10 Christmas Program Ideas For Churches

Christmas is a time for family, friends, and – of course – the Church. Given that the true meaning of the season is to celebrate the birth of Christ, many churches hold special Christmas programs to remind us of and share the significance of Jesus’ arrival over two thousand years ago.

But it's not always easy to think of something creative to do after running countless Christmas programs. You may even be out of new ideas and feeling stuck trying to come up with a Christmas program your church hasn’t seen before. 

We’ve collected our favorite Christmas program ideas below to help you brainstorm. 

10 Christmas Program Ideas for Church

Most churches do the usual Christmas Sunday worship service of singing Christmas songs and listening to a message on the significance of Christ’s coming. Some may even spice it up with a choir cantata or a play. 

But if you want to do something entirely different this year, here are 10 Christmas program ideas to consider:

A Live Nativity Scene

One of the most traditional ways to celebrate Christmas is to reenact the nativity scene. You can have your congregation act it out, use puppets, or even integrate live animals if you feel extra festive. No matter how you choose to do it, a live nativity scene is always a beautiful way to remember what Christmas is truly about.

Hanging of the Greens Service

Another time-honored tradition is the "hanging of the greens" service, where members bring evergreen plants and wreaths to church as a symbol of our new life in Christ. The activity can be accompanied by music and Scripture readings. It's an excellent interactive Christmas program that everyone can participate in.

A Children's Pageant

A children's pageant is always a winner with kids and adults alike. Start with a Sunday school game where the children dress up as different Bible characters from the Nativity story, then have them strut their way into the sanctuary as part of the Christmas worship service. Parents will love seeing little ones perform, children will appreciate being part of a church-wide program, and everyone will get a kick out of the cuteness factor.

A Movie Night

Hold a movie night for church members to spend quality time with each other. You can choose classic movies like It's a Wonderful Life or Miracle on 34th Street or modern favorites like Elf or The Polar Express. 

If you have ample parking space, you can even have a drive-in movie event, opening the screening to anybody in the neighborhood who wants to join. Don’t forget to start with a short message from the pastor to grab the opportunity to reach more people.

A Salvation Army Bell Ringing

Encourage your congregation to give back this holiday season by signing up to ring bells for the Salvation Army. This activity allows them to spread the meaning of Christmas while raising money for a good cause.

A Cookie Walk

While Christmas cookies are often associated with snacks for Santa Claus, turn the narrative around and hold a cookie drive for your members to bake and sell homemade cookies. 

Social Media Christmas Challenge

Challenge your members to a 25-day Christmas challenge where they'll complete a task and post about it online. Some church Christmas social media ideas include reflecting on the Scriptures, sharing pictures of homemade gingerbread houses, or working at a soup kitchen or homeless shelter. 

A Christmas Carol Sing-Along

Hold a sing-along and provide the lyrics for everyone to follow along (like how Chris Tomlin did it). You could even have a prize for the best singer! 

A Toy Drive

A toy drive is a fantastic way for your church to make a difference in the lives of the less fortunate. You can team up with a local toy drive or have members donate toys to share with families in need. Alternatively, you can host a food or coat drive to give essentials to other families – effectively turning your Christmas program into an outreach.

A Christmas Potluck

Have a potluck dinner at your church, and encourage everyone to bring their favorite holiday dish. Members will form new friendships and bond over their love of food and community.

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Ideas for Small Churches

The ideas above cover general Christmas programs. But if you're a small church with less than a hundred people, you have other options to consider. Here are three Christmas program ideas for small churches:

An Advent Wreath-Making Class

Advent wreaths are a beautiful way to count down the days until Christmas. So, why not hold a workshop at your church where members can make their own wreaths to take home? 

Prepare the supplies and host a class to make advent wreaths together for your members. As they reflect on the meaning of Advent, encourage them to share how Christ's salvation has changed their lives for a meaningful Christmas program.

A Cookie Decorating Party

Instead of a cookie walk where you sell snacks, you can have your members decorate their own cookies at church. You can provide the cookies and frosting or have everyone bring their own. Doing so allows members to socialize, get into the holiday spirit, and even share cookies around the community to spread the Christmas message.

A Church-Wide Secret Santa

This classic Secret Santa activity will involve the whole church in giving and receiving gifts. Set a budget limit, have everyone draw names, and ask them to buy a gift for the person they get. Then, set a time for everybody to exchange gifts during the Christmas program. It's a great way to spread holiday cheer and make new friends!

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Ideas for Christmas Eve Service

Most churches will have a Christmas Eve service on top of the Sunday morning service, where the program is dedicated to celebrating the holiday. If you’re wondering how you can create a different atmosphere for the evening service, here are three ideas:

A Night of Caroling

Gather your members and send them out to sing carols around the neighborhood. Visit houses and invite as many people as they can back to church. Once everybody's settled in and enjoying hot cocoa, your pastor can give a sermon on the true meaning of Christmas before the clock strikes midnight.

A Candlelight Service

Christmas Eve candlelight service ideas are a beautiful and peaceful way to celebrate Christmas. You can have a traditional service with hymns and readings or opt for a more contemporary service with modern worship songs. Either way, lighting candles is a powerful symbol of Christ's light coming into the world and bringing hope to all.

Christmas Handbell Choir

Handbell choirs are a beautiful way to add flair to your Christmas Eve service. They can perform Christmas carols while alternating with short messages from your pastor for a mix of singing and listening to God's word. Having the choir perform in between segments adds cheer and vibrance to your Christmas Eve service.

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Christmas Themes for Church Program

Activities are a great addition to any church program, but a beautiful Christmas theme will tie it all together. You can spruce up the church with traditional Christmas decorations, but consider these unique themes for a different feel:

White Christmas Theme

For those churches in warmer climates, having a white Christmas may not be possible. But that doesn't mean you can't bring the magic of a white Christmas to your church! 

Decorate your sanctuary with twinkling lights, snowflakes, and other wintery decorations. You can even have a fake snow machine to help create the illusion of a winter wonderland. Consider turning down the temperature and asking church members to wear winter clothes for the full "white Christmas" experience.

Bethlehem Theme

Bring the Nativity story to life with a Bethlehem theme decoration. Recreate the scene by setting up a manger in the sanctuary, filling it with realistic animals, and spreading hay everywhere.

Advent Calendar Theme

Another great way to engage your church members during Christmas is by having an advent calendar. You can do this digitally or through a physical calendar that people can hang up in their homes. 

Each day leading up to Christmas, your members will open a new door or window to reveal a different message, reading, or activity. Encourage them to complete the activity with their whole families. 

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Celebrating Christmas in Church

Christmas is a special time of year when many people come together to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ. From traditional church services to more festive programs like caroling and cooking selling, Christmas is one of the most meaningful Christian holidays we celebrate in church.

No matter which activity you choose, the most important thing is that all your Christmas programs celebrate the birth of our Savior. As long as you get the key message across, everything else is just icing on the gingerbread house.