NOTE: This article is also in the November/December 2022 Issue 9 of Torah Sisters Magazine. Get it quick while it’s still available in print!

Ask the Torah Sisters – Do you have any advice for new Torah Keepers for Quitting Doing Christmas with Extended Family?

The first year is the hardest. It can be scary and hard but trust there will be blessings and peace as you walk through it. Even if it doesn’t seem like it, peace will come. -Coley

They look at me like I’m crazy but I give them the seekingscripture.com. Link and tell them to read it for themselves. Don’t take my word for it. I completely agree with Christy that you have to get into the scripture yourself and see what he reveals to you. It is your walk. And her quote that your calling was not a conference call!! I love that! -Barbra

Remain strong and remember, that it is more important to please God than it is to please man. In all things, hold on to truth because that is the best testimony for your family. My mom has said my conviction and unwavering position has been convicting for her. -Jenn

Be proactive about finding other special times to connect with them instead – so you’re not just left with a giant void. That might look like inviting them to feasts if they’re willing to come see what they’re like, or just creating a random reason to be together and make memories. -Kayte

Be gentle, people don’t like to give up their holidays. Lead by example, let them ask questions, and then answer in a loving way. -Sam

Prayer for guidance and for the heart of loved ones to be touched with understanding and then having a quiet, brief, but intentional conversation. Politely sharing your beliefs is a great way to handle this issue. Also, being prepared for giving the Biblical/historical reasons for your conviction is a plus. Be prepared to stand your ground, firmly, in the midst of pushback from beloved relatives and friends. However, do so with love, even in your firmness. Remember, this is to honor your Creator. Prepare to do this ahead of the holidays if possible, to give loved ones time to deal with the shock/disappointment. This will show mercy and graciousness on your part. Be encouraged, as you are not alone. -Joyful

Christmas day is the slowest day on the ski slopes. -Amanda

I would say to definitely pray about how and when you have that conversation. I prayed for an open door and He gave it. I think prayer is key. Not everyone will do it the same way. Be led by the Holy Spirit. -Karen

My family just kinda laughed it off at first but asked more questions every year. It did not take long and my mom and sisters joined me. -Jarad

Pray, have patience, and be loving. Oftentimes our families grieve us changing just as much as we grieve them participating. They don’t understand, and only God Himself can open eyes and hearts. -Paige

It’s okay to mourn. But stay strong. There are blessings that abound from being set apart. -Carrie

Choose not to be worried about what other people think. Some people aren’t going to like it and that’s okay. Obeying the Father is more important than pleasing people. -Sarah

My husband gently reminded me when I was trying to find a way to join my mother for Xmas by saying, there are 364 other days of the year you can go and have supper with her. He wasn’t wrong. -Jennie

Be prepared for people to tell you that not keeping Easter and Christmas means they don’t believe in Christ’s redeeming love… so be prepared to share the goodness of first fruits and sukkot that point to the same things but are actually biblical. -Kara

Do it well before the holiday. Emotions run higher around that time. -Hester

We can do a big family cookout or get together later on and throughout the year we don’t have to wait until that day! Plus we can give gifts of love for each other throughout the year as we see something we know one of us would like or need it doesn’t have to be reserved for that day and time only. -Living Waters

As someone who tried it two ways with the family…… set hard boundaries early and explain what is going on with as much love as you can but hold strong it will save you heartache later. -Crystal

Be gentle, loving, and firm. It’s possible to honor everyone but maintain your convictions. “My convictions are not your condemnation. I’m walking out what the Father has convicted ME of, I need to stand strong in that.” -Kristin

Set your boundaries early on. It’s harder to phase out than to cut out cold turkey. -Briana

Avoid using the word “pagan.” We used it as trying to explain what we had come to understand in Scripture. In hindsight, we could’ve done better. We were so new to everything and we truly did not know that would be as offensive as it was. We had a whole new understanding of what “pagan” meant, but it did not translate well. -Anna

Replace the unholy with the holy! Don’t leave a void of sadness around Christmas time. Fill it with the good, pure and righteous! We do Hanukkah as our Messiah did and we go BIG! We love decorating, making Hanukkah cookies, lighting the candles, and making it a special feast for the whole family. And you can still celebrate the birth of Messiah! Do it during Sukkot! The feasts bring so much more joy, love, and peace because they are days the Father is pleased with and commands us to commemorate! Replace counterfeit joy with real joy! -Anna

Make it clear that you not participating is not you condemning them. One of the biggest obstacles I ran into was people feeling judged because my husband and I chose to do things differently. -Jennifer

We tried the “just join the dinner” thing. It produced no fruit at all. Father convicted us to stop compromising. This is when some fruit finally started to be produced. Just make the break. Family will be irritated, expect it. You can gather with them on other days of the year but if you don’t break the tradition of gathering on these pagan days it will not impact those you love. It produces nothing but confusion. -Renee

Invite the family to all the Feast celebrations. By the time Xmas rolls around, they will have seen enough of you. Be sure to make the Feast observances fun and very rich in meaning-something that Xmas often lacks with its over-the-top commercialism and unmet expectations. -Joanna

Best advice, make all the other holidays special. We decorate a lot for Thanksgiving and the feasts. Find activities for the children and family to do together. For birthdays, we do a birthday week. It gets easier, we’re 7 years in of not celebrating Christmas. We enjoy not being stressed or in debt. I also send meaningful/ homemade gifts throughout the year to family and friends. -Lisa

Family is important. Share from a humbled heart that you love them dearly. You would love to get together any other time of the year but when you discovered the roots of the pagan holidays, you couldn’t continue. Set up some non-holiday times to hang out and do something special together. Shine your light and stand firm in your foundation so they will prayerfully follow. -Natalie

#1 Celebrate God’s feasts. It helps to fill the void of giving up treasured traditions. I know they’re pagan traditions but the warm fuzzies don’t always go away with knowledge. Celebrating biblical feasts helps build new and better traditions and memories.
#2 Take a trip somewhere during Christmas or Easter (or whichever holiday held the most meaning for you). I knew it would be hard for me to be home when I knew my family was all together for Christmas. The first few years we took our youngest children on a little vacation and had a great time. After a while, we didn’t need this distraction.
#3 Be consistent. Your loved ones might never agree with your decisions but hopefully, they will respect your dedication to your new beliefs. -Lisa

Do the tabernacle festival in a more grandeur way than Christmas. -Vinaya