Celebrating Blue Christmas
As the holiday season unfolds around us, with twinkling lights, joyous carols, and bustling festivities, many of us carry a quieter reality. For some, the holidays can feel like a long and dark season—a time when grief, loneliness, or struggles weigh heavier against the backdrop of celebration. For those who find the holiday season difficult, Blue Christmas services are a tender and reflective gathering where we bring pain, struggles, and hopes, finding solace in the promise of Christ. A Blue Christmas service acknowledges that not all hearts are merry and bright this time of year. It is a service of lament and healing that offers comfort and peace to those burdened by life’s many challenges.
The season of Advent is all about the expectation of coming joy, but for many, this waiting feels inauthentic. Perhaps they are grieving the loss of a loved one, facing the reality of a difficult diagnosis, or experiencing economic struggles. Maybe they are overwhelmed by the weight of the world’s injustices or isolated from loved ones. Blue Christmas provides a time to bring these realities to the altar, to name the weight we carry, and to lay them before God.
For me, sitting in a quiet sanctuary, surrounded by others who are also carrying burdens, I feel relief. The holiday season can be especially taxing emotionally, financially, and, at times, physically. This is the power of Blue Christmas; it is church for the weary, a place where the light of Christ shines warmly, even in the darkest night.
The Rev. Nina Bacas, Rector of St. Bartholomew’s in Poway, said, “Not everyone can find joy at Christmas time. It’s difficult terrain for those who have suffered from loss, mental health crises, addiction, or other hardships. In response, the church invites all to come to the Blue Christmas Eucharist, where there is no need to mask feelings for the sake of social norms. Blue Christmas is a safe, peaceful space to experience Christ’s healing, acceptance, and love as we remember our losses and release our burdens to God.”
The readings, prayers, and hymns of a Blue Christmas reorient us toward the heart of the Christmas message. As we light candles in the darkness, we remember that Jesus came into a world much like ours—filled with suffering, division, and longing—and brought light, peace, and love. This service reminds us that God is not distant from our struggles but walks with us in them, offering healing and renewal.
For our neighbors, our parishioners, and even ourselves, Blue Christmas is a gift. It reminds us that even on the longest night, the light of Christ is never extinguished. It assures us that our pain is seen, our struggles matter, and our hope is secure in the Christ who came to live among us.
You can attend a Blue Christmas service in the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego here:
All Souls’ Episcopal Church
1475 Catalina Blvd, San Diego, CA 92107
Sunday, December 21 at 3:00 PM — a light reception following the service
St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church
16275 Pomerado Rd, Poway, CA 92064
Thursday, December 18 at 12:00 PM (Chapel)
Church of St Paul in the Desert
125 W El Alameda, Palm Springs, CA 92262
Sunday, December 21 at 6:00 PM
St Dunstan’s Episcopal Church
6556 Park Ridge Blvd, San Diego, CA 92120
Wednesday, November 17 at 4:00 PM
St. John’s Episcopal Church
434 Iowa St, Fallbrook, CA 92028
Tuesday, December 16 at 6:00 PM
St. Peter’s Episcopal Church
334 14th St, Del Mar, CA 92014
Monday, December 15 at 7:00 PM
St Mary’s-in-the-Valley Episcopal Church (w/First Congregational Church)
1010 12th St, Ramona, CA 92065
Friday, December 19, 7:00–8:00 PM (at First Congregational Church, 404 Eighth St, Ramona)
St. James by-the-Sea Episcopal Church
743 Prospect St, La Jolla, CA 92037
Wednesday, December 17 at 12:00 PM
St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church (Rancho Peñasquitos)
10125 Azuaga St, San Diego, CA 92129
Thursday, December 18 at 11:00 AM
A daytime Blue Christmas service for those unable to attend in the evening.
Grace Episcopal Church (San Marcos)
1020 Rose Ranch Rd, San Marcos, CA 92068
Tuesday, December 16 from 5:00–6:00 PM