25 Powerful Christmas Prayers and Blessings to Help You Reflect on the Holiday

Share these sayings at church service, before dinner, or in a card to friends and family.

In the Christian faith, Christmas is one of the biggest holidays as it marks the birth of Jesus. This year, you may be looking for a Christmas blessing or prayer to read to mark this monumental moment in your religion. Praying is not only a meaningful addition to your Christmas dinner, but also calls guests in towards reflecting on their relationship with God. While blessings and messages from the Bible can set the intention for a holiday full of hope and joy. If your family follows the Christian religion, incorporating powerful prayers into your holiday routine can also be a great way to get into the spirit of the holiday.

Our list of the best Christmas blessings and prayers also has the power to uplift others and send strength to sick family members who may not be able to join the festivities this year. Reading one of these Christmas messages to those individuals or saying your favorite verse over the phone will light up their day. You could even write one in your DIY holiday card as a seasonal greeting.

Here are the best Christmas blessings and prayers for a Christmas Eve dinner or Christmas Day service.

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1
A Prayer to Remember What Christmas Is All About
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“Lord, I thank You for coming to earth so You could redeem me. When I think of the extent to which You were willing to go in order to save me, it makes me want to shout, to celebrate, and to cry with thankfulness. You love me so much, and I am so grateful for that love. Without You, I would still be lost and in sin. But because of everything You have done for me, today I am free; my life is blessed; Jesus is my Lord; Heaven is my home; and Satan has no right to control me. I will be eternally thankful to You for everything You did to save me! I pray this in Jesus' name!” — Rick Renner

2
A Prayer for Christmas Eve
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“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.” — Ray Pritchard

3
A Prayer for Reflection
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“Dear God, Sometimes I get too caught in the 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, Axmen.” — Sharon Jaynes

4
A Prayer for Celebration
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“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

5
A Humble Prayer
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“God, our Creator, we offer this humble prayer on Christmas Day. We come to worship with a song of thanks in our hearts—a song of redemption, a song of hope and renewal. We pray for joy in our hearts, hope in our God, love to forgive, and peace upon the earth. We ask for the salvation of all our family members and friends, and we pray your blessings on all people. May there be bread for the hungry, love for the unlovable, healing for the sick, protection for our children, and wisdom for our youth. We pray for the forgiveness of sinners and abundant life in Christ. Holy Spirit, fill our hearts with your love and power. In the name of Jesus Christ we pray. Amen.” — Rev. Lia Icaza Willetts

6
A Christmas Prayer for Hope
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“Jesus, the Light of the World, as we celebrate your birth, may we begin to see the world in the light of understanding you give us. As you chose the lowly, the outcasts, and the poor to receive the greatest news the world had ever known, so may we worship you in meekness of heart. May we also remember our brothers and sisters less fortunate than ourselves in this season of giving. Amen.” — Karen L. Oberst

7
Christmas Season Prayer
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“Dear Lord, Don't let us miss You this Christmas season. Help us to simplify our activities and traditions so we can focus our celebration on Your birth. Thank You for being the Prince of Peace, and I ask You for that supernatural peace to reign in our hearts. Thank You for the simple but life-changing message of Your love for us. In Jesus' name, Amen.” — Melanie Chitwood

8
A Blessing for a Hopeful Beginning
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“When the song of the angels is stilled, when the star in the sky is gone, when the kings and princes are home, when the shepherds are back with the flocks, then the work of Christmas begins: To find the lost, to heal those broken in spirit, to feed the hungry, to release the oppressed, to rebuild the nations, to bring peace among all peoples, to make a little music with the heart. And to radiate the Light of Christ, every day, in every way, in all that we do and in all that we say. Then the work of Christmas begins.” — Howard Thurman

9
Nativity Prayer
christmas prayer st bernard of clairvaux
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“Let Your goodness Lord appear to us, that we made in your image, conform ourselves to it. In our own strength we cannot imitate Your majesty, power, and wonder nor is it fitting for us to try. But Your mercy reaches from the heavens through the clouds to the earth below. You have come to us as a small child, but you have brought us the greatest of all gifts, the gift of eternal love. Caress us with Your tiny hands, embrace us with Your tiny arms and pierce our hearts with Your soft, sweet cries. Amen.” — St. Bernard of Clairvaux

10
A Short Christmas Service Prayer
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“Almighty God, who has poured upon us the new light of your Incarnate Word; Grant that the same light enkindled in our hearts may shine forth in our lives through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.” — 1979 Book of Common Prayer

11
A Christmas Blessing for Love
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“May the blessing of joy abide within you; May the blessing of peace rest upon you; May the blessing of love flow out through you; May all the blessings of the Lord be yours at Christmas and in the new year.” — Author Unknown

12
A Christmas Blessing for a Friend
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“God grant you the light of Christmas, which is faith; the warmth of Christmas, which is purity; the righteousness of Christmas, which is justice; the belief in Christmas, which is truth; the all of Christmas, which is Christ.” — Wilda English

13
A Blessing for Christmas Day
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“But the Bethlehem star may lead me to the sight of Him Who freed me from the self that I have been. Make me pure, Lord: Thou art Holy; Make me meek, Lord: Thou wert lowly; Now beginning, and always, now begin, on Christmas day.” — Gerard Manley Hopkins, S.J.

14
A Christmas Prayer for Peace
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“Give us, O God, the vision which can see thy love in the world in spite of human failure. Give us the faith to trust the goodness in spite of our ignorance and weakness. Give us the knowledge that we may continue to pray with understanding hearts, and show us what each one of us can do to set forth the coming of the day of universal peace. Amen.” — Frank Borman

15
A Christmas Prayer About God's Love
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“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

16
A Prayer for Christmas Mass
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“Almighty God and Father of light, a child is born to us, a Son is given to us. Your eternal Word leaped down from heaven in the silent watches of the night, and now your Church is filled with wonder at the nearness of her God. Open our hearts to receive His life and increase our vision with the rising of dawn, that our lives may be filled with His glory and His peace, who lives and reigns for ever and ever.” — International Committee on English in the Liturgy (ICEL)

17
Christmas Eve Dinner Prayer
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“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

18
A Christmas Poem
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“Ah, dearest Jesus, holy Child, make thee a bed, soft, undefiled, within my heart, that it may be a quiet chamber kept for Thee. My heart for very joy doth leap, my lips no more can silence keep, I too must sing, with joyful tongue, that sweetest ancient song. Glory to God in highest heaven, who unto man His Son hath given, while angels sing with pious mirth, a glad new year to all the earth! Amen.” — Martin Luther

19
A Prayer for the Holy Season
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“Lord, in this holy season of prayer and song and laughter, we praise you for the great wonders you have sent us: for shining star and angel's song, for infant's cry in lowly manger. We praise you for the Word made flesh in a little Child. We behold his glory, and are bathed in its radiance. Be with us as we sing the ironies of Christmas, the incomprehensible comprehended, the poetry made hard fact, the helpless Babe who cracks the world asunder. We kneel before you shepherds, innkeepers, wisemen. Help us to rise bigger than we are. Amen.” — Traditional Catholic Prayer

20
A Christmas Tree Blessing
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“Holy Creator of Trees, Bless with your abundant grace this our Christmas tree as a symbol of joy. May its evergreen branches be a sign of your never-fading promises. May its colorful lights and ornaments call us to decorate with love our home and our world. May the gifts that surround this tree be symbols of the gifts we have received from the Tree of Christ's Cross. Holy Christmas tree within our home, may Joy and Peace come and nest in your branches and in our hearts. Amen.” — Author Unknown

21
A Payer for Uplifting Others
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“Lord, in a season when every heart should be happy and light, many of us are struggling with the heaviness of life—burdens that steal the joy right out of our Christmas stockings. Crazy weather disasters strike at unsuspecting areas, ravaging peaceful homes and interrupting the lives of unsuspecting residents. Tragedy arrives as innocent victims suffer, and an inner voice whispers, ‘Be afraid!’ We need your peace, Jesus.” — Rebecca Barlow Jordan

22
A Christmas Prayer for Faith
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“Father God, We thank You and praise You today for the miracle of Your Son's birth. Thank You for bringing great JOY to the whole world! Thank You for giving us the assurance that because You came to us in the form of a human, we who believe in Jesus can know with absolute certainty that we'll spend eternity with You.” — Steph Raquel

23
A Blessing for Trust in God
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“Dear God, Help us to focus on you today, remembering that the gift of Christ, Immanuel, is our most treasured gift for the whole year through. Fill us with your joy and the peace of your Spirit. Direct our hearts and minds towards you. Thank you for your reminder that both in seasons of celebration and in seasons of brokenness, you’re still with us. You never leave us. Thank you for your daily Presence in our lives, that we can be assured your heart is towards us, your eyes are over us, and your ears are open to our prayers. Thank you that you surround us with favor as with a shield, we are safe in your care. We choose to press in close to you today… In Jesus’ name, Amen.” — Debbie McDaniel

24
Christmas Dinner Blessing
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“Round this table, here to pray. First, we thank you for the day. For our family and our friends. Gifts of grace that heaven lends. Living water, daily bread. Countless blessings our God sends. Thank you, Jesus, for them all. For the great ones and the small. When we're happy, when we're sad. On the good days and the bad. We are grateful, we are glad. Amen.” — Mary Fairchild

25
A Blessing for Forgiveness
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“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 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.” — Wilhelm Loehe

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