when we celebrate our Savior and His love for us. With joy, we pray in Jesus' name, Amen.
Loving Father, help us remember the birth of Jesus, that we may share in the song of the angels, the gladness of the shepherds, and worship of the wise men. Close the door of hate and open the door of love all over the world. Let kindness come with every gift and good desires with every greeting. Deliver us from evil by the blessing which Christ brings, and teach us to be merry with clear hearts. May the Christmas morning make us happy to be thy children, and Christmas evening bring us to our beds with grateful thoughts, forgiving and forgiven, for Jesus' sake. Amen. - Robert Louis Stevenson
O Lord Jesus Christ, true God from true God, you became a little child for us so the world you made would be saved. Just as a child is born to us and a Son is given to us, may we be born again through you
and always remain in the number of God’s faithful children; through your merits, O blessed Savior, with the Father and the Holy Spirit you live and reign, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Source: Rev. Chas. R. Halle, New York, 1881
O sweet Child of Bethlehem, grant that we may share with all our hearts in this profound mystery of Christmas. Put into the hearts of men and women this peace for which they sometimes seek so desperately and which you alone can give to them. Help them to know one another better and to live as brothers and sisters, children of the same Father. Reveal to them also your beauty, holiness, and purity. Awaken in their hearts, love and gratitude for your infinite goodness. Join them all together in your love. And give us your heavenly peace. Amen. - Pope John XXIII
Father, I pray that you will turn our hearts toward you as Christmas approaches. Let us not get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the season this year and miss the chance to celebrate the gifts of hope, peace, joy, love, that you sent to us on that first Christmas. That first Christmas, you gave us the gift of hope wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger. Thank you, Father, for your immeasurable gift. In Jesus’ precious name, we pray. Amen. - Stephanie Raquel
Let the just rejoice, for their justifier is born.
Let the sick and infirm rejoice, for their savior is born.
Let the captives rejoice, for their Redeemer is born.
Let slaves rejoice, for their Master is born.
Let free men rejoice, for their Liberator is born.
Let All Christians rejoice, for Jesus Christ is born.
Lord, we ask You to grant us peace. Peace in our homes, peace in our churches, and peace in our hearts, especially when it feels like the world all around us spins out of control.
Help us stay focused on You this Christmastime and always. Thank You for loving the whole world enough to send the greatest gift, Your Son, so we might truly have a very merry Christmas, even in a not-so-merry kind of world. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Born thy people to deliver,
born a child and yet a King,
born to reign in us forever,
now thy gracious kingdom bring.
By thine own eternal spirit
rule in all our hearts alone;
by thine all sufficient merit,
raise us to thy glorious throne.
"Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus" by Charles Wesley
May you be filled with the wonder of Mary, the obedience of Joseph, the joy of the angels, the eagerness of the shepherds, the determination of the magi, and the peace of the Christ child. Almighty God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit bless you now and forever.
Almighty God, grant that the new birth of your Son in the flesh redeems us from the old slavery under the yoke of sin, so we may receive him with joy as our Redeemer, and that when he comes to judge we may see Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, forever and ever. Amen.
Source: Wilehelm Loehe, 1844
Happy birthday, Jesus! I celebrate your birth and your life. Thank you for coming to earth as a baby, bringing life and hope to us all. I surrender to you. May each day be a celebration of Who you are in my life. In your name, I pray. Amen. - Mary Southerland
Lord, I set my heart on You. You are trustworthy, faithful and the Giver of the gift of peace. Please fill me this Christmas season. As others see Your peace in me, let them recognize You as Savior. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. - Amy Carroll
O merciful God, open the depths of our souls that we may receive the immortality of our spirits through the new birth of your Son by the power of his body and precious blood; for he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.
Source: Wilehelm Loehe, 1844
O almighty and eternal God, mercifully direct our ways that we may walk in your law and abound in good works; through your beloved Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one true God, now and forever. Amen.
Source: Veit Dietrich, 1913 (Sunday after Christmas)
Dear God, sometimes I get too caught up in Christmas commercialism. OK, a lot of times. Today, I’m going to refocus my heart and remember why I’m celebrating this wonderful day in the first place. I’m celebrating Jesus today…and every day! In Jesus’ name, Amen. ~ Sharon Jaynes
Father, it wasn’t with bad intentions initially that Christmas celebrations grew way beyond Who and have now made us weary. Renew in our hearts the wonder and awe of the miracles of the Gift of Christmas. Not only us, Lord, but let our new found wonder spread to our families and our friends. Let us come together to celebrate You and leave behind the fuss. In Jesus’ Name, Amen - Paris Renae
Lord God, heavenly Father, we give thanks that in your great mercy and compassion you allowed your dear Son to become incarnate and through him redeemed us from sin and eternal death. Enlighten our hearts by your Holy Spirit that we may always be thankful for such grace and be comforted in all trouble and temptation, and at last, obtain eternal salvation; through your beloved Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one true God, now and forever. Amen.
Source: Veit Dietrich
O Lord Jesus Christ, by your incarnation, you united things earthly and heavenly. Fill us with the sweetness of inward peace and goodwill, that we may join the heavenly host in singing praises to your glory;
for you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Amen.
Source: United Lutheran Church in America, 1935
Praise and adoration be to our God, for he is good. His grace and mercy fill the heavens and earth. Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving and joyfully praise our creator. As a father, he loves us, his children. Sing his praises with joyful thanks in love and devotion! Let us love him who has loved us since the world began. Who would not love God from the heart? We can not give him adequate praise. Still, in heaven he receives with goodwill our joyful songs of praise and pours much joy into our souls, whenever we thank him, whenever we live in him.
Sing to Jesus Christ praise, thanks and glory, for he came from heaven to destroy sin and death for us and by his precious, willing sacrifice, restored innocence and peace. Already here on earth he renews joy and life to us by his grace. Still greater bliss is prepared there for those who love him when one day they will be renewed in his image, made new and holy, and awakened from death. Let us rejoice in our holy God! Let us rejoice in our eternal God! How blessed it is to praise him here, and then in heaven. He is our holiness! He is our life! He always loves us, his children.
Source: Schleswig-Hosteinsche Kirchen-Agende, 1797
Ah! Sweet Jesus, pierce the marrow of my soul with the healthful arrows of your love, that it may truly burn, and melt, and languish, with the desire for you alone; that it may desire to be dissolved and to be with you; let it hunger alone for the bread of life; let it thirst after you, the spring and fountain of eternal light, the stream of true pleasure; let it always desire you, seek you, and find you, and sweetly rest in you. Amen.
Source: Bonaventura, d. 1274, edited by J. Manning Potts, 1954.
Dear Lord, too many times I have excluded You from my Christmas and been satisfied with presents and stuff. Let me not be content until I experience the gift of You in my heart. Cause me to see You as the ultimate Gift. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
To you, O Jesus, I direct my eyes; to you my hands, to you my humble knees; to you my heart shall offer sacrifice; to you my thoughts, who my thoughts only see; to you myself–myself and all I give;
to you I die; to you I only live.
Source: Sir Walter Raleigh
Father, today I celebrate the reality of Your presence in my life. I celebrate Your birth, Your life, Your death, and Your resurrection. And as I celebrate, Lord, help me to be "God with skin on" to those in need around me. Open my eyes and let me see them as You see them! I love You. Happy birthday Jesus! In Jesus' name, Amen. ~ Mary Southerland, Girlfriends in God
Dear Heavenly Father, though Christmas is sometimes hard because we miss the ones we love help me remember the gift You gave - Your Son, Jesus, a baby born to die. Thank You for this gift of love, help me receive it. In times of grief and sadness, remind me of the reason and fill me with Your Peace.
Mighty God, I ask You for the power to press on and Everlasting Father, I thank You for carrying me when it’s hard to walk.
Wonderful Counselor, I pray You’d fill my mind with wisdom and may the Prince of Peace rule my heart. This Christmas help me remember it’s not about the people I celebrate with, but the One we celebrate! In Jesus’ Name, Amen. - Jill Beran
Dear Lord, Thank You for Your gift of true love. Teach me how to unwrap the joy of Your presence at Christmastime and always. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Sources
Christmas - A Collection of Prayers ~ acollectionofprayers.com
12 Christmas Prayers - Experience Joy and Family Happiness This Holiday ~ crosswalk.com
Photo: ©GettyImages/fermate
This article is part of our larger Christmas and Advent resource library centered around the events leading up to the birth of Jesus Christ. We hope these articles help you understand the meaning and story behind important Christian holidays and dates and encourage you as you take time to reflect on all that God has done for us through His Son, Jesus Christ!
What Is Advent: Meaning, History, and Traditions
Advent Prayers for Friends, Family, and More
What Is an Advent Wreath and How to Use One?
The History of Santa Claus: Origin of St. Nicholas
Christmas Bible Verses & Scripture Story
What is Christmas? True Meaning and Holiday History
Christmas Eve History and Traditions
Why Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh?
When Was Jesus Born? Why December 25th
Where Was Jesus Born?