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Unto Us a Child Is Born

For thousands of years, prophets like Isaiah, Micah and Samuel the Lamanite promised the Savior would come. This week we celebrate the night every promise came true. On Monday, pick a stable spot and set three shoes far away as the wise men. They creep closer every day and arrive on Saturday. Along the way you’ll hunt for prophecy clues, learn His names, shine His light, snuggle up for the Christmas Eve story and remember that Jesus is Heavenly Father’s greatest gift.

  • Week 52
  • 📅 Dec 21–27, 2026
  • 📖 Christmas
Start with Monday
Come, Follow Me manualOld Testament 2026, week 52

What your kids learn in class

Stories, verses and games for the week come from each child’s own Primary or youth lesson, so home matches Sunday.

Daily sparks

Five to ten minutes a day, Monday to Sunday, with everyday things you already have. Grown-ups lead; kids act, play and answer. Where a step says to tap something, that’s in the Gospel Sparks app; on the web, use the “Play along” links.

Monday · 10 min · Scripture detective

Promise Clues

🔍 Day 1: Find the clues! Start the wise men!What’s His name?Where will He be born?The wise men are far, far away…

✋ Grab: three shoes

⏱ Only 10 minutes?

💡 Prophets promised long before that Jesus would be born, and every promise came true.

  1. Read Isaiah 7:14 together. Find the baby’s name.
  2. SAY“Immanuel means God with us.”
  3. Read Micah 5:2. Find the town where Jesus would be born.

😄 Quick guess: think of a Christmas word and give one clue at a time. First to guess wins!

📖 Read together: Isaiah 7:14; Micah 5:2; Helaman 14:2–6 ↗

  1. Read Isaiah 7:14 together. Detectives, find the baby’s name. It’s Immanuel. That means God with us.
  2. Read Micah 5:2. Find the town where He’ll be born. It’s Bethlehem!
  3. Pick a stable spot, like under the kitchen table. Line up three shoes far away. They’re the wise men.
  4. Tell your kids Samuel the Lamanite promised a night with no darkness.
  5. Turn off the lights. Then flip them on and shout, “The sign came true!”
  6. SAY“Every day, the wise men will move a little closer to our stable.”
Talk about it
  • Which prophets promised that Jesus would come?
  • How do you think it felt to finally see the promise come true?
🧸 Little ones (2–5)Let your little one flip the lights back on and shout, “The sign came true!”
📚 Big kids (10–13)Have your older kid read Helaman 14:3–5 and explain Samuel’s sign to the family.
🧑 Teens (14–18)Have your teen read Helaman 14:2–6 and 3 Nephi 1:9–15. Believers were going to be put to death if the sign didn’t come. Ask what that wait felt like, and what they’re waiting on the Lord for right now.
☕️ For grown-upsSamuel the Lamanite’s prophecy put believers in real danger when the sign seemed late, 3 Nephi 1:9. Waiting on a promise can be the hardest part of faith. Christmas is the story of a promise that came exactly on time.

Sticker for today: ⭐

Tuesday · 8 min · Verse

His Name Shall Be Called…

👑 Day 2: Wonderful! Counsellor! Prince of Peace!Wonderful! Counsellor! Mighty God!Everlasting Father! Prince of Peace!Isaiah 9:6

✅ Nothing to prep. Just start!

⏱ Only 10 minutes?

💡 Isaiah gave Jesus beautiful names that tell us who He is.

  1. Read Isaiah 9:6 together.
  2. Ask: “Which name of Jesus do you like best? Why?”
  3. Share what one of His names means to you.

😄 Silly-voice verse: read Isaiah 9:6 again in a tiny mouse voice, then a big giant voice.

📖 Read together: Isaiah 9:6; Luke 2:1–7 ↗

  1. Tap Key Verse and read Isaiah 9:6 together.
  2. Make up a motion for each name. Try arms wide for Wonderful and praying hands for The Prince of Peace.
  3. Say the verse with motions three times, faster each time.
  4. Read Luke 2:7. Then walk slowly to your stable spot together, like Mary and Joseph’s long trip.
  5. Scoot the wise-men shoes a little closer.
  6. Ask: “Which name of Jesus do you like best?”

📖 Play along: the key verse (from the Valiant 7–8 lesson; pick your kid’s class above for theirs)

Talk about it
  • Which of Jesus’s names is your favorite, and why?
  • How do you think Mary and Joseph felt on their long trip?
🧸 Little ones (2–5)Let your little one lead the slow walk to the stable and do the praying hands.
📚 Big kids (10–13)Ask your older kid to explain one name, like how Jesus is our Prince of Peace.
🧑 Teens (14–18)Ask your teen to pick one name from Isaiah 9:6. Then find a place in the New Testament where Jesus lives up to it, like John 14:27. Have them teach it to the family in two minutes.
☕️ For grown-upsOf all the names in Isaiah 9:6, which one do you most need Jesus to be this Christmas? For a tired parent it may be Counsellor, the one who knows what to do when you don’t.

Sticker for today: 👑

Wednesday · 10 min · Service

Shine His Light

👼 Day 3: The angels shine! Now you shine!Pick someone lonely.Light up their night!

✅ Nothing to prep. Just start!

⏱ Only 10 minutes?

💡 The angels shared the good news of Jesus, and we can share His light too.

  1. Read Luke 2:10–11 together.
  2. Ask: “Who could use some good news this Christmas?”
  3. Pick one person to wish a Merry Christmas tomorrow.

😄 Angel announcement: each person stands up tall and shouts “Merry Christmas!” as loud as they dare.

📖 Read together: Luke 2:8–14; Matthew 5:14–16 ↗

  1. Read Luke 2:8–14 together.
  2. SAY“The angels couldn’t keep the good news to themselves. They lit up the whole sky!”
  3. Read Matthew 5:16 together.
  4. Pick someone who might be lonely at Christmas, like a neighbor or a widow.
  5. Call, video-chat or knock on their door to wish them a Merry Christmas. You could sing them a carol.
  6. Scoot the wise-men shoes a little closer.
Talk about it
  • Who did we help shine for today?
  • How is serving someone like being one of the Christmas angels?
🧸 Little ones (2–5)Let your little one wave hello at the door or on the call and say, “Merry Christmas!”
📚 Big kids (10–13)Let your older kid choose who to visit and plan what to say.
🧑 Teens (14–18)Let your teen plan it, then raise the stakes. Choose someone they don’t know well, like an older neighbor, and let your teen do the talking.
☕️ For grown-upsThe shepherds were ordinary workers on the night shift, and they heard first. The good news has always gone first to people who don’t seem important. Notice who that might be on your street.

Sticker for today: 🕯️

Thursday · 10 min · Cozy story time

Christmas Eve Story Time

🌙 Day 4: Christmas Eve! Baby Jesus is born!Snuggle up.Listen to the first Christmas.Shh… kneel by the manger.

✋ Grab: a blanket · a doll or towel

⏱ Only 10 minutes?

💡 Jesus was born in a humble stable because He came to be our Savior.

  1. Read Luke 2:7 together.
  2. Ask: “Why do you think Jesus was born in such a humble place?”
  3. SAY“Heavenly Father sent His Son for every one of us.”

😄 Quiet contest: see who can stay silent as a starry night the longest. Then whisper “Merry Christmas!”

📖 Read together: Luke 2:1–20 ↗

  1. Turn the lights low. Snuggle up by the tree lights or a flashlight.
  2. Wrap a doll or a towel in a blanket. That’s Baby Jesus.
  3. Tap Story and read each scene slowly.
  4. At the manger scene, one child gently lays Baby Jesus in your stable spot. Everyone gets very quiet.
  5. Softly sing “Silent Night” or “Away in a Manger” together.
  6. Say a family prayer. Thank Heavenly Father for sending His Son.

🎭 Play along: scenes 2–5 (from the Valiant 7–8 lesson; pick your kid’s class above for theirs)

Talk about it
  • If you were a shepherd, what would you have said when you saw Baby Jesus?
  • Why did Heavenly Father send Jesus to earth?
🧸 Little ones (2–5)Let your little one help tuck Baby Jesus into the manger.
📚 Big kids (10–13)Have your older kid read Luke 2:10–11 out loud at the angel scene.
🧑 Teens (14–18)Have your teen read Luke 2:19 at the end. Ask them to share one thing about Jesus that they, like Mary, keep and ponder.
☕️ For grown-upsLuke 2:19 says Mary “kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.” In the noise of Christmas Eve, give yourself one quiet minute by the manger before bed to do the same.

Sticker for today: 👶

Friday · 6 min · Talk

The Greatest Gift

🎄 Day 5: Merry Christmas! What’s your gift for Jesus?Heavenly Father gave us Jesus.What will you give Him?

✅ Nothing to prep. Just start!

⏱ Only 10 minutes?

💡 Heavenly Father gave us the greatest gift when He sent His Son.

  1. Read John 3:16 together.
  2. Each person names one gift they can give Jesus this year.
  3. Say a short prayer of thanks for Jesus.

😄 Gift guess: describe a gift you got without saying what it is. Everyone guesses in three tries.

📖 Read together: John 3:16 ↗

  1. Before or after presents, gather by your stable spot for a few quiet minutes.
  2. Read John 3:16 together.
  3. SAY“Heavenly Father gave the best gift ever. He gave His Son, Jesus Christ, to be our Savior.”
  4. Each person tells one gift they’ll give Jesus this year. Being kinder or praying every night both count.
  5. Anyone can keep theirs private and tell Him in a prayer instead.
  6. Scoot the wise-men shoes very close. Tonight, play Forehead Guess with cousins or grandparents.

🤔 Play along: Forehead Guess (from the Valiant 7–8 lesson; pick your kid’s class above for theirs)

Talk about it
  • Why is Jesus the greatest gift of all?
  • What gift will you give Jesus this year?
🧸 Little ones (2–5)Help your little one make a heart with their hands and say, “I will love everyone.”
📚 Big kids (10–13)Invite your older kid to share how Jesus helped them this year. That’s their gift to the family.
🧑 Teens (14–18)Invite your teen to make their gift specific and a little hard: a habit to break, a person to forgive, something to start. They can keep it private. Just ask how it’s going in a month.
☕️ For grown-upsJohn 3:16 begins, “For God so loved the world, that he gave.” Among the wrapping paper, remember that Heavenly Father is a parent too. He gave something unimaginably costly because He loves His children.

Sticker for today: 🎄

Saturday · 10 min · Game

The Wise Men Arrive!

🐪 Day 6: The wise men made it!Move them to Jesus!Hunt for Christmas clues.Quiz time!

✅ Nothing to prep. Just start!

⏱ Only 10 minutes?

💡 The wise men searched until they found Jesus, and we can seek Him too.

  1. Read Matthew 2:9–11 together.
  2. Ask: “What gifts did the wise men bring?”
  3. Talk about one way your family can seek Jesus this week.

😄 Star hunt: everyone has 30 seconds to find something shaped like a star. Show and tell!

📖 Read together: Matthew 2:9–11 ↗

  1. Read Matthew 2:9–11 together.
  2. SAY“The wise men found Jesus as a young child in a house. Their long trip is over!”
  3. Let your kids march the wise-men shoes all the way to the stable. Cheer!
  4. Hunt the house for Christmas things that point to Jesus. Try a star, lights, a tree and a gift.
  5. For each one, ask: “How does this remind us of Jesus?”
  6. Tap Quiz to get ready for Primary. Then lay out Sunday clothes.

🏆 Play along: Scripture Showdown (from the Valiant 7–8 lesson; pick your kid’s class above for theirs)

Talk about it
  • Which Christmas decoration reminds you most of Jesus?
  • The wise men traveled far to find Jesus. How can we look for Him every day?
🧸 Little ones (2–5)Let your little one set the wise-men shoes by the stable and find the star on the hunt.
📚 Big kids (10–13)Have your older kid find a Christmas thing nobody else thought of and explain how it points to Jesus.
🧑 Teens (14–18)Have your teen read Matthew 2:12. The wise men went home “another way.” Ask what going home another way could look like for them next year.
☕️ For grown-upsThe wise men traveled a long way on the strength of a sign. They found Jesus not in the manger but as a young child in a house. If your spiritual life feels late or slow, remember that coming to Christ late is still coming to Christ.

Sticker for today: 🐪

Sunday · 7 min · Sabbath

A Name for the New Year

✨ Day 7: Our Nativity is complete!What did you learn in Primary?Pick a name of Jesus for next year.

✅ Nothing to prep. Just start!

⏱ Only 10 minutes?

💡 Jesus is the promised Savior, and we can follow Him in the new year.

  1. Read Isaiah 9:6 again.
  2. Each person picks one name of Jesus to think about next year.
  3. Share your testimony that Jesus is the promised Savior.

😄 Countdown cheer: count down from five together and shout “Happy New Year, New Testament!”

📖 Read together: Isaiah 9:6 ↗

  1. Ask: “What did you learn in Primary today?”
  2. Gather at your stable spot. Take turns telling one part of this week’s story in a sentence.
  3. Read Isaiah 9:6 again. Each person picks one name of Jesus to think about next year.
  4. SAY“Tomorrow we start the New Testament. We’ll follow Jesus through His whole life!”
  5. Share your testimony that Jesus is the promised Savior. Invite anyone who wants to share too.
Talk about it
  • What did you learn in Primary today?
  • Which name of Jesus did you choose, and why?
🧸 Little ones (2–5)Let your little one point to Baby Jesus and each wise-men shoe and tell you who it is.
📚 Big kids (10–13)Ask your older kid to set one scripture goal for the New Testament year and share it.
🧑 Teens (14–18)Invite your teen to choose their name of Christ for the new year and set one New Testament goal, like reading Mark by the end of January. Offer to read it with them.
☕️ For grown-upsTomorrow the New Testament begins. Before it does, look back. What did the Old Testament teach you about Jesus Christ this year that you hadn’t seen before? Tell your kids.

Sticker for today: 🌟

Family challenge

Shine Every Day

Every day this week, each person does one small thing to shine Jesus’s light: a kind word, a helping hand, a phone call to someone lonely. Each night, tell your lights at dinner, and let the wise-men shoes take one extra step toward the stable for every light your family shared.

Parent Corner

The Old Testament ends not with a conclusion but with a longing. From the promise in Eden that the woman’s seed would bruise the serpent’s head (Genesis 3:15), to Isaiah’s child whose name is Wonderful (Isaiah 9:6), to Micah’s ruler from little Bethlehem (Micah 5:2), generation after generation lived on a promise they never saw kept. Christmas is the moment the waiting ends: the Jehovah of the Old Testament comes as a baby, laid in a manger because there was no room in the inn (Luke 2:7). That changes how an adult can read the whole year of study behind us. The Passover lamb, the water from the rock, the shepherd of Psalm 23, the suffering servant of Isaiah 53: all of it was pointing to Him. And the same Lord who kept those ancient promises is keeping the ones He has made to you.

  • Ponder: Which promise from the Lord are you still waiting on, and what has the long wait of the Old Testament believers taught you about how to wait well?
  • Try this: On Christmas night or the day after, spend 20 minutes alone with Isaiah 53 and Luke 2 side by side. Then write a short testimony of Jesus Christ to tuck into your scriptures or give to one of your children.

From general conference

“His life and atoning mission are the true source of peace. He is the Prince of Peace.”

— Elder Quentin L. Cook, “Personal Peace in Challenging Times,” October 2021

For parents on Tuesday with Isaiah 9:6, or on Sunday as your family chooses a name of Christ for the new year.

Read the talk ↗

Dinner-table questions

  • If you were a shepherd that night, what would you have done first?
  • What’s your favorite Christmas tradition, and how could it point to Jesus?
  • What do you think Mary was thinking while she held Baby Jesus?
  • Which prophecy about Jesus is the most amazing to you?
  • Who could use some of Jesus’s light from our family this week?
  • What gift do you think Jesus would want most from you?

Sources

Scripture quotations are from the King James Version, the Bible used by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

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