Christmas prayer for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day
Welcoming the Child Jesus and blessing the family table
Morning Prayer editorial team · Updated: November 2026
On Christmas the Word became flesh and lay in a manger because there was no room anywhere else. This Christmas prayer can be prayed on Christmas Eve by the crib, before the family meal on Christmas Day, or quietly before Midnight Mass.
Let us pray
Child Jesus, born tonight in Bethlehem, welcome. The world was not ready for You; the inn was full, the night was cold, and only shepherds came. Yet You came anyway, because You wanted to be with us. Thank You for not waiting until we were ready.
I kneel before the manger with the shepherds and the Magi, and I have no gold or frankincense, only this: my tired heart, my ordinary year, the people I love and the people I struggle to love. Receive them as You received the straw and the animals' breath. Make them a place where You can rest.
Bless everyone gathered in this house today, and those who could not come. Bless the chair that is empty this year and the one who used to sit in it. Bless the children who cannot sleep for excitement and the grandparents who remember Christmases long past. Let there be peace at our table: no old quarrels reopened, no sharp words, only the gentleness You brought into the world.
Remember those for whom tonight is hard: the sick in hospitals, the homeless, the soldier far from home, the family grieving its first Christmas without someone. Let them find You in the straw, close to the ground, close to them.
Mary, you wrapped Him in swaddling clothes; wrap us too in your care. Saint Joseph, who found shelter when there was none, find room for Christ in our hearts. Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to people of good will. Amen.
Blessing
May the Child of Bethlehem be born anew in your heart and your home this Christmas, and may His peace stay with you all the year.
How to pray this prayer
- Find a quiet moment and breathe slowly.
- Read the prayer aloud or in your heart.
- Add your own intention before the Amen.
Frequently asked questions
When should we pray the Christmas prayer?
Many families pray it on Christmas Eve when the figure of the Child is placed in the crib, or before the Christmas meal with everyone standing around the table. It also works as a quiet personal prayer before Midnight Mass or on Christmas morning.
How do we bless the Nativity scene at home?
Gather the family, read the Christmas Gospel (Luke 2:1-20), place the Child Jesus in the manger, and pray this prayer or a simple blessing asking God to make your home like the house of Nazareth. Children can take turns placing the figures.
How long does the Christmas season last?
In the Catholic calendar Christmas is not one day but a season: from Christmas Eve through the feast of the Baptism of the Lord in early January, including the Holy Family, Mary Mother of God on January 1, and the Epiphany. Keep praying and keep the crib up.
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