NOTE: Most of this article is also in the January/February   Issue 10 of Torah Sisters Magazine. Get it quick while it’s still available in print!

Ask the Torah Sisters – Tell us one thing you do on Prep Day to make Sabbath somehow better or more set apart, especially if it’s somewhat unusual.

I bought some cheap little white bowls on Amazon and we only use them on Shabbat. They have held matzo ball soup, salad, and ice cream (not at the same time) -but only on Shabbat! We also usually have “special cheese”. I shop the fancy cheese section and pick out two new-to-us kinds about twice a month. We’ve tried white cheese with cranberries, English cheddar with chives, several smoked goudas, and many more. But only on Shabbat! The rest of the week, it’s just basic Aldi cheese. -Sarah

Even though I am rushing around to the last minute and sometimes start on Thursday I make time to text or quickly call a brother or sister and touch base about Shabbat or just to say hello. -Marie

The kids have “Shabbat glasses”. We took them to a thrift store to pick out some fancy glasses and we use these to do the blessing and fill their cups with sparkling juice. -Kami

I like to save any magazines such as Torah Sisters that I receive during the week for my Shabbat reading and relaxation. It gives me something fun to look forward to on the weeks I have a magazine to peruse at leisure. Whenever possible I also love to sip my morning tea at the picnic table in our garden on Shabbat, it’s such a shalom-y way to start the day! -Julie

Aside from the usual deep clean and food prep, we have a special family game night together. No electronics, just good old board games, popcorn, and smoothies. -Catie

My husband adds oil and trims the wicks on our Menorah. I make Challah bread and pray over the dough. -Lora

Shabbat is the best meal of the week! Twinkly lights. Nicer dishes. Fancy drinks. Dessert. Floral arrangement. My husband never had that ever until we got married. I always had it. So I brought that into our marriage and he loves it. So our boys are raised with it. And one day they will take it into their homes. -Lisa

I made a Shabbat playlist I like to play Friday evening to sing and dance in the Shabbat. -Carrie

Make ahead meals are my secret. My favorite is the egg cups we enjoy every Sabbath and a quick pickup to make things nice. Nothing stressful! For my egg cups, put one egg per muffin cup in a pan, seasoned with everything bagel seasoning, and cook on 400 for 20 min. -Saretta

I’ve learned to do my prep cleanup on Thursday so that I could focus on cooking on Friday…not be in a chaotic rush to “do everything”. After beginning to do this, I found that I wasn’t feeling antsy, sitting in a messy house on Shabbat, and unable to focus on rest because I want to clean. I sometimes couldn’t resist, and would find myself cleaning on Shabbat, justifying it by thinking, “It’s good to do good on the Sabbath, God wouldn’t want my family in a pigsty on Sabbath”. But I felt convicted to find a better solution, and so Thursdays and Sundays are “clean the whole house” days, to allow for a true shalom on Shabbat. “Shalom” as in peace, and also its deeper meaning of destroying the authority of chaos. I can’t rest amidst the chaos, but rather than making excuses before Yah, I began taking responsibility to PREVENT those instances. -Arian

After years of stressing about having a spotless home & fancy meal, I’ve decided just to breathe! I have 5 children, aged 19 months to 10 years old. I have started to worry less about the state of my house and more about the state of my heart and mind. I want Shabbat to be special but I don’t want to begin with being stressed about cleaning & prepping, etc. We do what we can throughout the week and I remind myself it’s a season. So see what stage of life you’re in, do what’s manageable, and don’t start Shabbat stressed. Remember, it’ll all be there to deal with again in 24 hours. -Scrivy

We have pizza for dinner, which is everyone’s favorite, and homemade lemonade. Dessert varies. In winter, we like to play a board game by candlelight. -Natalie

We start Prep Day on Thursday because I’ve found that leaving everything for Friday made the day feel condensed and stressful. So, Thursdays are for heavy prep like laundry, dishes, and vacuuming. Fridays we prepare the food, do last-minute shopping and clean the kitchen. This has helped so much having a routine and being able to enjoy coming into His rest stress-free and in peace. -Rebecca

I play music anchored in truth while preparing for Sabbath. We have found this helped us do our prep faster, with everyone singing and praising while we prepared. It keeps us all in good spirits and moving. This has been so effective that it is now a daily after-dinner routine that helps us keep the housework caught up with less to do daily. One of my boys stated that he feels more relaxed in the morning waking up to a cleaner house. Not to mention chores don’t take as long to do daily. We also try to make a dinner Thursday so that the leftovers can be upcycled into Shabbat meals. We make quiche for Shabbat breakfast (on Friday) and cold sandwiches and salad for dinner. -Nicki

I find the more I take time to prepare my heart for Shabbat the more blessings follow. I love to have a clean home, but that on its own does not fill my heart!! -Keziah

My husband started the tradition of having a Sabbath treat for the children. Originally it was donuts for breakfast but we’ve since moved away from consuming so much sugar now it’s berries and whipped cream and a special treat of beef or turkey bacon during the feast days. Having a nice breakfast together really sets a nice tone for the day, so I usually cook all of that on Friday and the anticipation is palpable! -Shanna

My husband started the tradition of having a Sabbath treat for the children. Originally it was donuts for breakfast but we’ve since moved away from consuming so much sugar now it’s berries and whipped cream and a special treat of beef or turkey bacon during the feast days. Having a nice breakfast together really sets a nice tone for the day, so I usually cook all of that on Friday and the anticipation is palpable! -Shanna

My children help me make bread. My daughter, age 6, asked one day to brush my hair, and then she braided it. To my surprise, I asked her who taught her to braid. She said, “You did mommy when we make bread.” -Heidi

Wednesday, we do all laundry, Thursday, we do the house cleaning (teens do their chores too, I don’t do it all!), Friday morning, we make food, and then I go play the rest of the day until sundown so I’m not in a rushed grumpy mood. In winter it’s harder as the days are shorter but it is still possible! I just make whatever I’m capable of that week. Sometimes it’s fancy, and sometimes we order food for pickup before Shabbat! At the table most Fridays we put on music and we play board games with our teens at the dinner table. I almost always light candles but I don’t always make bread. The biggest tradition for us after 13 years is just being together and creating a different atmosphere. -Jennifer

Prepare dessert! Although we eat healthy during the rest of the week and limit sweets, for Shabbat we make an exception. A beautifully presented dessert adds to the anticipation and sweetness of rest. Trying out a variety of dessert recipes each week is really fun! -Audrey

Order groceries online and have them delivered on Friday! I grab Lunchables (turkey, nachos, or cheese pizza) for the kids so I don’t have to cook on the Sabbath. I try to use paper products on Sabbath day so I’m not tempted to wash a ton of dishes. -Harmony

I like to always make sure I put fresh sheets on the bed on Fridays. My Erev Shabbat and Shabbat are sweet dreams and peaceful rest all the way! -Renee