30+ Heartfelt Christmas Prayers to Share Gratitude and Hope
Last updated: October 12, 2023
Pause for a moment this festive season to honor the genuine essence of Christmas with a heartfelt Christmas prayer and some meaningful Christmas blessings. As carolers sing praises announcing the arrival of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Christmas tree stands beautifully decorated, it's the perfect time for a Christmas blessing. Whether you're looking for short Christmas prayers, a Christmas dinner prayer, or quotes that capture the spirit of the occasion, you're in the right place!
As we gather with family and friends to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, it is truly a time to be grateful for everything we have. When we sit down to a thoughtfully prepared Christmas meal, we can use these Christmas prayers and quotes to express our thanks to the Lord for his gifts.
Christmas is a time for peace, love, and hope. We can share our wishes for the year through a Christmas blessing, quote or verse that reminds us of the light that Jesus brought to the world. Christmas shows us that even when times are dark, if we have faith in the Lord then there is always hope for a better day. Let us celebrate these sentiments and blessings through a beautiful Christmas prayer.
Christmas Prayer
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 lonely, 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
Christmas Blessings
Dear Lord, as we gather this Christmas, we humbly offer our prayers to You and ask for your blessings.
Thank you for the gift of your son, Jesus Christ. Our hearts are filled with gratitude and awe for the miracle of his birth. May you bless all those who walk on earth, that they may share the peace and love of Jesus on this day.
Dear Lord, remind us to find You not only in festive carols and shining lights but also in the quiet moments, the acts of kindness, and the warmth of shared love. May we, like the shepherds and wise men of old, seek You with unwavering faith and find joy in Your divine presence.
Bless our family and friends with peace and health. May we always cherish the greatest gift of all - Your eternal love and salvation. Amen.
~ Junie D'Alessandro
A Short Christmas Blessing
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
Irish Christmas Blessing
The light of the Christmas star to you,
The warmth of home and hearth to you,
The cheer and good will of friends to you,
The hope of a childlike heart to you,
The joy of a thousand angels to you,
The love of the Son and God's peace to you.
~ Author Unknown
Christmas Dinner Prayer
Dear Lord, bless us and this feast that You have provided for us. We are truly thankful for the gift of Christmas, your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.
~ Anon
Christmas Meal Prayer
Dear Lord, bless this gathering as we celebrate Christmas together. We thank you for the gift of your son, Jesus Christ and the hope he brought to the world. Thank you for the food which we are about to receive, and the abundance you bring into our lives. Dear God, bless both our meal and our family as we gather here today in your name, and in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.
~ Anon
A Prayer to Remember What Christmas Is All About
As the festive season approaches, I humbly pray that I can see past the distracting veil of commercialism that sometimes overshadows the profound truth of Christmas. Amidst the chaos, may my heart find peace and focus intently on the true essence of this season: the birth of Your Son, Jesus Christ. Through His birth, You gave us the gifts of love, hope, and joy. It was Your biggest gesture of love to the world, the fulfillment of Your promise of a Savior. As we celebrate, let every jingle, light, and gift remind us that Christmas is, at its core, a testament to hope. Amen.
~ Brittanie Wetherell
A Christmas Prayer for the Less Fortunate
Jesus, our guiding star, as we honor your birth today, help us view the world through the wisdom and love you share. Just as you embraced the humble, the overlooked, and the downtrodden, let us approach you with open and simple hearts. In this season of generosity, may we also keep in mind those who have less and need our kindness the most. May they all be safe from harm today and filled with your love. Amen.
~ Jordyn Sandleford
A Christmas Prayer for Peace
Dear Lord, on this Christmas Day, we come to You with hearts full of hope and gratitude. The birth of Jesus brought joy, love, and peace to the world. On this day we ask that the memory of his birth restore peace throughout the lands.
Help those who disagree to find common ground. Help those who are fighting to see eye to eye and find their shared humanity. May the joy of Christmas melt away their suffering and conflict.
Lord, please watch over all women and children, the elderly and infirm and all who are vulnerable. Please keep them safe from harm today and always.
Fill our hearts with love, understanding, and a desire to come together. Let the happiness of today spread far and wide, turning disagreements into understanding and sadness into comfort.
May Your message of love and peace be felt everywhere, not just today, but every day. Amen.
~ Cleo Angelidis
Christmas Tree Blessing
Heavenly Creator, as we gather around our Christmas Tree, may it stand as a beacon of joy, hope, and love. Its evergreen branches, a testament to enduring life and Your promise of immortality. With each ornament, we reflect on the virtues we uphold in the name of Jesus Christ: peace, love, kindness, joy, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and forgiveness. Crowning our tree with the star, we remember the guiding star of Bethlehem that led the Wise Men to the birthplace of Jesus Christ. Under our holy Christmas Tree, may love and peace enter our hearts and fill us with joy. Amen.
~ Ella Stawarski
Nativity Prayer of St. Augustine
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.
~ St. Augustine of Hippo
Christmas Blessing for the Family
Dear Lord, please bless our home this Christmas. May You bring happiness and health to each member of the family now and throughout the new year. Please watch over us and help us walk in the footsteps of Jesus Christ. May we receive His guidance and know His love. Amen.
~ Clementine Delanti
Christmas Eve Prayer
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
Prayer for Christmas
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.
Let the love that shaped earth and heaven,
dwell within us this Christmas.
Let the love that created humanity,
dwell within us this Christmas.
Let the love that overcomes suffering and hatred,
dwell within us this Christmas.
Let the love that causes us to rejoice with loved ones,
dwell within us this Christmas.
Let the love that forgives and renews,
dwell within us this Christmas.
Let the love that brings reconciliation after separation,
dwell within us this Christmas.
Let the love that brings the blessing of peace,
dwell within us this Christmas.
And may we share that peace with all people near and far.
Amen.
~ Robert Louis Stevenson
Pope John XXIII's Christmas Prayer
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.
~ Prayer of Pope John XXIII
A Christmas Prayer for Hope
Lord, on this day, our hearts seek the gift of hope. In the midst of life's challenges, we sometimes struggle to find joy. Like the star that shone so brightly on that first Christmas, please light our way during our moments of doubt.
Dear Lord, You remind us that even in the most unexpected places, hope and love can flourish. This Christmas, let hope fill our hearts, and may we be reminded of the wonder and promise this season holds. Guide us forward, reassuring us of Your ever-present love and the hope for brighter days. Amen.
~ Heath Quintieri
The Nativity of Our Lord
O God, you have caused this holy night to shine with the brightness of the true Light: Grant that we, who have known the mystery of that Light on earth, may also enjoy him perfectly in heaven; where with you and the Holy Spirit he lives and reigns, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.
~ The (Online) Book of Common Prayer
Prayer to the Holy Infant Jesus
O my Lord Jesus, we gaze on You as a child and believe that You are the Son of God, who became man through the working of the Holy Spirit in the womb of the Virgin Mary. Just as at Bethlehem, we too, adore You, with Mary, Joseph, the angels and the shepherds, and acknowledge You as our only Savior. You became poor to enrich us with Your poverty. Grant that we may never forget the poor and all those who suffer. Protect our families, bless all the children of the world, and grant that the love You have brought us may always reign among us and lead us to a happier life. Grant, O Jesus, that all may recognize the truth of Your birth, so that they may know that You have came to bring to the whole human family light, joy and peace. You are God, who live and reign with God the Father, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.
~ Prayer of Pope Benedict XVI
Prayer for Christmas
Almighty God, you have given your only-begotten Son to take our nature upon him, and to be born this day of a pure virgin: Grant that we, who have been born again and made your children by adoption and grace, may daily be renewed by your Holy Spirit; through our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom with you and the same Spirit be honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen.
~ The (Online) Book of Common Prayer
A Prayer for Christmas Morning
Like eager children waiting for dawn,
tearing at the wrapping to get to the gift,
waking sleeping parents with shouts of joy,
let our celebrations begin!
May this Christmas morning
find us able to say "Alleluia"
even in the midst of pain and anxiety,
because You are our hope.
Jesus Christ, come to us,
fill our hearts with joy in knowing
this deeper truth that life contains,
that because You come, all will be well.
Let us witness not to successful lives,
not to perfect health, faultless families,
highly achieving work, or new possessions,
but to the quiet inner knowing of You.
And as we gather this joyful morning,
let our Alleluias rise from willing lips,
from lives opened to Your gift,
and from hearts filled with Your love.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia,
and Amen!
~ Ann Siddall, Stillpoint Centre
A Christmas Prayer for Hopeful Beginnings
Lord, on this day, You brought Your love to the world through the life of Your Son Jesus Christ. May his birth bring light to the darkness.
After the angels' melodies fade, and the guiding star disappears, when rulers return to their realms and shepherds to their sheep, the true mission of Christmas emerges: To seek out the lost, mend hearts torn by sorrow, nourish the hungry in spirit and body, uplift the downtrodden, unify communities, cultivate peace among all, and to sing heartfelt tunes of joy.
Let us reflect Christ's light daily, in our actions and words, for then, the true spirit of Christmas truly comes alive. Amen.
~ Dev Sommerville
Jesus Our Redeemer
O God, you make us glad by the yearly festival of the birth of your only Son Jesus Christ: Grant that we, who joyfully receive him as our Redeemer, may with sure confidence behold him when he comes to be our Judge; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
~ The (Online) Book of Common Prayer
Nativity Prayer of St. Bernard of Clairvaux
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.
~ St. Bernard of Clairvaux
A Christmas Prayer for the Home
Father of all men, look upon our family,
Kneeling together before Thee,
And grant us a true Christmas.
With loving heart we bless Thee:
For the gift of Thy dear Son Jesus Christ,
For the peace He brings to human homes,
For the good-will He teaches to sinful men,
For the glory of Thy goodness shining in His face.
With joyful voice we praise Thee:
For His lowly birth and His rest in the manger,
For the pure tenderness of His mother Mary,
For the fatherly care that protected Him,
For the Providence that saved the Holy Child
To be the Savior of the world.
With deep desire we beseech Thee:
Help us to keep His birthday truly,
Help us to offer, in His name, our Christmas prayer.
From the sickness of sin and the darkness of doubt,
From selfish pleasures and sullen pains,
From the frost of pride and the fever of envy,
God save us every one, through the blessing of Jesus.
In the health of purity and the calm of mutual trust,
In the sharing of joy and the bearing of trouble,
In the steady glow of love and the clear light of hope,
God keep us every one, by the blessing of Jesus.
In praying and praising, in giving and receiving,
In eating and drinking, in singing and making merry,
In parents' gladness and in children's mirth,
In dear memories of those who have departed,
In good comradeship with those who are here,
In kind wishes for those who are far away,
In patient waiting, sweet contentment, generous cheer,
God bless us every one, with the blessing of Jesus.
By remembering our kinship with all men,
By well-wishing, friendly speaking and kindly doing,
By cheering the downcast and adding sunshine to daylight,
By welcoming strangers (poor shepherds or wise men),
By keeping the music of the angels' song in this home,
God help us every one to share the blessing of Jesus:
In whose name we keep Christmas:
And in whose words we pray together:
Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name.
Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we
forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:
For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever.
Amen.
~ Henry Van Dyke
A Christmas Blessing
Bless us Lord, this Christmas, with quietness of mind;
Teach us to be patient and always to be kind.
~ Helen Steiner Rice
A Wishful Christmas Prayer
God grant you the light in Christmas, which is faith;
the warmth of Christmas, which is love;
the radiance 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
Let Us Love One Another, For Love Comes From God
Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God.
Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.
Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.
This is how God showed his love among us:
He sent his one and only Son into the world,
that we might live through him.
This is love: not that we loved God,
but that he loved us and sent his Son
as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.
Dear friends, since God so loved us,
we also ought to love one another.
No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another,
God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.
This is how we know that we live in him and he in us:
He has given us of his Spirit.
And we have seen and testify,
that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.
If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God,
God lives in them and they in God.
And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.
God is love.
Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.
~ 1 John 4:7-16
A Christmas Prayer
We praise You, O loving God, who gave Your very self in human form,
Your majesty born into our poverty, Your love lying in an out-house.
We thank You that, amidst Bethlehem's noisy rush, we find in You a focus for our activity, a hope for our humanity, a love for all eternity. But we confess that Christ's birth has gone unnoticed.
Now, as then, we have not made room in our day-to-day lives.
Now, as then, we have mislaid Your message of reconciling love.
Now, as then, we have ignored the stillness of Your presence.
Gift-giving God, forgive us. Free us from our self-centeredness.
Help us to accept Your love so freely given that we may live as You have called us to live. Amen.
~ Author Unknown
The Lord's Prayer
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come;
thy will be done;
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation;
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
the power and the glory,
for ever and ever.
Amen.
~ Matthew 6:9-13
Embracing the Light of the Season
Heavenly Father, as twinkling lights adorn homes and joy fills hearts, may we remember the true Light that dawned on Christmas. Let us embrace Your love, warmth, and guidance, shining it forth to all we meet, and reminding the world of the hope birthed on that holy night. Amen.
~ Winnie Smith-Garland
In the Stillness of Winter
O Creator of snowflakes and silent nights, as the world wraps itself in the stillness of winter, let our hearts find peace in Your presence. In the hush of the season, may we discover the gentle whispers of Your love, guiding us closer to You and to one another. Amen.
~ Winnie Smith-Garland
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