When did the First Presidency begin broadcasting annual Christmas devotionals and where can I find copies of past devotionals?
Answer
The First Presidency Christmas Devotional began as a yearly event to honor Church employees. The earliest record of it taking place is 1964; however, it was not broadcast until 1982. During the 1980s, the broadcast was televised in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. Due to increased popularity in the 1990s, the devotional began to be broadcast around the world. From 1984 to 2000, the devotional was held in the Salt Lake City Tabernacle at Temple Square. The devotional venue transitioned to the Conference Center in 2001.
From 1994 to 2013, all members of the First Presidency would usually speak at the devotional. From 2013 onward, however, only one member of the First Presidency was guaranteed to speak in order to allow other Church leaders the opportunity to share a Christmas message. For example, in 2015, members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Relief Society General Presidency, and the Presidency of the of Seventy joined the First Presidency as speakers.
The annual First Presidency Christmas Devotional is broadcast on the Church’s website, which also features an archive of past devotionals back to 2009. The Church History Library houses collection AV 977, which includes the audio and video of devotionals from 1964 up until two years ago.