Christmas Day: The Best Gift
25 December 2025
Bible readings
Psalm 97
The Lord is king! Let the earth rejoice...
Luke 2:1-20
Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart.
Songs and hymns
Carols 190–222 (StF)
Opening liturgy
Emmanuel, God is with us!
The Lord is King! Let earth rejoice!
A babe was born in Bethlehem, homeless, stateless, laid in a manger surrounded by love unconditional.
Jesus the Christ Child born for each one of us.
Emmanuel, God is with us!
The Lord is King! Let earth rejoice!
A babe, a gift, the best, treasured, adored, worshipped; with Mary let us ponder the greatness of the gift, treasuring it beyond measure in the depths of our being.
Emmanuel, God is with us!
The Lord is King! Let earth rejoice!
A God-given babe whose very being changed the world order changes us, transform us, empowers and enlivens us.
Let us now and for always treasure the gift in our hearts.
Emmanuel, God is with us!
The Lord is King! Let earth rejoice!
Symbol: Baby Jesus in a crib, with a gift ribbon and bow
Background notes
Psalm 97
This psalm is one of several that proclaim God as King over all creation.
It unfolds in three main sections. Verses 2—5 describe God’s arrival with vivid and awe-inspiring imagery: thick clouds, fire and lightning, all signalling a dramatic and overwhelming presence. This vision contrasts with the gentler coming of Jesus, whose arrival was just as world-shaking in its significance.
Verses 6 to 9 describe how all creation responds to the presence of God the King. Heaven proclaims God’s righteousness, and all people see God’s glory. Even false idols are brought low. This invites us to reflect on how both creation and people responded, and still respond, to the incarnation of Christ.
In the final section, the psalm speaks of the gifts given to those who love what is good and turn from evil. God protects, rescues, and fills their lives with light and joy.(1)
Luke 2:1–20
Throughout this series, we’ve been exploring how each of us is a gift, made with love, and how we can be that gift to those around us. With this reading, we return to the heart of the story. We hear once more of the ultimate expression of love: Jesus, the best gift.
Luke’s telling is rich with detail. He lingers on the small things, like the way Mary wraps her newborn in swaddling cloths. A tender gesture, deeply ordinary, yet deeply meaningful. This was what any Ancient Near Eastern mother would do for her child.(2) It was an act of care and love.(3)
In the Old Testament, swaddling is symbolic. In Wisdom 7:4–5, it’s a sign of nurture and belonging.(4) In contrast, Ezekiel 16:4 paints a tragic picture of an unwanted child left unswaddled, a sign of neglect.(5) Luke’s image is deliberate: this child is cherished. This gift is wrapped in love.
The angel’s announcement brings good news, a word the Roman Empire used for military victory or political propaganda. But here, it’s reclaimed.(6) This isn’t the arrival of a conqueror. It’s the birth of a child.
The good news comes today. This is a word Luke uses again and again to mark a turning point, the breaking in of God’s new reality. Something has shifted. The gift has come.(7)
The shepherds rush to see it for themselves. They become the first witnesses, the first to receive and share the news. And Mary? She treasures all these words in her heart. The Greek word Luke uses is ‘rich’. It means to cherish, to turn something over again and again. In Genesis 37:11, Jacob “keeps” Joseph’s dream in his mind. In Daniel 4:28, a mystery is held and pondered. Mary does the same.27
She receives the moment as a mystery to be held carefully, turned over slowly, and treasured deeply.(8)
This story is not just about what happened then. It’s also about what is happening now. The gift has come. The good news is for today. And as people made with love, we are called to receive it, treasure it and share it.
(1) Brueggemann and Bellinger, Psalms, pp. 418–419.
(2) Joseph A. Fitzmyer, The Gospel According to Luke (1983) New York: Doubleday, p. 408.
(3) C. F. Evans, Saint Luke (1990) London: SCM, p. 199.
(4) Fitzmyer, The Gospel According to Luke, p. 394.
(5) Evans, Saint Luke p. 199.
(6) Joel B. Green, The Gospel of Luke (1997) Grand Rapids, Michigan: Eerdmans, pp. 133–134.
(7) Fitzmyer, The Gospel According to Luke, p. 409.
(8) ibid. p. 413.
Questions for discussion
The gift of Jesus
Jesus is described as the ultimate expression of love – the best gift.
- What does this story tell us about how God gives?
- How do you receive the gift of Christ in your life today?
Swaddling bands
Mary swaddles Jesus – a small, ordinary gesture, filled with meaning.
- What does it mean to you that God’s love comes wrapped in such tender, human ways?
- How can small, everyday acts become gifts of love to others?
Good news, repurposed
The angel’s good news reclaims a word often used for conquest and applies it to a child.
- How is the birth of Jesus a radically different kind of gift than the world expects?
- What might it look like to carry that kind of good news into your own community?
The gift has come
And as people made with love, we are called to receive the gift of Jesus, treasure it and share it.
- What does it mean to you that the Christmas story is still unfolding now?
- How are you being called to live as someone gifted and someone who gives?
Hands-on activities
“Swaddled with love” baby Jesus dolls
Materials: Small cloth scraps or felt, cotton balls, old fashioned wooden pegs, wooden beads or small doll heads, glue or thread.
Activity: Create simple baby Jesus figures wrapped in soft cloth “swaddling clothes.” Encourage participants to think about the care and love Mary showed by wrapping Jesus carefully.
Reflection: Talk about how Jesus came wrapped in love, a precious gift to the world.
‘Treasure the moment’ memory boxes
Materials: Small boxes or jars, decorations, paper slips, pens.
Activity: Decorate a box or jar to be a ‘treasure chest’. Invite people to write or draw something they want to treasure this Christmas, like God’s love, hope, or a special moment, and place it inside.
Reflection: Connect this with Mary treasuring the words of the angels and the birth of Jesus in her heart.
Parcel of Good News!
Materials: Wrap up a gift for sharing in multiple layers, with each layer containing a card that includes a good news phrase: eg “Born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is the Messiah” or “This thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.”
Activity: As the parcel is passed around and unwrapped, tell the story with each layer removed, sharing a specific moment.
Reflection: Wonder together about which part of the story is our favourite and what the good news of Jesus’ birth means to us.
Prayer ideas
Name the gift
Ask the congregation to call out (or write silently if more reflective) what kind of gift Jesus is to them today. For example:
“Jesus is my peace.”
“Jesus is light in the dark.”
“Jesus is God with me.”
After each one, all respond: “Thank you, God, for the gift of Jesus.”
Giving God the Glory
Just as the angels gave God glory, pray and give thanks for the good news of Jesus’ birth.
Use the British Sign Language translation of Glory as a gesture of praise. Watch it here: Glory / Glorify (Giving God the Glory) - Christian BSL
Global Prayers
Prince of Peace,
You came to us as a baby – fragile, swaddled and laid in a manger. Born into a land under occupation. Today we remember your birth in Bethlehem, and we pray for the same land, still aching for peace.
We lift before you the people of the land called Holy, where children continue to be born into conflict and parents cradle their little ones amidst violence, fear and uncertainty. Wrap them, O God, in your mercy. Bring justice and peace.
Emmanuel, God with us, be with them now.
Amen.
The good news to get across
Jesus is the gift we receive at Christmas – a treasure for our hearts.
At Christmas, we celebrate the incredible gift of Jesus: God’s love wrapped in human flesh, coming into our world to bring hope, peace and new life. This gift isn’t just for a moment or a season. It’s meant to be cherished deeply within us every day.
When we treasure Jesus in our hearts, we discover a love that transforms us, a peace that steadies us, and a hope that carries us through life’s challenges. This gift invites us into relationship with God and calls us to share that love generously with others.
Ways people can respond
Lead a moment of stillness and use this breath prayer:
Breathe in: “Thank you, Jesus”
Breathe out: “God’s greatest gift”
Repeat slowly a few times as a way to settle into gratitude and awe.
Include a moment of quiet reflection or journalling where participants consider what they are treasuring this Christmas and how they can carry the gift of Jesus in their hearts like Mary.