Preparing to Worship on Christmas
If I am correct, 2022 marks the third time since I began preaching that Christmas Day falls on a Sunday. (If you haven’t bought gifts yet, you’ve only got a week and a half!) It is interesting to watch on those days to see how families–especially those with young children–handle this situation.
(By the way, this article is assuming your congregation will still have services on Christmas Day. To cancel or move services off of the Lord’s Day just for a holiday is wrong and sad, and you need to find a congregation that will be meeting on that Sunday with which to worship.)
What are some things to keep in mind and some tips for making a Christmas Sunday as wonderful as possible? Here are a few things to keep in mind.
Go to Worship. That needs to lead off. Too many families decide to skip that Sunday or, with modern technology, watch online because it is more convenient. Don’t do that! Going to worship–no matter what else might be going on–is a command, but it is also a privilege that is higher than any other. There is almost no greater time to teach small children that than when Christmas falls on a Sunday.
Do “Santa” Early and Other Gifts Later. If you think about it, this is a way to help spread out the gift-opening experience instead of it all being over by 9AM! Let the kids get up early for their Santa gifts, but then tell them that they will open their other gifts in the afternoon because we are going to worship God.
Utilize Your Crock-Pot (or Similar Methods of Cooking). Getting the Christmas dinner done is also a challenge, but there are ways to put some of the things in the oven or crock-pot so that they are ready when you are. (And, when you think about it, it takes what feels like forever to cook a turkey anyway, so it’s perfect for putting in the oven, going to worship, and coming back to it!)
Communicate Your Plan Early. This will likely be different in some ways than a usual Christmas. Talk it up with your kids, and do so for several days ahead of time. That way, they are ready, but also excited for how the day will unfold.
And, when the day is done…don’t forget to snuggle down for a long winter’s nap!
AUTHOR: Adam Faughn
