Celebrating with you as Immanuel the ultimate gift of God’s presence, the Christmas holiday season is a wonderful time to transform your personal space into a cozy home that nurtures your family’s faith. By weaving the timeless truths of the Bible into your daily life and holiday habits, you can create a faith-filled, welcoming home for the holidays. Here are seven ideas to help you do just that.
1. Make seasonal music the spiritual soundtrack of your home. Music is a powerful tool for worshiping God, and the more you fill your home with Christmas music, the more you can create a faith-filled atmosphere in it. Turn on Christmas music playing in the background at home every day. Listen to your favorite Christian radio stations, create playlists of Christmas carols, and live stream Christmas songs online. Instead of focusing on secular holiday songs about Santa and snowmen, focus on sacred Christmas carols about the first Christmas when Jesus was born. You’ll be reminded of the Bible’s Christmas story on a regular basis as sacred songs like “Silent Night,” “Joy to the World,” and “Hark Sing” are played as your family spends time at home during the holidays. The lyrics of many Christmas carols contain deep theological truths that you can ponder as you listen to them. You can create a cozy family ritual of talking about each other’s favorite Christmas songs and playing them to each other during family dinner. It might be fun to find out the stories behind each person’s favorite Christmas carol and discuss them together. You can also enjoy singing together with your family on special days such as Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Listen to Christmas music together at home and discuss what particularly inspires you. Colossians 3:16 urges us to “let the message of Christ dwell among you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom through psalms and hymns and songs from the Spirit, singing in your hearts to God with thanksgiving.” Fill your home with music that celebrates the message of Christmas, and you’ll enrich your home with its moving stories.
2. Create a sacred space in your home for prayer and meditation: Your home can be a multifunctional place where work, school, and leisure all overlap. By dedicating a specific cozy area as a “sacred space,” you can develop a prayer or meditation habit that you and your family can enjoy at home. Reserve this space for the whole family to use for spiritual disciplines such as prayer and meditation, as well as personal Bible reading, journaling, and other spiritual practices. Make sure the location is peaceful and accessible. It doesn’t have to be the entire room. It can be a comfortable chair placed near the window with a warm blanket, a tidy table with a Bible and simple candles, or even a family nativity scene or a Christmas tree. Let everyone know that they can use your home’s sacred space as a quiet retreat during the holiday season. Encourage everyone in your family to spend at least a few minutes of quiet time there each day, such as after waking up in the morning, right after lunch, and before bed. As you spend time in the sacred space of your home, consider how God’s Holy Spirit lives within your home and within your soul. The Bible points out in 1 Corinthians 6:19: “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you and whom you have received from God?” Make your sacred space a place where the whole family can look forward to communicating with God and experiencing His peace.
3. While baking or cooking, share Jesus as the Bread of Life. Food makes people feel safe and connected. Therefore, the kitchen becomes the heart of the holiday home. But you can transform baking from a chore to a way to express your faith. As you bake and cook in the kitchen, talk to your family about how Jesus is the Bread of Life. Jesus said in John 6:35, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst.” He said in John 6:51 The verse adds, “I am the living bread that came down from heaven, and whoever eats of this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, and I give it for the life of the world.” As we pray the prayer of grace before meals, we can be thankful for how Jesus is feeding each of you. You can also eat mindfully by paying close attention to your sensations while eating and reflecting on what happened before your food arrived. Let your gratitude for Jesus’ blessings motivate you to share food with those in need this holiday season. Consider inviting others to eat dinner with you and your family. Make a big batch of your favorite holiday foods, like casseroles, Christmas cookies, or fresh bread, and deliver them to your elderly neighbors or first responders. This is a great way to put Romans 12:13 into practice: “Share with the Lord’s people in need. Practice hospitality.” By being generous with your kitchen, you can show your family that true comfort can be found in giving to others, especially those who are often overlooked.
4. Let’s explore Bible stories together: There are many great Christmas books, but nothing beats the original Christmas story from the Bible. Relive the story at home. Take time each day to read part of the Bible’s Christmas story together. You can include Old Testament prophecies from before Jesus came, such as Isaiah 9:6-7. “For unto us a child will be born, and a son will be given, and governments will rest on his shoulders, and he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. There will be no end to the greatness of his government and peace. He will rule over the throne of David and the kingdom, establishing and maintaining it with righteousness.” And from that time forward, the zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this. ” (Micah 5:2: “But Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, from among you comes one who will rule over Israel, whose origin is old and of ancient times.”) The Gospels have many stories to explore about how the birth of Jesus unfolded, including everything that happened before and after Mary, Joseph, the angels, and many other characters. Make it a cozy experience! Cuddle together on the couch by candlelight over hot chocolate, read the story aloud, ask each other questions, and discuss what the passage means to you today. Hebrews 4:12 says: “For the word of God is living and active. It is sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the tearing of soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” As you focus on exploring Bible stories together, you will see the power of God at work in your hearts and minds this holiday season.
5. Declare your faith through decorating: Christmas decorations are a fun way to create a festive mood, but they’re also an important visual reminder of your faith. Place the manger scene in a prominent location, such as under the Christmas tree or on a large table in the living room. There, you can actually touch the pieces and tell the story of Jesus’ birth. You can also use ornaments with scriptures written on them or a tree with answered prayers from the past year. Every time the Christmas lights twinkle inside and outside your home, let it remind you that Jesus is the light of the world. Matthew 5:16 says: “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your heavenly Father.” When you decorate with purpose, your home becomes a beautiful expression of your faith for all who live in it and for those who visit.
6. Start a Giving Tradition: Gift-giving is a great tradition, but our culture’s consumerist approach to Christmas can easily make it all too materialistic. Try to decommercialize the process to stay focused on Jesus. Talk to them about the importance of contributing over consuming. Teach our families that we give because God first gave to us. You can choose a specific charity or missionary to support together as a gift to your family. Another idea is the “Three Gifts” tradition, based on the gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh from the wise men. Gold represents something of lasting value, frankincense represents something for worship, and myrrh represents something for the body and spirit. 2 Corinthians 9:7 says: “Each of you should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” Active giving keeps your focus where it belongs.
7. Establish New Year’s traditions at home that focus on hopes for the future: Celebrations don’t have to end on December 25th. Celebrate the 12 days of Christmas, including the New Year. We can look forward to Christmas with faith. Start a “blessing pot” tradition. Ask everyone to write down one blessing they are grateful for from the past year or a prayer for the coming year. Read these aloud and pray on New Year’s Eve. This is a great way to remember Jeremiah 29:11-13 and inspire you to seek God in the new year. Then you will call me to come and pray, and I will listen to you. If you seek me with all your heart, you will seek me and find me. ” If you start your year this way, you will be off to a good start with gratitude and trust in God’s good plan for you.
In conclusion, building a cozy, faith-filled home can be a fun way to bless yourself and your family during the holiday season. By creating a God-honoring atmosphere in your home, you create a spiritual sanctuary where everyone can focus together on what’s most important. So let’s leave the stress of the holidays behind and look forward to experiencing more peace and joy together at home this Christmas and New Year.
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Whitney Hopler helps people discover the wonders of God and experience awe. She is the author of several books, including the nonfiction books Wake Up to Wonder and Wonder Through the Year: A Daily Devotional for Every Year, and the young adult novel Dream Factory. Whitney has served as an editor at major media organizations including Crosswalk.com, the national publication of the Salvation Army USA, and Dotdash.com (producing the popular Angels and Miracles channel). She currently leads communications operations at George Mason University’s Center for Human Services Advancement. Connect with Whitney on her website www.whitneyhopler.com and on her Facebook author page.
