I rushed to get to church on time this past Sunday, thinking about pranks I might pull for April Fools Day. (Did I get you with the last blog post?) Only after the service started did I realize it was Palm Sunday. That means this coming Friday is both Passover and Good Friday, and this Sunday is Easter.
If the holidays snuck up on you, too, you might want to check out Speed Cleaning for Passover . I’ve got the speed cleaning thing down to a science. Don’t judge.
As a Christian who celebrates Bible holidays, I love it when Passover and Easter overlap. Our family has plans for a fun and integrated weekend celebration. But for interfaith families, spring holidays can cause tension at home, as the holidays magnify our core beliefs.
Tips for Jewish-Christian Interfaith Couples at Spring Holidays
It’s not just interfaith families that stress, though. We can hope for a meaningful time so much that we put pressure on ourselves and our families to make the “perfect” holiday: the perfectly clean house, the perfect clothes, the perfectly prepared foods and decorations. It’s downright brutal!
Both Passover and Easter represent freedom and restoration. Remember not to get so hung up on customs that you lose the point of the faith. In a week, the holidays pass, and we’re left with the memory of how we treated (or mistreated) one another and ourselves. As the saying goes, don’t throw the baby out with the bath water.
I’d love to hear how you celebrate spring holidays in your home–especially if you’ve figured out how to do it without conflict or stress. Passover? Easter? Secular Spring? A little of everything?
You might like some of the following holiday sites/articles.
FamilyFun.go.com One of my favorite sites for holiday craft ideas, recipes and printables
Alenkasprintables.com These free little printable butterfly baskets and candy wrappers would make cute gifts for a Sunday School class.
www.calvarywilliamsport.com/activity-pages.html Printable flashcards for teaching the triumphal entry, death and resurrection of Jesus
Why Is This Night Different? Free printable Messianic Passover unit study by Karen Caroe
PreciousHolidays.org My holiday website
10 Ways to Remember Passover if You Don’t Celebrate
Jesus, Sun of Righteousness (Yes, S-U-N)
