A free downloadable Christmas Eve Candlelight service to use with your family that includes Scripture readings and Christmas hymns to tell the story of Jesus Christ’s birth!
Year after year, this candlelight vigil has been an important part of our family’s Christmas Eve. It is my children’s favorite Christmas tradition – and mine too!
It reminds me of the Christmas Eves of my childhood. We would walk the 2 blocks from home to the church, huddling into a darkened sanctuary, hanging onto white unlit candles during Scripture readings and Christmas hymns, anticipating the final hymn when the church would slowly begin to glow with beautiful candlelight.
DOWNLOAD YOUR CHRISTMAS EVE VIGIL HERE!
I would carry that glow home with me, feeling all warm and happy as we trudged the 2 blocks back home to celebrate with a Christmas Eve dinner, dessert, and my beloved Festive Hot Punch.
For many years after I married, we continued to travel to my home church for their Christmas Eve service. However, as our family grew, the tradition became one filled with anxiety, rather than one filled with beauty.
I spent the first half of the service trying to keep the children from eating their candles and the second half of the service trying to keep them from burning themselves. All the while sitting in a church pew longer than my arms could reach. Finally, I decided we would have to give it up and stay home.
But, I wasn’t about to let go of the tradition and all its rich meaning. Instead, I exchanged the long church pew for my living room couch and wrote my own Christmas Eve service for our family to enjoy!
DOWNLOAD YOUR CHRISTMAS EVE VIGIL HERE!
Included in this pdf download is all the supplies and information you need to start your own family tradition of a Christmas Eve Candlelight Service! See below for a few of those supplies and ideas…
I’d encourage you to get my Holiday Homeschool Christmas Planner for more Christmas ideas, plans, and memory-making traditions! This is how we plan and preserve all our holiday memories!
Supplies List:
- Short taper candles
- Drip protectors
- LED candles if using with small children
Fun Extras:
These aren’t must-haves, but our kids enjoy smelling the oils and looking at the gold (you can use any gold jewelry and essential oils from any company).
Remember, this doesn’t have to be perfect! Stay calm and focus your heart on Christ’s birth and the fact that He came to this earth for all these people surrounding you this blessed day!
You are making memories, and someday your family will look back on this Christmas Eve tradition with awe and wonderment the way I do.
DOWNLOAD YOUR CHRISTMAS EVE VIGIL HERE!
Check out this list of FREE Advent Devotionals!
And don’t forget to grab your Holiday Homeschool Christmas Planner!
stacie says
I remember when you posted the other version. Thanks for sharing your updated one as well!
Grace Duarte says
Stumbled upon this and I am so looking forward to doing this with a small group from our church and with our kids! Thank you for taking the time to put it together and sharing it freely <3
Merry Christmas!