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Christmas Eve is December 24, and is frequently celebrated in an evening service. It often includes “lessons and carols” and sometimes a story that conveys the spirit of Christmas. Some Unitarian Universalist congregations include a candle-lighting ritual in the service, in which the church lights are dimmed and people pass a flame from candle to candle until everyone is holding a lit candle.

Unlike many Christian faiths, Unitarian Universalists rarely hold special services on Christmas Day, December 25.

Faith Without Borders

For everything there is a season—a time to die and a time to be born. With the arrival of winter’s low dark sky, communities around the world look to the miracle of light as a sign of rebirth and a source of hope. We celebrate the promise of new life and recommit ourselves to the protection of everyone’s right to his or her own radiant humanity.

Celebrating the winter holidays, thus, is an excellent opportunity for Unitarian Universalist (UU) congregations to express their commitment to our Sixth Principle: We covenant to affirm and promote the goal of world community with peace, liberty and justice for all.

Chalice within a wreath of holly.

From Tapestry of Faith Curricula

Unitarian Universalist Perspectives

Displaying 81 – 100 of 136

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  • December nineteenth, "The Many Moods of Christmas” (1963). Robert Shaw was best known as the conductor of his namesake Chorale. In its day, "Many Moods of Christmas" was the quintessential sound of the season.
    December nineteenth, "The Many Moods of Christmas” (1963). Robert Shaw was best known as the conductor of his namesake Chorale. In its day, "Many Moods of Christmas" was the quintessential sound of the season. Even today, the album sells well around the holidays and choirs continue to perform it...
    Image | By Ralph Yeager Roberts | November 23, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Advent, America, Arts & Music, Christmas Eve / Christmas, Unitarianism, Winter, Winter Solstice / Yule
  • December eighteenth, "Do You Hear What I Hear?" (1962). Amid the anxiety of the Cuban missile crisis Unitarian Noel Regney wrote “Do You Hear What I Hear?” as a protest song (music composed by Gloria Shayne Baker).
    December eighteenth, "Do You Hear What I Hear?" (1962). Amid the anxiety of the Cuban missile crisis, Unitarian Noel Regney wrote the text for “Do You Hear What I Hear?” as a protest song. The music was composed by his then-wife, Gloria Shayne Baker. The song's allusions to the Bible stories of...
    Image | By Ralph Yeager Roberts | November 23, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Advent, America, Arts & Music, Christmas Eve / Christmas, Peace, Prophetic Words & Deeds, Unitarianism, Winter, Winter Solstice / Yule
  • December Seventeenth, Rod Serling’s Christmas Specials (1963). Though Jewish Rod Serling always loved Christmas (maybe because his birthday was December twenty-fifth). He became a Unitarian Universalist while in college.
    December Seventeenth, Rod Serling’s Christmas Specials (1963). Though Jewish, Rod Serling always loved Christmas (maybe because his birthday was December twenty-fifth). He became a Unitarian Universalist while in college and later joined the Unitarian Community Church of Santa Monica. He wrote...
    Image | By Ralph Yeager Roberts | November 23, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Advent, America, Arts & Music, Christmas Eve / Christmas, Science, Secular, Winter, Winter Solstice / Yule
  • December sixteenth, Hans Christian Andersen’s Fairy Tales (1835). When the man he loved married a woman, Danish Unitarian Hans Christian Andersen wrote one of his first and most beloved fairy tales of a mermaid's tragically unrequited love.
    December sixteenth, Hans Christian Andersen’s Fairy Tales (1835). When the man he loved married a woman, Danish Unitarian Hans Christian Andersen wrote one of his first and most beloved fairy tales of a mermaid's tragically unrequited love. His timeless tales include several Christmas classics...
    Image | By Ralph Yeager Roberts | November 23, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Advent, America, Arts & Music, Christmas Eve / Christmas, History, Prophetic Words & Deeds, Unitarianism, Winter Solstice / Yule
  • December fifteenth, the First American Christmas Tree (1832). Unitarian Minister Charles Follen delighted his son and party guests with a Christmas tree as he had growing up in Germany.
    December fifteenth, the First American Christmas Tree (1832). Unitarian Minister Charles Follen delighted his son and party guests with a Christmas tree as he had growing up in Germany. They had postponed the festivities until New Years so that British author and Unitarian Harriet Martineau could...
    Image | By Ralph Yeager Roberts | November 23, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Advent, America, Christmas Eve / Christmas, History, Unitarianism, Winter, Winter Solstice / Yule
  • December fourteenth, “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day” (1865). Unitarian poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote “Christmas Bells” (a poem later set to music and renamed “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day”) just months before the end of the Civil War.
    December fourteenth, “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day” (1865). Unitarian poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote “Christmas Bells” (a poem later set to music and renamed “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day”) just months before the end of the Civil War.
    Image | By Ralph Yeager Roberts | November 23, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Advent, America, Arts & Music, Christmas Eve / Christmas, History, Resilience, Unitarianism, War, Winter Solstice / Yule
  • December thirteenth, first department store Santa (1890). Department storeowner James Edgar delighted customers’ children by walking about the store on weekends dressed in a Santa costume.
    December thirteenth, first department store Santa (1890). Department storeowner James Edgar delighted customers’ children by walking about the store on weekends dressed in a Santa costume. Edgar aspired to broad-mindedness in his religion, and though not a member he attended the Unitarian church...
    Image | By Ralph Yeager Roberts | November 23, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Advent, America, Arts & Music, Christmas Eve / Christmas, History, Secular, Winter Solstice / Yule
  • December twelfth, Christmas Day is Clara Barton’s Birthday (1821). Clara Barton, Universalist and founder of the American Red Cross is a hero of our liberal religious faith. We remember her around the holidays season since she was born Christmas day, 1821
    December twelfth, Christmas Day is Clara Barton’s Birthday (1821). Clara Barton, Universalist and founder of the American Red Cross, is a hero of our liberal religious faith. We remember her around the holidays season since she was born Christmas Day, 1821. But in the season when we recall the...
    Image | By Ralph Yeager Roberts | November 23, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Advent, America, Arts & Music, Christmas Eve / Christmas, Healing, Health, International, Prophetic Words & Deeds, Secular, Universalism, Winter, Winter Solstice / Yule
  • December eleventh, Charles Dickens’ "A Christmas Carol" (1842). Unitarian Charles Dickens impacted the way Christmas is celebrated today more than any other individual.
    December eleventh, Charles Dickens’ "A Christmas Carol" (1843). Unitarian Charles Dickens impacted the way Christmas is celebrated today more than any other individual. "A Christmas Carol" has been credited with popularizing everything from turkey dinners and family gift exchanges to holiday...
    Image | By Ralph Yeager Roberts | November 23, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Advent, America, Arts & Music, Christmas Eve / Christmas, History, Redemption, Winter Solstice / Yule
  • December tenth, Christmas Scenes in "Little Women" (1868). Unitarian Louisa May Alcott wrote over a dozen Christmas themed stories and poems in addition to the Christmas scenes in "Little Women.”
    December tenth, Christmas Scenes in "Little Women" (1868). Unitarian Louisa May Alcott wrote over a dozen Christmas-themed stories and poems in addition to the Christmas scenes in "Little Women.” Her description of a holiday with the March family nurtured a growing sense of American nostalgia for...
    Image | By Ralph Yeager Roberts | November 23, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Advent, America, Arts & Music, Christmas Eve / Christmas, History, Secular, Unitarianism, Winter, Winter Solstice / Yule
  • "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear” was written by Unitarian Minister Hamilton Sears while recovering from a nervous breakdown. The melancholy carol’s conspicuous omission of any reference to Jesus or his birth has drawn criticism from orthodox Christians.
    December ninth, "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear" (1849). "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear” was written by Unitarian Minister Hamilton Sears while recovering from a nervous breakdown. The melancholy carol’s conspicuous omission of any reference to Jesus or his birth has drawn criticism from orthodox...
    Image | By Ralph Yeager Roberts | November 23, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Advent, America, Arts & Music, Christianity, Christmas Eve / Christmas, History, Unitarianism, Winter, Winter Solstice / Yule
  • In 1912, President William Howard Taft’s daughter Helen arranged to have a Christmas tree in the White House Blue Room (the first of what has since become a tradition).
    December eighth, first Christmas Tree in the White House Blue Room (1912). From the New York Times, December 26, 1912: "With the President and Mrs. Taft at Panama, their son and daughter established a new precedent at the White House in the way of a Christmas party to-night....
    Image | By Ralph Yeager Roberts | November 23, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Advent, America, Christmas Eve / Christmas, History, Winter, Winter Solstice / Yule
  • December sixth, The Modern Look and Lore of Santa Claus (1863). Universalist Thomas Nast produced over 70 illustrations of Santa. It is from Nast that the world first learned of Santa's red suit, that he gives coal if you're naughty....
    December sixth, The Modern Look and Lore of Santa Claus (1863). Universalist Thomas Nast produced over seventy illustrations of Santa. It is from Nast that the world first learned of Santa's red suit, that he gives coal if you're naughty, and even that Santa, as a world citizen, belonging to no...
    Image | By Ralph Yeager Roberts | November 23, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Advent, America, Christmas Eve / Christmas, Playfulness, Secular, Winter, Winter Solstice / Yule
  • December fifth, "Jingle Bells" (1857). First performed at a Thanksgiving event by the Sunday school children from the Unitarian Church in Savannah, GA.
    December fifth, "Jingle Bells" (1857). First performed at a Thanksgiving event by the Sunday school children from the Unitarian Church in Savannah, GA who were led by the church music director and the song’s composer James Pierpont. “Jingle bells” was published in 1857, but only gained...
    Image | By Ralph Yeager Roberts | November 23, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Advent, America, Arts & Music, Christmas Eve / Christmas, Winter, Winter Solstice / Yule
  • December fourth, the earmuff is invented (1873). Life long Unitarian Chester Greenwood received the Patent for the first earmuff when he was 15.
    December fourth, the earmuff is invented (1873). Lifelong Unitarian Chester Greenwood received the Patent for the first earmuff when he was 15. His factory manufactured the new winter wear for over 60 years. However, Chester himself worked as a mechanic in a bike shop he opened using profits from...
    Image | By Ralph Yeager Roberts | November 23, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Advent, Christmas Eve / Christmas, Winter Solstice / Yule
  • Founded by Unitarian Nathaniel Currier, The Currier and Ives Printing Firm published an annual set of winter images. Scenes of snowball fights and children ice skating wooed Americans into a love affair with the idea of a snow covered New England holiday.
    December third, Currier and Ives (1834). Founded by Unitarian Nathaniel Currier, the Currier and Ives Printing Firm published an annual set of winter images....
    Image | By Ralph Yeager Roberts | November 23, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Advent, America, Arts & Music, Christmas Eve / Christmas, Winter
  • December first, "Over The River And Through The Woods" (1844). The song "Over The River And Through The Woods" is based on a poem by Unitarian author and human rights champion Lidia Maria Child. Inspiration for the poem came from her own childhood mem
    December first, "Over The River And Through The Woods" (1844). The song "Over the River and Through The Woods" is based on a poem by Unitarian author and human rights champion Lydia Maria Child. Inspiration for the poem came from her own childhood memories of Thanksgiving at her grandparents’...
    Image | By Ralph Yeager Roberts | November 11, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Advent, Christianity, Christmas Eve / Christmas, IllUUmination, Unitarianism, Winter, Winter Solstice / Yule
  • Unitarian Universalist Association Chalice
    Like those shepherds who were on the hillsides with their flocks, like those wise ones in their observatories with their telescopes and astronomical charts, we find our daily work interrupted by these holidays. Like them, we can’t keep on working, we have to listen to singing angels, we have to...
    Meditation | By Mary Wellemeyer | May 13, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Advent, Awe, Beginnings, Calling, Christmas Eve / Christmas, Journey, Searching, Vision, Work
  • Unitarian Universalist Association Chalice
    Holy Unnamable One, Wholly Unknowable One, Again we have read the story. Again we have sung the tale. Again we wonder at our place in it. Is it ours to tell? How can it beours to live?...
    Prayer | By Lisa Doege | March 16, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Birth, Christianity, Christmas Eve / Christmas, Direct Experience, Hope, Listening, Mystery, Peace, Privilege
  • Unitarian Universalist Association Chalice
    Christmas and Hanukah once upon a time were about struggle, hope, and freedom. Both stories are exile stories pointing out how even a glimmer of light can provide a lasting hope for the triumph of all that is good. While we haven’t altogether lost these themes in our modern interpretations, we...
    Reading | By Daniel Chesney Kanter | February 17, 2015 | From WorshipWeb
    Tagged as: Christmas Eve / Christmas, Hanukkah, Interdependence, Meaning, Wealth