Christmas Day in Los Angeles and Orange counties Thursday will include the customary Masses and church services celebrating the birth of Jesus along with annual events providing meals to the homeless and poor.
An English-language Christmas Day Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels while Archbishop José Gomez will celebrate the 12:30 p.m. Mass in Spanish.
The 10 a.m. Mass will be streamed on the cathedral’s YouTube page, youtube.com/olacathedral, and the Archdiocese of Los Angeles’ Facebook page, facebook.com/lacatholics and broadcast on digital Channel 7.2 and SiriusXM satellite radio.
English-language Christmas Masses will be celebrated at 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. at Christ Cathedral in Garden Grove, a Chinese-language Mass at 10:30 a.m., a Spanish-language Mass at noon and Vietnamese-language Masses at 2:15 p.m. and 4 p.m.
The Masses at 10 a.m., noon and 2:15 p.m. will be streamed on The Diocese of Orange’s YouTube channel, youtube.com/@DioceseOrange, and the cathedral’s Facebook page, facebook.com/ChristCathedralCA.
“This Christmas let us once again open our hearts to remember that we are wonderfully created and still more wonderfully restored,” Gomez said in a statement.
“We have a great worth and dignity in God’s eyes. Each one of us. Let us allow Christmas to give our lives a new sense of our purpose. Everything we do now, let us do for love, and out of thanksgiving for this beautiful gift of his love.”
The Laugh Factory is planning to serve more than 2,000 free dinners to those in need at its 45th annual free Christmas dinner and show. Seatings will be at 1 p.m., 3 p.m. 5 p.m. and 7 p.m.
Tim Allen, Tiffany Haddish, Craig Robinson, Paul Rodriguez and Dane Cook will be among the comedians serving food and performing.
Every child in attendance will receive a free toy.
Laugh Factory President David Fuhrer encouraged the public to spread the word about the event.
“We can all show our holiday spirit by doing something to help people in need,” Fuhrer said in a statement. “Please tell anyone who is alone this holiday season about this event, or even give them a ride to the Laugh Factory.
“If there’s someone in need in your neighborhood who needs a Christmas meal, please stop by, pick up some food and give it to them.”
For the 39th year, a free Christmas Day dinner will be served at Hollywood United Methodist Church from noon-3 p.m.
All in attendance will receive personal care items, while children will receive toys.
The dinner is co-hosted by Temple Israel of Hollywood.
The Midnight Mission will host a traditional holiday meal and hygiene kit and winter essentials giveaway from 12:30 p.m. to 1:45 p.m. for individuals and families in need.
In his Christmas message, President Donald Trump said, “The first lady and I send our warmest wishes to all Americans as we share in the joy of Christmas Day and celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
” … This Christmas, we also give thanks for the many blessings that God has bestowed upon our great nation. For nearly 250 years, the principles of faith, family, and freedom have remained at the center of our way of life,” Trump added.