Christmas at Church: A Communications Checklist
Christmas is the biggest guest weekend of the year. Here's how to be ready for it.
The thisweek.church editorial team · Updated August 5, 2026 · 6 min read
Christmas is likely your biggest guest weekend of the year, so plan communications early. Lock service times and details first, make them impossible to miss across your website and channels, equip your congregation to invite friends, prepare a warm guest experience, and have follow-up and next-step content ready before the new people arrive.
For many churches, more first-time guests walk through the doors at Christmas than at any other time of year. That makes Christmas communications less about decoration and more about hospitality: helping people find you, feel welcome, and have a reason to come back.
Start early
Christmas sneaks up on every church every year. Lock your service times, locations, and key details well ahead of the season so your team has runway to promote them well instead of scrambling in December. Decisions made early are decisions made calmly.
Make service times unmissable
The single most important job of your Christmas communications is answering one question: when and where can I come? Put service times at the top of your website, pin them on social, and repeat them everywhere. Never make a potential guest hunt for the basics.
Equip your people to invite
The best Christmas marketing isn't an ad — it's a member inviting a friend. Make inviting effortless: give your congregation shareable graphics, a simple link, and the words to use. People will bring others if you make it easy and give them a nudge.
- Several weeks out: finalize and publish all service details.
- A few weeks out: launch promotion and give your people invite tools.
- The final week: turn up the volume — reminders across every channel.
- Christmas services: warm signage, hospitality, and an easy way to connect.
- The days after: follow up with every guest who connected.
Plan the follow-up before Christmas
The point of a great Christmas isn't a big crowd — it's a January relationship. Decide before the services how you'll capture and follow up with guests, and have a genuine next step ready, so the people who came once have a warm reason to come back.
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Frequently asked questions
When should churches start Christmas communications?
Earlier than feels necessary — lock service details weeks ahead so your team can promote them calmly. Begin active promotion several weeks out and build to a peak in the final week before Christmas.
How do you promote Christmas church services?
Make service times unmissable across your website and channels, and equip your congregation to invite friends with shareable graphics and simple links. A personal invitation from a member is your most effective promotion.
How do you follow up with Christmas church guests?
Decide your follow-up plan before the services, capture guest contact info warmly, and reach out quickly afterward with a genuine, low-pressure next step — so a Christmas visit has a reason to become a return visit.