December has a way of filling up before it even starts. The calendar fills with programs, parties and shopping, and somewhere in the middle of it you realize you meant to slow down this year and point your kids to Jesus. You just haven’t found the time.
You don’t need a big plan for that. A single verse a day, read out loud at the table, can carry your family through the whole Christmas story by the 25th. That’s what these Christmas Bible verses for kids are for: 25 short readings, one for each day from December 1 to Christmas morning, in the order the story happened.
Why One Verse a Day Works
Long devotionals are hard to keep up with when the days get short and the to-do list gets long. One verse is different. It takes less than a minute, little ones can follow it, and older kids can start memorizing it. And because the verses follow the story in order, your kids get to watch it build day by day, from the prophets who waited, to the angel and Mary, to the shepherds in the field and the wise men with their gifts.
“And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.”
Deuteronomy 6:6–7 (KJV)
Teaching your children God’s Word doesn’t have to look like a lesson. Most days it looks like talking about it at breakfast, in the car, or at bedtime.
25 Christmas Bible Verses for Kids (KJV)
Here’s the full reading list, grouped by where you are in the story.
December 1–4: The Promise
- Dec 1: Isaiah 9:2, the people in darkness see a great light
- Dec 2: Isaiah 7:14, a virgin shall conceive, and his name shall be Immanuel
- Dec 3: Isaiah 9:6, unto us a child is born
- Dec 4: Micah 5:2, the ruler will come out of Bethlehem
December 5–11: Mary and Joseph
- Dec 5: Luke 1:30–31, “Fear not, Mary”
- Dec 6: Luke 1:37, with God nothing shall be impossible
- Dec 7: Luke 1:38, “Behold the handmaid of the Lord”
- Dec 8: Luke 1:46–47, “My soul doth magnify the Lord”
- Dec 9: Matthew 1:20, the angel speaks to Joseph
- Dec 10: Matthew 1:21, he shall save his people from their sins
- Dec 11: Matthew 1:23, Emmanuel, God with us
December 12–22: Bethlehem and the Shepherds
- Dec 12: Luke 2:1, the decree from Caesar Augustus
- Dec 13: Luke 2:7, laid in a manger
- Dec 14: Luke 2:8, shepherds keeping watch by night
- Dec 15: Luke 2:9, the glory of the Lord shone round about them
- Dec 16: Luke 2:10, good tidings of great joy
- Dec 17: Luke 2:11, unto you is born this day a Saviour
- Dec 18: Luke 2:13–14, “Glory to God in the highest”
- Dec 19: Luke 2:15, “Let us now go even unto Bethlehem”
- Dec 20: Luke 2:16, they found the babe lying in a manger
- Dec 21: Luke 2:19, Mary pondered these things in her heart
- Dec 22: Luke 2:20, the shepherds return, glorifying God
December 23–25: The Wise Men and the Gift
- Dec 23: Matthew 2:2, “we have seen his star”
- Dec 24: Matthew 2:10–11, they fell down and worshipped him
- Dec 25: John 3:16, for God so loved the world
Free printable
Get all 25 verses as printable cards
Dated Scripture cards, two blank bonus cards and a reading tracker the kids can check off. Printed light, so they won’t drink your ink.
Send me the cardsSimple Ways to Use Them
- Advent calendar pockets: tuck one card in each pocket or drawer.
- Clothespin string: clip them along a string or garland and take one down each day.
- Numbered envelopes: let the kids take turns opening the day’s verse.
- A jar on the table: stack them in order and read one at breakfast or dinner.
After you read, ask one simple question: “What happened today in the story?” Little ones can retell it in a sentence. Older kids can try memorizing one verse a week.
When You Miss a Day (or Five)
You will miss some days. Someone gets sick, the evening runs late, or you just forget. That’s fine. Read two cards the next day, or skip ahead and keep going. This isn’t a test you can fail. The goal isn’t a perfect streak. It’s a family that keeps turning back to Jesus all through December.
“But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.”
Luke 2:19 (KJV)
Mary didn’t have it all figured out either. She held onto what God had done and kept thinking about it. A verse a day gives your kids room to do the same.
The Reason for All of It
“And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.”
Luke 2:10–11 (KJV)
However full your December gets, the story stays the same: God came near. You don’t have to do Advent perfectly to show your children that. You just have to keep opening the Word with them, one day at a time.
If your own heart needs some quiet before the season starts, read Preparing Your Heart for the Holiday Season.
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Follow Grace & Grit on Pinterest →More for this season: Want to go through the Christmas story one day at a time? This free 25-day family Advent Bible reading plan pairs one short KJV passage with each day of December. If you’d like it printed with family talks, kids’ questions, and Scripture cards, see the Prepare Him Room family Advent devotional.
Shelby McCallum is the founder of Grace & Grit Living, a Christian lifestyle blog dedicated to helping women grow in biblical stewardship, simple living, and faith-centered motherhood. Through practical Bible study guides, encouragement for everyday life, and Christ-centered routines, she writes to help women deepen their relationship with God and apply Scripture to daily living.