Long ago, in a little town called Nazareth, there lived a young woman named Mary. She was kind and loved God very much. One day, an angel came to Mary with a special message. The angel said, “Do not be afraid, Mary. God has chosen you to have a very special baby!”
Mary was surprised and a little scared. She asked, “How can this be? I am not married yet.” The angel smiled softly and said, “The Holy Spirit will come to you, and your baby will be the Son of God. You will name him Jesus.” Mary felt happy and trusted God. She said, “I am God’s servant. I will do what He wants.”
A little while later, Mary and her husband Joseph had to travel to Bethlehem. The city was busy and full of people because the king wanted to count everyone. When they arrived, they looked for a place to stay. But all the inns were full. Joseph worried, “Where will Mary rest? She is going to have a baby soon.”
Finally, a kind innkeeper said, “You can stay in the stable with the animals.” It was not a soft bed, but it was warm and safe. That night, under the bright stars, Jesus was born. Mary wrapped Him in cloth and laid Him in a manger, a box where animals eat. The stable was quiet except for the gentle sounds of animals nearby.
Far away, some shepherds were watching their sheep. Suddenly, an angel appeared, and the night sky lit up like a thousand sparkling stars! The shepherds were afraid, but the angel said, “Do not be afraid! I bring you good news. Today, a Savior is born! You will find Him wrapped in cloth and lying in a manger.”
The shepherds hurried to find the baby. When they saw Jesus, their hearts filled with joy like sunshine after rain. They said to each other, “This is the special baby the angels told us about!” They praised God and told everyone what they had seen. The whole world was starting to hear the wonderful news.
Far away in the east, wise men saw a bright star shining in the sky. They knew it meant a new king was born. They traveled a long way, following the star. When they found Jesus, they bowed down and gave Him gifts—gold, frankincense, and myrrh. They knew Jesus was very special, a King who would help everyone.
Mary and Joseph were amazed by all these things. They kept all the memories in their hearts, wondering how God’s love was shining so brightly through their baby. Jesus was born to bring peace, joy, and hope to the whole world. The Christmas story shows us how much God loves us, sending His Son to be our friend forever.
Questions to think about
- Who told Mary she would have a special baby?
- Where was Jesus born?
- What did the shepherds see in the sky?
- Why did the wise men bring gifts?
- How do you feel when you hear the Christmas story?
Message of the story
God loves us so much that He sent His Son Jesus to be born as a baby and bring joy and peace to everyone.
Bible passage
Luke 1:26–38; Luke 2:1–20; Matthew 2:1–12
Luke 1:26–38 (ICB)
26 In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee named Nazareth.
27 The angel came to a virgin who was engaged to a man named Joseph. The virgin’s name was Mary.
28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings! The Lord is with you. You are very special to him.”
29 Mary was troubled by what the angel said
