5 Practical Ways to Connect With God & Your Loved Ones This Christmas

Every family has their special Christmas traditions. Whether it’s waking up at the break of dawn to open presents, moving an Elf on the Shelf around from spot to spot, or sprinkling reindeer food all over your lawn, enjoying fun activities with your family and friends is one of the best parts of the holiday season.

We think the best traditions of all are the ones that bring you closer to your loved ones and to God. And while reading the story of Jesus’ birth on Christmas morning or going to a Christmas service together are wonderful ways to accomplish this goal, they are far from the only traditions that will leave your heart and soul feeling warmer this winter.

Here are just a few of our favorite practical ways to connect during Christmas. We hope you can give one (or all!) of them a try this year:

#1: Take a prayer walk together.

We just love seeing all the houses in and around our neighborhood decked out with Christmas lights and decorations! Our children used to love to point out the lights as we drove around town.

(If your community is like ours, we’re sure your kids have also come to know which houses are famous for going all out with the decorations every year!)

Now that most of our kids are grown, we still love to check out the Christmas lights. But rather than merely “oohing and aahing” at the lights, we enjoy this tradition with a bit of a twist. As we walk through our neighborhood, we pray together that the light of Jesus will shine in the hearts of our family and neighbors. We ask God for him to help and guide them in the year ahead, and for deep roots of faith to grow as he reveals his love in their lives. We’ve found this to be a meaningful way to connect our hearts to one another, our Lord, and those around us.

#2: Listen to Christmas carols.

You don’t have to brave the frosty weather to be able to enjoy caroling—this activity can be just as fun indoors with your favorite blanket pulled snug around you.

Have each of your family members add their favorite Christmas carol to a playlist. Then, pop some popcorn and turn off all the lights except for the Christmas tree and some candles. This is one of our favorite ways to enjoy sacred Christmas music while we all snuggle up on the couch as a family and relax together.

You might even ask the most tech-savvy member of your family to set up a way for each family member to take turns picking which song plays next!

If you’d like some helpful prompts to spark meaningful conversations with your loved ones while your favorite Christmas music plays in the background, our Conversation Starters for Families are a simple but sweet way to dig deeper and grow closer. Each of the cards poses a question paired with an inspiring scripture verse or quote.

#3: Deliver Christmas cookies.

There’s just something about freshly baked cookies that goes perfectly with Christmas and brings a sense of comfort and care to any occasion. We like to bring a plate of cookies along with some Scripture cards to our neighbors and church family.

We especially like to extend this compassion to members of our community who may be more isolated. If you know a neighbor or member of your church who is confined to their house due to sickness, injury, or a season of emotional pain, knocking on their door with a fresh plate of cookies and a smile could be the light they need to brighten up their holiday.

No matter who you bless with this thoughtful gift, it’s sure to help them feel loved and cared for over the Christmas season! Make Christmas-themed treats by decorating sugar cookies, or keep it simple with a classic like chocolate chip—the choice is all yours.

And the icing on top of the cake (or should we say cookie) is that you and your loved ones get to bond while baking the cookies together, which is another great way to connect as a family!

#4: Donate to charity.

Try starting a new tradition in your family where instead of purchasing a physical gift, you give the gift of generosity.

Give each family member an allowance to contribute to a charitable organization of their choosing! You can even make the contributions on Christmas Day. There are so many wonderful ministries and organizations that need our support to continue to do good in our communities. In the past, our kids have put their funds toward abused animal rescues, anti-trafficking organizations like A21, extra funds for our sponsored Compassion kids and groceries for local food banks.

Our family has learned that the greatest joy in giving comes from the sense of fulfillment it brings to our own hearts. This truth is beautifully echoed in Acts 20:35 (NIV):

In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”

Don’t you just love that warm feeling you get when you know you’ve made a positive impact on someone’s life? This tradition is a powerful way to bless your family with a gift that keeps on giving.

#5: Craft a special paper chain for your tree.

On strips of paper, have each of your family members write down the attributes of Jesus that have meant the most to them over the past year. Or, you can encourage them to write a few of the gifts and blessings that God has given to your family in 2024. When everyone’s done writing, connect the strips together to create a paper chain that you can add to your tree or string across a windowsill or doorway.

Each time you look at your paper chain, you’ll be reminded of the goodness of God written on each link! This crafty tradition is a great way to create DIY Christmas decor that will remind your family of God’s love day after day.

The true meaning of Christmas can get lost in all the shopping, gift-giving, cleaning, and the general hustle and bustle of the holiday season. We hope these practical ideas will help your family connect more deeply with one another and also with our Heavenly Father this Christmas.

Merry Christmas from our family to yours!