12 Ways to Bring Joy This Christmas
Christmas is an important time where people come together to celebrate. Whatever you believe, it is usually a time full of joy and good-will. But for most, this Christmas will look very different against the backdrop of COVID-19.
We’ve put together a range of ideas that will help bring joy to yourselves, your street, your followers, your family and others in amongst all the changes and challenges that people will be facing. Within each section below, there are 12 different ways you can spread joy to these groups.
Any idea or activity used must be done so in line with the current government guidelines including any specific local restrictions.
The Salvation Army accepts no responsibility for the content of external links.
Download the PDF below for full instructions on each activity.
1. Create a joyful Christmas window
Use decorations, lights, paper craft etc to create a joyful window display which will make your household smile and hopefully your neighbours too!
2. Christmas scavenger hunt
Print out a list of Christmassy things that your household can hunt for around the house and/or local streets.
3. Christmas film day
Snuggle down for a Christmas film day marathon complete with hot chocolate and Christmas themed snacks and treats!
4. Christmas crafts
Choose a different craft activity for each week of Advent from this extensive list.
5. Advent candles
Light a candle each Sunday of Advent and spend some time reading the Bible and sharing in prayer.
6. Christmas tree prayers
Decorate your tree with handmade prayer decorations. Click here to find out what you need.
7. Christmas Unwrapped
Unwrap Christmas with this set of seven videos and activity sheets. There's even a competition to enter but be quick!
8. Happyland nativity video
Watch this short, fun and engaging depiction of the Nativity story using Happyland characters! (3mins 16secs).
9. Rainy day stones
Create Nativity story stones to help communicate the Christmas story in a creative and imaginative way.
10. Faith@Home
Theme: Praise
Access the Praise session for an opportunity to think about the greatest gift and the true bringer of joy.
11. Christmas Explore It
Explore It is a small-group discipleship resource for children. The ‘FOR ME’ sheet provides Christmas ideas and activities that children can explore on their own, and ‘TOGETHER’ provides ideas and activities that children can explore with their families.
12. Christmas party
Hold your own household Christmas party complete with a buffet, games, dancing etc!
Bringing joy to your household
12 ways to bring joy to your household
Download the PDF below for full instructions on each activity.
1. Treasure hunt
Create clues that lead participants around the local area with the aim of reaching the festive-themed treasure at the end.
2. Doorstep Christmas performance
Invite your neighbours to join you at a set time to stand on your doorsteps and have a Christmas singalong. Remember to check current guidelines to see if this is possible. If not, you could have a doorstep dance-off or lip-sync battle instead!
3. Super secret Santa
Spread surprise joy by dropping off small anonymous gifts on your neighbours’ doorsteps.
4. Prayer walk
As a household, walk around your neighbourhood praying for different people, households, schools, activities etc.
5. Online carol concert invitations
Send Christmas cards to your neighbours with a link to your corps/church online Christmas carol concert, or Christmas At Home with The Salvation Army, which will be on The Salvation Army YouTube Channel from Wednesday 2 December at 8pm.
6. Angel Go
Depending on restrictions and how much preparation time you have, any knitting enthusiasts could have a go at knitting angels, sheep or other Christmassy figures. Get your local businesses involved and store your creations with them. Click here for more details.
7. Mince pie parcels
Bake or buy mince pies and deliver them to your neighbours. Use this as an opportunity/excuse to check in on them and see how things are.
8. Delivery treats
Doing a lot of online shopping this Christmas? Leave a basket of goodies for your delivery/mail person.
9. Joyful picks
Create some tear-off flyers of joyful/hope-filled messages and stick them on your door/window.
10. Christmas movie watch party
Watch a Christmas movie with your friends and neighbours online. You can use an online platform like Teleparty.
11. DIY Christmas crackers
Pull a homemade Christmas cracker filled with goodies with a neighbour. As you’re making them yourself, you can make them extra long (to comply with social distancing!)
12. Online Christmas cooking class
Get your friends and neighbours to take part in an online cooking class. Prices vary depending on the company you use; see an example here.
Download the PDF below for full instructions on each activity.
1. Carol concert watch party
Arrange to watch a carol concert together with other people. Christmas At Home with The Salvation Army will be on The Salvation Army YouTube Channel on Wednesday 2 December at 8pm with highlights from previous years’ concerts, alongside new pieces and celebrity readings.
2. Outdoor Nativity scene
Set up a Nativity scene outside your corps building or home to help people passing by focus on the Christmas story.
3. Phone call chain
Set a challenge to your corps to start a chain of phone calls by calling the first person for a chat, then encouraging them to call someone else for a chat, and so on. You could set out a framework to help direct the conversations with a festive feel including sharing favourite Christmas memories, favourite carols etc. This will be a good way of connecting with and including people that don’t have online access.
4. Mince pie drop-off
Create small packages to drop off to people. These could include mince pies and drink sachets / tea bags as well as suitable reading material such as the Advent Prayer Matters.
5. Create prayer stations in the hall/church building
Set up zones/stations that people can visit (according to current restrictions and guidelines) around your corps building.
6. Decorate the outside of your hall/church building
Bring as much joy as possible to people passing by your building by making it a burst of bright festivity.
7. Support/promote your local Christmas present appeal
You can drop off presents to any locally advertised drop-off points (find your local appeal here); or if you are co-ordinating the present appeal, access all of the available resources from the resource page.
8. Be a Star this Christmas
Sign up to receive a free fundraising pack for The Salvation Army and be a star this Christmas by helping to raise vital funds.
9. Just Gifts
JUST GIFTS exists so that you can show your global neighbours you care, to bring them joy. These gifts are provided as real-life examples of what your money can do through the International Development community development projects.
10. Get OWT! Christmas session
You may already be running your own Get OWT! sessions; but if not, then read through the set-up guide and consider launching this programme with a festive-themed session.
11. Silver Linings
Older People’s Ministries post daily Silver Linings content to their Facebook page. Click on the link to access the material which will have a festive feel throughout December.
12. Cell
Download this joy themed discipleship resource for young people. To access the December Cell material to use with your group, click here.
Christmas Gift Tag
Finish off your gift with a custom gift tag to bring joy!
Download the PDF below for full instructions on each activity.
1. Spread the joy challenge
Take a photo of yourself holding up a piece of paper with something written on it that brings you joy. Post the photo on social media and tag three people challenging them to do the same. The aim is that a whole load of joy will be spread around your contacts and beyond! Use the hashtag #SAChristmasJoy.
2. Christmas carol/dance compilation
If you have the skillset and technology available, then select a song that you could get your friends/family/followers to dance, sing or play along to, and then use video editing software to piece all the material together to create a joyful, fun-filled compilation video.
Tips on doing this can be found here.
3. Christ-mess
Download and share a Christmas spoken word to share the joy of Christmas.
4. Music Editorial recording to share online
Access the Music Editorial Christmas resources here and use them to record yourself performing Christmas music to share online with others.
5. Go Chatter festive videos
Click here for a compilation of festive videos you can share with your followers or show during your Christmas services.
6. Go live
Go on Facebook/Instagram live and share some of your favourite/funny Christmas memories. You could get your followers to join the live event and have them share too!
7. Comfort and Joy
Post the daily reflections from The Church of England's Christmas campaign on your social media channels.
8. Advent series
Share the Bible Project’s Advent series.
9. CBeebies Nativity
Share the CBeebies Nativity story.
10. Names of God
In the run-up to Christmas, why not share each day some of the names of God on your social media platforms. Isaiah 9:6 is a great place to start. Explain what each name means to you and why it brings you joy.
11. Podcasts
In this podcast, Focus on the Family listeners share touching memories – both poignant and heartwarming – of Christmastime.
12. Christmas riddles
Engage with / challenge your followers by posting a different Christmas riddle on your page every day. Some are available here.
Bringing joy to your followers
12 ways to bring joy to your followers
Download the PDF below for full instructions on each activity.
1. Journaling
Spend time writing and reflecting throughout the Advent period. You could use a guide to help direct your writing if you are unsure where to start.
2. Christmas tree prayers
Use gift tags or cut up old Christmas cards into star shapes. Write your prayers on these decorations and hang them on your tree or around your house.
3. Christmas colouring-in sheets
Spend time colouring in Christmas-themed scenes.
4. Music Editorial reflections
Listen to these Piano Underscores as you reflect on the joy of Christmas. There are also vocal videos available.
5. Journey through the A-Z of Prayer Matters
This Advent Prayer Matters will take you through the Bible using each letter of the alphabet.
6. Bible Project joy video
This video explores the unique type of joy to which God’s people are called. It’s more than a happy mood, but rather a choice to trust that God will fulfil his promises.
7. Comfort and Joy Advent journey
Spend some time reading the Comfort and Joy advent journey.
8. Daily Hope phone line
Call in to listen to some music, prayers and reflections.
9. Christmas baking
Have an evening of baking Christmas treats that you can enjoy over the coming days.
10. Christmas playlist
Create a Christmas playlist full of your favourite songs to accompany you throughout the day. Sing along to them at the top of your lungs – no judgment!
11. Christmas craft
Create something handmade you can admire for ages to come. There are a lot of beginners’ felt or knitting kits available.
12. Dear me
Write a letter to your future self. Write about all the things you are grateful for this year and all the things God has done in this season.
- Bible Society: various Christmas resources for all generations, including downloadable videos. Available in English and Welsh.
- Children's Society: A virtual Christingle Service
- Focus on the family: Free guides on family gift ideas and activities that focus on Jesus this Christmas.
- Ignatian Advent resources: Ignatian contemplation and reflective prayer encourage us in the season of Advent.
- Why Christmas?: Resources from an online Christmas carol to fun, free activities to do at home.
- USA Central Territory: Music & Creative Arts Team provide various resources for this year, and a back log of past years ideas.
- CPO: Christmas resources for all generations including the ADVENTure family devotional book, a pack of Christmas Story Postcards and a Share The Light Advent Box
Get In Touch
Let us know what you've done to help bring joy this Christmas!
Other useful links
Christmas Music and Videos
Carol accompaniment videos with lyrics, reflection videos and incidental music for use in Christmas services and events.
Seasonal Assemblies (Secondary)
Resources for school assemblies following a seasonal timetable.
Seasonal Assemblies (Primary)
Primary school assemblies covering a range of popular topics for the school year.