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It’s a Christmas Miracle

- December 24, 2024 | December 24, 2024 - kevinearl

It’s a Christmas Miracle

As the activity committee chair for my local church congregation, the planning of the Christmas party fell primarily to me this year. A few months before, I started thinking about themes, program ideas, décor, and more to make it a memorable and festive holiday event. While pondering what our specific theme should be, I was inspired by the idea of Christmas miracles. I didn’t know how this would come together, but over the next several weeks, I found stories and accompanying songs that could be woven together into a party and program theme. To start, I found several Christmas miracle stories. Four of those ended up being part of the decoration as centerpieces. You’ll find those throughout the rest of this post.

In preparation for the party, five weeks in advance, we invited our congregation members to think about the miracles in their lives. Specifically, we invited them to read a few talks from President Russell M. Nelson in which he invited us to “seek miracles” and “watch for miracles to happen in your life.” (links to the four talks are at the end of the post)

As the party approached, I was a bit nervous as one can be as to whether it would go as planned and hoped. However, the Holy Spirit confirmed to me several times throughout the program at the party that this was the correct theme and the right stories to tell. Even if it didn’t touch anyone else, it was for me. I’ll now share the script with stories included from the program portion of our program and invite you to remember the miracles you have seen in your life and continue seeking and watching for more as our Heavenly Father desires to bless us if we allow Him.

Christmas Miracles

It’s a Christmas miracle! Tonight, we celebrate Christmas miracles of all kinds. At your tables, hopefully you read the stories of miracles and maybe even shared some of your own. President Nelson has encouraged us to “seek miracles” and “watch for miracles to happen in [our] life.” Here are a few more stories of Christmas miracles that include some good, old-fashioned family style carol singing. You should have a sheet with lyrics to join along. And, don’t forget what Elder Kearon reminded us in October, “the song of the righteous is a prayer unto [God]” in which His soul delights. So let’s sing! And praise Him!” 

Our first Christmas Miracle story comes from a time of war.

The official history is debated, but the personal accounts are many. In December 1914, war raged in Europe. Soldiers who expected to be home by Christmas were still in the trenches after months of fighting. When Christmas Eve came that December, 110 years ago, a Christmas miracle came for a short time in a few places along the front.

Graham Williams of the 5th London Rifle Brigade wrote:

“First the Germans would sing one of their carols and then we would sing one of ours, until when we started up ‘O Come, All Ye Faithful’ the Germans immediately joined in singing the same hymn to the Latin words Adeste Fideles. And I thought, well, this is really a most extraordinary thing ­– two nations both singing the same carol in the middle of a war.”

Sergeant Major Frank Naden of the 6th Battalion, Cheshire Regiment, shared: 

“On Christmas Eve as each fireball went up from the German line our men shouted ‘Hurrah’ and ‘Let’s Have Another’. They also sang “Christians Awake” and Christmas hymns. On Christmas Day one of the Germans came out of the trenches and held his hands up. Our fellows immediately got out of their trenches and the Germans got out of theirs, and we met in the middle, and for the rest of the day we fraternized, exchange food, cigarettes, and souvenirs. The Germans gave us some of their sausages, and we gave them some of our stuff. The Scotsmen started the bagpipes, and we had a rare old jollification, which included football, in which the Germans took part. The Germans expressed themselves as being tired of the war and wished it was over. They greatly admired our equipment and wanted to exchange jack-knives and other articles. Next day we got an order that all communication and friendly intercourse with the enemy must cease, but we did not fire at all that day, and the Germans did not fire at us.”

Many others told similar stories of this Christmas miracle, a little bit of peace for hundreds of soldiers in the midst of a brutal war.

Let’s sing one of those songs that brought so much “jollification” on that Christmas a century ago, “O Come, All Ye Faithful.”

Oh, come, all ye faithful, 
Joyful and triumphant! 
Oh, come ye, oh come ye to Bethlehem. 
Come and behold him, 
Born the King of angels; 
Oh, come, let us adore him; 
Oh, come, let us adore him; 
Oh, come, let us adore him, 
Christ, the Lord.

Our next Christmas miracle story comes from just after World War II when Sister Uchtdorf was a young child.

“In my early childhood, World War II had just ended, and hopelessness and despair filled many lives in war-ravaged Germany. Economic hardship and poverty were ever present. My birthday was coming up just a few weeks before Christmas. In the face of scarcity and shortage all around, I did not expect any Christmas or birthday presents, knowing quite well, even as a young girl, that our parents were struggling to meet our very basic needs. In our big city, hunger was always present. It was a sad and dark time of our lives.

“On the day of my birthday, to my surprise and delight, a wonderful present — just for me — was placed on the kitchen table. It was the most beautiful present I could have imagined: a tiny little Weihnachtsbaum, just one foot tall, covered with delicate handmade ornaments of tinfoil. The tinfoil reflected the light of our living room in an enchanting way. As I inspected the tinfoil ornaments, I realized with amazement that they were filled with small pieces of caramelized sugar. It was like a miracle. Where did my mother get the tiny evergreen tree, the tinfoil, and the rarity of sugar?

“To this day, I do not know how she made this little miracle happen at a time when none of these precious things was available. It remains in my heart as a symbol of my parents’ deep love for me; as a symbol of hope, love, and the true meaning of Christmas.”

Let us sing a traditional German Christmas song, a verse that Sister Uchtdorf remembers from that childhood Christmas miracle:

“O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree, 
Your boughs can teach a lesson. 
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree, 
Your boughs can teach a lesson. 
That constant faith and hope sublime 
Lend strength and comfort through all time. 
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree, 
Your boughs can teach a lesson.”

During the December 2023 Liahona, Elder Nielson of the Seventy wrote of the Spirit of Christmas. He wrote, “…it is no wonder that during the Christmas season when we celebrate His birth, the veil becomes thin and the miracle of the Savior’s birth awakens inside the soul of every Christian a love for God and for their fellow man.” He continued:

“There are many other miracles of the Savior’s birth that influence Christians during the Christmas season. They include:

  • An angel appearing to Mary to let her know that she would participate in a miraculous virgin birth.
  • An angel appearing to Joseph to instruct him about Mary’s role in bringing the Savior into the world and the need for Joseph to sustain and support her.
  • The miracle of a virgin birth.
  • The miracle of Elisabeth understanding that Mary was carrying the Savior of the world.

Let us sing, “He Is Born, the Divine Christ Child”

He is born, the divine Christ child; 
Raise your voices in joyful melody! 
He is born, the divine Christ child— 
Sing of Jesus, the Baby mild. 

Through the ages, prophets told 
Of a long-awaited Savior. 
Through the ages, prophets told 
Of this Child we now behold. 

He is born, the divine Christ child; 
Raise your voices in joyful melody! 
He is born, the divine Christ child— 
Sing of Jesus, the Baby mild.

Elder Nielson continued with two more miracles:

  • An appearance by an angel to those shepherds in the fields keeping watch over their flocks by night.
  • The fulfillment of the angel’s prophecy that the shepherds would find the Savior wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.

Now, we’ll sing “Far, Far Away on Judea’s Plains”

Far, far away on Judea’s plains, 
Shepherds of old heard the joyous strains: 
Glory to God, Glory to God, 
Glory to God in the highest; 
Peace on earth, goodwill to men; 
Peace on earth, goodwill to men! 

Lord, with the angels we too would rejoice; 
Help us to sing with the heart and voice: 
Glory to God, Glory to God, 
Glory to God in the highest; 
Peace on earth, goodwill to men; 
Peace on earth, goodwill to men!

Elder Nielson included two more Christmas miracles in his remarks:

  • The star that appeared in the heavens that was not only observed in Jerusalem and the surrounding communities but also observed by those in the Book of Mormon.
  • And finally, a heavenly host, possibly including you and me, joining together with the angel to praise God, saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”

Now we’ll sing “It Came upon the Midnight Clear”

It came upon the midnight clear, 
That glorious song of old, 
From angels bending near the earth 
To touch their harps of gold: 
“Peace on the earth, good will to men 
From heav’n’s all-gracious King.” 
The world in solemn stillness lay 
To hear the angels sing. 

Still thru the cloven skies they come 
With peaceful wings unfurled, 
And still their heav’nly music floats 
O’er all the weary world. 
Above its sad and lowly plains 
They bend on hov’ring wing, 
And ever o’er its babel sounds 
The blessed angels sing. 

For lo! the days are hast’ning on, 
By prophets seen of old, 
When with the ever-circling years 
Shall come the time foretold, 
When the new heav’n and earth shall own 
The Prince of Peace their King, 
And the whole world send back the song 
Which now the angels sing.

Elder Nielson ended his remarks by saying:

“The miracle of His birth led ultimately to the miracle of our rebirth and eternal life, “the greatest of all the gifts of God.” As we ponder that gift, our thoughts rightly focus on the miraculous birth of the Savior Jesus Christ and His infinite Atonement. The Savior’s gift to us is remarkable and beyond comprehension.”

As we go about the rest of this Christmas season, let us “watch for miracles in our lives” no matter how grand or small, and let us be the means for God to manifest miracles in the lives of others. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Oh, wait! We have one more Christmas miracle to share. This comes from Rob Simpson who was asked to fill in for his friend as a mall Santa one night several years ago. From the moment he sat in Santa’s seat, he had a nonstop line of kids to greet. With a “Ho, ho, ho!” and a jolly smile, Rob heard the Christmas wishes of many children that day. But one in particular left an indelible memory in his own “Miracle on 34th Street” Christmas miracle. A woman brought her nephew to the mall in hopes it would cheer him up during a difficult holiday season for them. When it was the little boy’s turn to meet Santa, his aunt said, “He won’t understand you, but he wanted to say hello. He is from Belgium and only speaks French.” Rob’s heart jumped and he thought, “This is going to be fun,” and he started to speak French with the young boy. For you see, Rob had served a mission in Quebec, Canada, speaking French. As the boy was leaving, Rob felt impressed to tell the boy, “Always remember that Santa loves you.” He immediately thought that was a really strange thing for Santa to say, but the boy gave him a great big hug.

Then, the little boy’s aunt shared their story with Rob. She had brought her nephew from Belgium only a few days earlier. The boy’s parents had both died in a car crash, she told Rob. And she was the boy’s only living relative, so he came to live with her in the United States. She wasn’t sure how they were going to make it through the season, but she kept praying for God to help them get through it. 

Rob later shared, “I had been enjoying playing the coolest Santa ever. But in that instant, I knew that my being at the mall that evening was not about me at all. Instead, it was about one child who needed his own Christmas miracle… That experience continues to be a strong reminder to me that God knows and loves each of us. He knows our desires—even those expressed through the pure faith of a small child who simply wanted to talk with Santa.”

Let’s sing one more song. I think you all know the words (if not, they’re on your handout).

Here comes Santa Claus, here comes Santa Claus, right down Santa Claus Lane 
Vixen and Blitzen and all his reindeers pulling on the reins 
Bells are ringing, children singing, all is merry and bright 
So hang your stockings and say your prayers, 'cause Santa Claus comes tonight

Merry Christmas!

Talks from President Nelson about miracles:

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