The Christmas story for kids, told in 5 minutes
The Christmas story is the Bible's account of Jesus' birth, in Luke 1-2 and Matthew 1-2: an angel tells Mary she will have God's Son, Jesus is born in Bethlehem and laid in a manger, angels tell shepherds, and wise men follow a star to worship him.
Here is the whole story, short enough to read at bedtime. The Bible passages are in brackets so you can read the original together when your child is ready.
An angel visits Mary (Luke 1:26-38)
A long time ago, in a town called Nazareth, lived a young woman named Mary. One day an angel named Gabriel came to her and said, "Don't be afraid! God is very happy with you. You will have a baby boy, and you will name him Jesus. He will be called the Son of God." Mary said yes to God.
Joseph's dream (Matthew 1:18-25)
Mary was going to marry a carpenter named Joseph. An angel spoke to Joseph in a dream and told him to take care of Mary and the baby, because the baby was from God. Joseph obeyed.
The trip to Bethlehem (Luke 2:1-5)
The ruler of the land wanted to count all the people, so everyone had to go to their family's hometown. Joseph and Mary walked a long way to Bethlehem.
Jesus is born (Luke 2:6-7)
When they got to Bethlehem, the town was full, and there was no room for them in the inn. That night Jesus was born. Mary wrapped him in cloths and laid him in a manger, the box animals eat from.
The shepherds (Luke 2:8-20)
Out in the fields, shepherds were watching their sheep at night. Suddenly an angel appeared, shining bright! "Don't be afraid," the angel said. "I bring you good news of great joy. Today a Savior is born!" Then many angels filled the sky, singing, "Glory to God in the highest!" The shepherds hurried to Bethlehem, found baby Jesus just as the angel said, and told everyone what they had seen.
The wise men (Matthew 2:1-12)
Far away in the East, wise men saw a new star in the sky. They knew it meant a King had been born, so they followed it. The star led them to the house where Jesus was. They bowed down and worshiped him, and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.
Why do we celebrate Christmas?
Because on that night, God's Son came into the world to be with us and to save us. Christmas is Jesus' birthday, and the best gift of Christmas is Jesus himself.
Questions to ask your child
- Who was the first to hear the good news? (Mary, then Joseph, then the shepherds.)
- Why was Jesus laid in a manger?
- What gift would you bring to Jesus?
Want a picture to color while you read? Try our free coloring page, or see our five-night plan for telling the Christmas story with coloring pages.