“Christmas is a time of reflection on what we can become because of God’s sacred gift,” said Elder Russell M. Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. “As we discover the gift, we learn of the immeasurable love of God and our absolute need for a Savior. As we embrace the gift, we strengthen our faith in Jesus Christ and our desire to become more like Him. As we share the gift, we follow in the Master’s footsteps, who invited all to hear His message.”
Daily social posting runs from November 28 to December 25. Those who share online content are encouraged to use the hashtag #ShareTheGift on their social media channels.
The Church launched a website, Christmas.mormon.org, that features a “He Is the Gift” video to remind viewers about the commercial and stressful nature of the Christmas season with a transition to what Christmas is truly about. Both the website and video are available in 20 languages.
The website also contains pages recounting the Christmas story, #ShareTheGift ideas and links to additional resources focused on Jesus Christ. In addition, there is a social media aggregator on the site to share member-generated content in several languages, including English, Spanish and Portuguese.
On December 7, the Church’s “He Is the Gift” initiative will be on the masthead of YouTube in seven countries with a potential audience of 207 million viewers. Those countries are the United States, Canada, Mexico, Argentina, Chile, Colombia and Brazil. The masthead will feature a shortened version of the video and an invitation to visit the website.
Missionaries have pass-along cards to promote the initiative during the month of December.
Fifteen Church visitor's centers in the United States and overseas, including Temple Square, are offering guests “He Is the Gift” displays to enjoy during the Christmas season. Other locations include Hill Cumorah; Hyde Park Chapel; Idaho Falls; Independence, Missouri; Laie, Hawaii; London England Temple; Los Angeles; Mesa, Arizona; Mexico City; New Zealand; Oakland, California; Park City, Utah; Portland, Oregon; and St. George, Utah.
The “He Is the Gift” initiative was organized by the Church’s Missionary Department headquartered on Temple Square in Salt Lake City. A week-long campaign titled “Because of Him” at Easter generated worldwide interest. That YouTube video received more than 5 million views in the first week or so after it was posted.