As Colorado celebrates 150 years as the Centennial State, there is a movement for individuals and organizations to set 150 Tables Across Colorado. By encouraging people to come together to share a meal, seeds of connection and compassion are planted in the communities of Colorado. The table movement is coordinated by local nonprofit Longer Tables, which focuses on bringing together cities, neighborhoods, organizations, and individuals at longer tables. 

Fireplaces served as the primary way to warm homes during the winter before boilers, furnaces, and space heaters. For generations, there was a rhythm of preparation established by cutting wood for the winter. Wood cutting remains an embodied way to love our neighbors in our modern age. The labor of cutting, hauling, stacking, and storing firewood demands sacrifice. It is a physical and practical act of caring for our neighbors each winter.

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 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.

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.

On the anniversary of my grandfather’s death, I called my Mom to ask how she was. She said, “People don’t really mention my parents to me anymore. Maybe they are afraid it would make me sad, but I’m already thinking about them all the time.” I began to reflect on the loneliness of grief and how layered the pain can feel when we have no means of sharing it. Shortly after, I came across the ancient practice of observing All Saints Day—a day to honor all holy people who lived faithful lives in Christ. Not martyrs, but those saintly, hidden lives known only to God.

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.

The practice of planting a garden is an embodied way to engage both the people and place where you live. It is a practice of forgiveness and gratitude. It is an invitation to be present and patient. It is an opportunity to slowly walk and see what is growing.

Gratitude for delivery drivers cultivates hospitality for all those who serve us in unseen ways.

Chalk is ordinary material of the earth. This practice takes common elements and makes them holy. Chalk does not make a permanent mark. It fades with time, but each time we enter our home and see the inscription, we are reminded of our desire for our homes to be places of hospitality, welcome, and peace.

Christmas lights hung outside your home are a tangible way to brighten the season for your neighbors. It may be a single strand lining the roof or an elaborate visual display, hanging Christmas lights is a historic Denver tradition that brings joy and light to your neighborhood.

Street Dinners is an everyday practice. It has a low entry barrier to connect with your neighbors. We’re grateful to Jocelyn for sharing this practice with us. We want to learn from your practices too. Please share them with us! We look forward to sharing them with you.

Practice being in the front yard. Begin the weekend with a cup of coffee, or enjoy happy hour to celebrate the end of the workday, in the front yard. Place a picnic table, or an extra chair, in the front yard as an invitation for your neighbors to join.