5 Mistakes to Avoid When Scheduling Christmas Mass

Christmas is one of the most anticipated celebrations of the entire church year. But for parish staff and volunteer coordinators, it can quickly turn into a logistical headache.

Whether you're managing multiple services, a packed choir, extra greeters, or overflow seating, it pays to plan ahead. Here are five common mistakes churches make when scheduling Christmas services—and how you can avoid them.

1. Waiting until the last minute to build the schedule

One of the biggest mistakes is assuming you'll "get to the Christmas schedule once Advent begins." But by then, many volunteers have already committed to family events or other obligations. Holiday services come with many variables, and they require more lead time than a typical weekend.

Why it matters

• Volunteer availability tends to drop in December—families travel, college students return home with irregular schedules, and many volunteers take time off work.
• Christmas often includes additional Mass times: Family Mass, Vigil, Midnight, Dawn, and Day. Waiting too long to schedule volunteers increases the risk of scrambling for lectors, EMs, sacristans, servers, and ushers, and can lead to double-bookings.
• If the schedule isn't published early, parishioners can't plan ahead which Mass they'll attend, which affects attendance and crowd flow.

What to do instead

• Start early…don't plan on planning in December! Build your Christmas schedule early in Ministry Scheduler Pro before Advent begins.
  Pro tip: MSP recommends grouping November, December, and January together into a quarterly schedule so you're not scrambling between holidays.
• Set internal deadlines ahead of time—e.g., "volunteer availability due by Nov. 15," "schedule published Dec. 1".
• Communicate early and clearly with all ministry leads: altar servers, music, hospitality, tech, parking/greeters.

2. Overlooking how the calendar shifts when Christmas falls on different days

Christmas does not follow your "regular Sunday Mass schedule." Depending on where December 24-25 land in the week, you may need additional liturgies or modified times.

Why it matters
Christmas includes multiple distinct liturgies (Family Mass, Vigil, Midnight, Dawn, Day), each with different readings and often unique ministry roles.

• When Christmas Eve falls on a Sunday, parishes must balance the Sunday obligation with Christmas liturgies. Volunteers may mistakenly assume "it's the normal weekend schedule."
• Without clear communication, staff and volunteers may misunderstand which service they're scheduled for—especially when titles (Vigil vs. Night vs. Day) are unfamiliar.

What to do instead

• Build a full Christmas schedule—Christmas Eve and Christmas Day—before contacting volunteers.
• Add your Christmas services to MSP as yearly special services, so you never have to start from scratch.
• Clearly note any deviations from your usual Sunday rhythm and publish changes across all channels: bulletin, website, parish app, MSP announcements.

3. Under-planning volunteer backups and contingency roles

Even the most reliable volunteers face holiday travel delays, illness, or weather issues. Christmas draws large numbers of visitors, so when roles are unfilled, it has a visible impact.

Why it matters

• Large crowds mean hospitality, seating, and communion distribution need extra coverage.
• Guests often form their impression of the church community during Christmas. An understaffed service affects the welcome you intend to extend.

What to do instead

• Identify backup ministers for each role: lectors, EMs, altar servers, greeters, ushers, and sacristans.
  Pro-tip: Find workarounds. Ask one of the Eucharistic Ministers if they could double as the Reader in a pinch.
• Create a "reserve list" in MSP of volunteers willing to fill in last-minute. Encourage ministry leads to designate someone who can "float" as needed.
• Two weeks before Christmas, use MSP to send an Announcement reminding scheduled volunteers of their assignments and encouraging them to request a sub as soon as possible if needed.

4. Poor communication about Christmas expectations

Publishing a schedule is not the same as preparing volunteers. Christmas Masses often include special instructions: different arrival times, incense use, seating overflow, candle-lighting, music cues, or Communion routes.

Why it matters

• Volunteers may assume everything will run "as usual." Christmas nearly always requires more coordination.
• If communication is scattered across email, texts, bulletin boards, and hallway reminders, essential details slip through the cracks.
• Hospitality volunteers especially need clarity on overflow seating, Communion flow, accessibility accommodations, and special rituals.

What to do instead

• Communicate through one consistent channel — MSP's email and text Announcements help everything stay centralized.

• Send a "Christmas Volunteer Briefing" including:

  • volunteer arrival times
  • Check-in instructions
  • choir call times
  • dress expectations
  • Communion procedures
  • overflow seating/parking notes
  • any unique Christmas cues (incense, candle-lighting, children's procession, etc.)

• If needed, hold a short walkthrough or rehearsal for key ministries (servers, EMs, lectors, sacristans, choir, Nativity roles).

5. Forgetting to follow up and thank visitors and volunteers

Christmas brings many people who may not attend regularly — sometimes for the first time in years. At the same time, volunteers pour enormous energy into the liturgies. Neglecting follow-up is a missed pastoral moment.

Why it matters

• A warm, beautiful Christmas liturgy often prompts visitors to return — but only if you intentionally invite them into further connection.
• Volunteers carry a tremendous load during Christmas. Failing to thank them can lead to burnout.
• Expressing gratitude strengthens ministries and supports volunteer retention.

What to do instead

• Plan a volunteer thank-you the week after Christmas: a personal note, parish-wide announcement, or hospitality gathering.
• Create a hospitality ministry in MSP dedicated to welcoming newcomers, connecting with visitors, and collecting contact cards.
• Use MSP to track who volunteered on Christmas, then send a personalized "thank you for serving" message.

Final thought

Christmas gives churches a sacred opportunity: to welcome families home, accompany visitors, support grieving or lonely members, and celebrate the Incarnation with beauty and reverence. The more prepared your volunteers are, the more prayerful and peaceful the liturgy becomes for everyone.

By planning ahead — and by using MSP intentionally — your team can move from holiday stress to a holiday season marked by hospitality, peace, and joy.

If you need help organizing volunteers for Christmas, or any church service, start a free MSP trial today.

Already using MSP? Check out our Holiday Scheduling webinar recording.

More resources

• "The Christmas Season" Overview (USCCB)
• Episcopal Advent and Christmas Resources (The Episcopal Church)
• Best Practices for Effective Holiday Volunteer Scheduling
• Holiday Scheduling Best Practices from St. Joan of Arc Parish in San Ramon, California
• Your 2025 Holiday Volunteer Event Checklist