Practices that encourage knowing and loving your neighbors and neighborhood.
Build vs Buy
With the holidays upon us, the practice of building vs. buying offers a gentle invitation to move more slowly and intentionally, affording us the ability to give thoughtfully and generously to our neighbors and friends.
In the early years of our marriage, my husband and I set out to build or make many of the gifts we gave, mostly due to budgetary restrictions. However, in the process, we discovered we deeply appreciated the way this practice shaped our season as a whole. We realized we loved giving gifts that felt more meaningful because of the time and intention we poured into them. We found this to be a creative outlet for hospitality—freely offering what we have to make others feel valued and cared for.
Puzzle
Puzzles are a creative way of slowing us down. They invite us to look closely, be patient, and appreciate the process. In the season of Advent—a season marked by anticipation and the spiritual work of waiting—a puzzle can ground us in an embodied practice. A puzzle is a practice that reminds us that the process is as essential as the completed product.
Friendsgiving
Friendsgiving is an invitation to a shared meal and a shared sense of belonging. It is a way to enter the holidays with a sense of presence in the present, and a gracious opportunity to set down any heavy expectations of family past or ideal futures. For Alyssa and Andraé Alexander, it has become as much an expression of Thanksgiving as the day itself. Friendsgiving is a generous and gracious invitation to hospitality, food, and friendship.
Christmas Cards
For much of the year, our mailboxes receive little beyond bulk mail circulations and unwanted financial applications. But each December, there is the possibility of the arrival of a Christmas card, a small artifact of attention to relational connection. In an increasingly digital reality, sending Christmas cards to friends, family, and neighbors is a countercultural practice of paper and pace.
Gift Giving
Giving gifts is a practice rooted in the Christian Scriptures and spans cultural traditions. Gift giving was a practice in ancient Rome around the winter solstice. The celebration of the incarnation was established on December 25 in 336, connecting the Biblical story of the gifts of the magi with an ancient tradition of giving.
Local Holiday Traditions
Local holiday traditions create memorable connections with our neighbors and neighborhoods. For citizens in the city of Littleton, the Candlelight Walk and Tree Lighting is a beloved holiday tradition that marks the beginning of the holiday season. For more than 40 years
Holiday Brunch
It was a bright and chilly Sunday morning in December when my daughter and I waited silently with coffee and mimosas ready on the kitchen counter. We were uncertain if anyone would walk through our door for the first Holly Street Holiday Brunch.
