The Christian faith is a sign language, and the Christmas story and season are filled with opportunities to signal the sacred.
An influential pastoral role at Christmas is helping families pay attention to the sacred, spiritual dimension of the holidays. Leonard Sweet’s book, Dance the Soul Salsa, calls on people to mezuzah their lives, meaning to make mundane moments sacred.
The origins of our faith lie in Jewish discipleship, which is full of home rituals. On the right side of every Jewish door post is nailed a small piece of parchment rolled and inserted into a wood, metal, stone, or ceramic case called a mezuzah. The mezuzah was a ritual code that said to everyone entering and leaving that home, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
Families can mezuzah the Christmas season by creating personal and familial habits in serving the Lord.
Seven Habits of Highly Successful Families at Christmas
Plan to do something good for someone and do it secretly. See how much good you can get away with and not be found out. Secretly leave a box of chocolates or a dozen cookies for a neighbour at their front door. Mail a gift card with an unsigned note of appreciation to a colleague, friend, or neighbour. Shovel your walk and the neighbours’ walks on either side of your home.
Interpret the symbols of the season and how they point to Christ. Talk with your children about what the Star of Bethlehem means, what holly means, what a creche means, and what the advent candles represent.
In the month of December, keep a candle on your office desk. Light it every time someone sits down for a meeting with you. No explanation is necessary other than celebrating the season of light. (Blow the candle out when they leave.)
Reassert the spiritual and sacred dimensions of the season. Invite neighbours or co-workers to attend a Christmas Eve service at your church. The nine words that can change a life are, “Will you come to Christmas Eve service with me?”
Take five minutes to talk with your family about how God has blessed your family over the past year before the Christmas Eve service and/or before opening Christmas gifts.
Read the birth narratives from the Gospels leading up to and on Christmas Day. Pray a prayer of thanks for William Tyndale, who gave his life so you can read the Scriptures in your own language. Pray for your life as a “Third Testament” to be read as God sees fit.
Pray gratitude for Christ’s humanity, humility, death, and resurrection at your meals for several consecutive nights leading up to Christmas Day.
Bonus Habit
If you have children, help them write a special note to each of their grandparents thanking them for who they are and reminding them of one kind thing they did this past year. Mail the note or give the note to them during the Christmas season.
Print these ideas on a single sheet of Christmas-themed paper and hand them out on a Sunday in November. Start a new tradition and mezuzah with your family and the families in your congregation during the Christmas season this year.
Bob Jones is the founder of REVwords.com, an author, blogger, and coach with 39 years of pastoral experience. Bob is also an Advance Coach with the ABNWT Resource Centre. You can connect with Bob here.