Christmas through the Carols {Christmas Eve Production Notes}
Christmas through the Carols is by far the most popular service on this blog. It brings me incredible joy every year to read emails from church leaders across the country and around the world that have used the script for their Christmas services. As a result, I’ve taken time to publish the service in a more sensible format.
While existing posts will remain online for free, a revised and expanded, newly formatted script is now available.
Download includes sample service order, production notes, master script, 8 separate narrator scripts (adaptable for 2 or 7 narrators), and 5 presentation graphics (including PowerPoint slides, bulletin header, and print graphics).
PDF Download, JPEG Presentation & Promotional Graphics
Paperback script includes sample service order, song selection, 8 complete narrations (adaptable for 2 or 7 narrators), and production notes.
It’s my hope this updated and published edition would be a blessing to you and your church this Christmas season.
Synopsis
Christmas through the Carols is a full-length Christmas Eve presentation churches of all sizes will find easily adaptable to the seasonal needs and artistic abilities of their congregation. This service engages congregants with the story of Christmas through narration, Scripture, traditional carols, and contemporary Christmas songs.
Production Notes
Christmas through the Carols can be performed with as few as two narrators and as many as seven (scripts are formatted for seven). Narrations can be read (with narrators sitting on stools and using music stands), or memorized and performed like monologues.
Be as creative with the Christmas carols/songs as the musical talent in your church will allow. Some narrations invite congregants to participate in singing the subsequent carol. Other carols can be performed as solos, in small ensembles, or with a traditional worship team/band.
Placing narrators and musicians on opposing sides of your stage for each narration/carol combination will minimize the distraction of entrances and exits. Entrances and exits should occur under dim or dark lighting so make sure to line the edges of your stage and any stairs with glow in the dark tape.
This service was originally written for and performed at Northwest Assembly of God.
Service Order
Narration 1 / O Come O Come Emmanuel
- Narrators A & B
- Carol Idea: acoustic guitar, ethnic hand drum, vocalist
Narration 2 / O Little Town of Bethlehem
- Narrators C & D
- Congregational Carol
- Carol Idea: Worship team – begin playing the carol softly underneath narration
Narration 3 / Breath of Heaven (Mary’s Song)
- Narrator B
- Song Idea: Soloist with track
- Narrator E
- Carol Idea: Soloist with track
- Narrator F & G
- Congregational Carol
- Carol Idea: Worship team – begin playing the carol softly underneath narration
Narration 6 / Jesus Born on this Day
- Narrator E
- Song Idea: Soloist with track
- Narrator A & B
- Carol Idea: Begin playing the carol under congregational instruction, or sing acapella as a congregation
- Have a lighter onstage for NARRATOR A to light the first candle
- Other narrators/helpers can pass candles out to congregants
Closing Ideas
- NARRATOR A
These Christmas Carols are beautiful, they are historic, but their purpose is to draw us closer to Jesus. As an act of worship, we would like to close our service together at the front of the altar with one more song. - End with a congregational hymn like “O Come All Ye Faithful“