12/16/2025
Blue Christmas services may not be widely known, but they are an important part of the holiday season—because not everyone feels merry and bright this time of year. Rather than feeling forced to fake it, these services offer space to name and sit with grief, loss, and hardship.
As Bowler shared in her Advent newsletter yesterday:
“Maybe the invitation of Advent is not to blast the cheeriest carol until we believe it, but to prepare room for joy by telling the truth. By letting sorrow breathe. By choosing practices that gently turn our hearts back toward joy without pretending the sadness is gone.”
If you are carrying sadness this season, there is room for you—all of you—here. You can find a Blue Christmas service by simply searching “Blue Christmas service near me” on Google. You may find it’s just what you need.
“Joy didn’t arrive because the world was perfect; it arrived anyway.”