When Holidays are Hectic: How the Church Can Support Parents During the Season of Joy

Here at The Church Cares, we aim to nurture the congregational care helpers. That’s why we’re proud to offer free high-quality support to those who want to pray, care, and engage more effectively with the hurting world around them.

By Natalie Renfrow, Doctoral Student in Clinical Psychology, Regent University

When I was a child, Christmas was pure wonder. But as I’ve grown older, I’ve come to see what I missed back then: the quiet strain behind the sparkle. While I was lost in festive movie nights and cranberry oatmeal cookies, my parents were juggling stretched budgets, disrupted routines, and a calendar crammed with parties and school programs. What felt like magic to me often meant exhaustion for them.

For many families, the holiday season brings laughter, lights, and the warmth of tradition. But for some parents in your congregation, December feels more like a pressure cooker than a celebration. As the Church, we have a sacred opportunity to show up for parents during this time, not with quick fixes or perfect programs, but with presence, compassion, and Christ-centered care.

The Hidden Weight Parents Carry

Some parents in your church are single and juggling all their responsibilities alone. Others are quietly grieving a child who’s estranged, a loved one who won’t be at the table, or the unmet expectations of what “family” was supposed to look like.

And for many, the holidays amplify mental and emotional strain that already exists. The combination of busyness, loneliness, and unrealistic expectations can push already-stressed parents past their limit.

This is where the local church can step in as a refuge.

Scripture reminds us, “Anxiety weighs down the heart, but a kind word cheers it up” (Proverbs 12:25). Sometimes that “kind word” comes from a fellow believer who sees and listens. When parents feel known, their burdens become lighter.

This is part of the Church’s calling: “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2). We do that not by solving every problem, but by showing up faithfully in love.

Care Begins With Presence

At The Church Cares, we believe care begins with presence, not perfection. The story of Christ’s birth reminds us that God’s answer to a hurting world was to come near. “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us” (John 1:14).

In the same way, our presence in the lives of struggling parents makes the gospel visible. We don’t need polished answers—just willing hearts.

Practical ways to embody that presence include:

• Listening before speaking. James 1:19 urges, “Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry.”

• Offering consistent touchpoints. A simple note, prayer, or meal communicates, “You’re not forgotten.”

• Creating safe spaces for connection. Hosting small, relaxed gatherings can remind parents that the family of God is real, present, and safe.

Presence says, “You matter.” It echoes Emmanuel, God with us.

Lightening the Load, Not Adding to It

Parents already feel pulled in every direction. So instead of more to-do lists, holiday ministry can offer relief:

• Provide rest. Offer a “Parents’ Night Off” with childcare. Even if you just do this on your own to a friend with kids without a whole-church programming.

• Meet practical needs. A “Hope Tree” with anonymous gift cards or grocery support allows the Body of Christ to share generosity quietly for those who are in need.

• Encourage real conversations. Create small gatherings where parents can share struggles and pray together. Instead of being another “to-do,” let it be a place for them to come as they are and experience freedom in fellowship.

Our goal is not to impress the world with programming, but to impress Christ’s compassion upon 

weary hearts.

You Don’t Have to Fix It to Be Faithful

One of the greatest fears of helpers is, “What if I say the wrong thing?” But Scripture reminds us that healing begins not in our words, but in God’s presence through us. “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit” (Psalm 34:18).

We don’t need a license to love people well. Faithful care doesn’t mean fixing—it means walking with. When parents confide their pain, you can respond with empathy, prayer, and gentle guidance toward community or professional help when needed.

As Paul wrote, “Encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone” (1 Thessalonians 5:14). That’s the ministry of care: simple, spiritual, sustainable.

Rediscovering the Heart of Christmas

The first Christmas was not a postcard moment. It was a young couple far from home, facing uncertainty, surrounded by noise and need. And into that chaos, Christ came—not to remove the hardship, but to redeem it.

Parents today need that reminder: Jesus entered the mess. He still does.

When we draw near to parents who are struggling, we echo that same incarnate love. We become living proof of Emmanuel.

So this holiday season, let’s be the kind of Church where parents can exhale. Let’s create space for quiet prayers, honest stories, and real hope. Let’s remember that “love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things” (1 Corinthians 13:7).

No parent should have to face the holidays alone—and because of Christ, they don’t have to.