Ways to Make Sundays Special For Your Family

The Bible designates Sunday as a day of rest. While many of us jump on board with the idea and use the opportunity not to work and to attend church, we often stop there. Yet what does honoring the Sabbath really mean? More importantly, how can we do it and make Sundays special for our families?

Rather than letting the day slip away with screens, sports or separate pursuits, we can focus on resting, worshiping, family time, deep connections and spiritual growth.

Honoring the Sabbath refers to taking time for rest, specifically to rest with our Lord. This combines the concepts of rest and worship.

Historically, most people focused on the resting aspect. Rather than viewing it as a source of freedom, they created laws and more bondage. Worshipful rest has more to do with honor.

Honoring someone or something is often associated with doing or giving something special to them. With that concept in mind, here are six ways to honor the Sabbath as a family.

Make Food a Family Affair

As a mom, I love the concept of resting from cooking. But everyone still needs to eat. To balance this out, we’ve created some fun food habits and traditions for Sundays.

There are endless possibilities for making food on Sunday. Choose something that everyone in the family looks forward to but that also simplifies your duties.

Most Sundays, we make a protein-rich smoothie that is only served on that day. The kids are always excited for this when they wake up. Adding toast with a few topping options adds to the meal to keep bellies filled through the service.

Serving “snack” meals for lunch or dinner is another fun and unique way to involve the whole family and keep cleanup to a minimum. Everyone can chip in to create something for the shared meal: sliced fruit, quesadillas, popcorn, nuts, and more.

Sundays can also be an excellent day for hosting friends or family. Keep it potluck-style to maintain a spirit of rest while also enjoying connection with others. Invite a new family each week or consider inviting Sunday school teachers from church.

A special Sunday dessert that the family chooses each week or even baking together can also be a sweet tradition. This reminds me of the church in Acts, “day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts” (Acts 2:42, ESV).

Music is a Form of Worship

Consider creating a Sunday playlist. Use hymns, fun worship music, or even instrumental praise music to move you throughout your day and create a background of calm.

Include favorite family songs. Sing along, dance, play them softly in the background or play them loud while you prepare for church. Make this playlist unique to your family.

This can also be a way to set your mind on things of the Lord or even to work on memorizing scripture if you use scripture set to music. In our home, my husband likes to turn on an upbeat Christian song about having a good day. It helps sleepy kiddos to wake up in a better mood and feel excited about the coming day of worship and is a way to practice Psalm 98:5 (ESV), “Sing praises to the LORD with the lyre, with the lyre and the sound of melody.”

Music in the car on the way to church can keep squabbling to a minimum. Singing aloud together can also enhance the community spirit and fun of the day.

Sunday Clothes

Starting Sunday, the evening before helps prepare everyone mentally for what is coming. In our home, clothes are selected and set out in the evening. In the morning, dressing is quick and simple, creating a restful rather than rushed time of preparation and allowing time for special hairstyles to be braided or brushed.

These habits help create a community feeling, as we all dress up together as we would for any special occasion.

Many of these clothes are set aside only for Sundays. At a certain age, the children participate in the selection of their clothes when purchasing. They enjoy the process of choosing a style and color they enjoy and then saving that item for their Sunday outfit.

Be Intentional in Choosing Activities

If Sunday is to be set apart and special, then activities should be intentionally chosen. Attending service together shows your family the most important aspect of the day. If you can, find a way to serve together on Sundays that can enhance the community spirit of the day.

After church, take time around the lunch table to have each person share what they learned. Ask questions, look up scriptures, and discuss the concepts from the sermon or Sunday school.

Plan special activities that will rejuvenate your family. Take a drive, stop by the beach, or go for a walk or hike. Try to choose activities that you can’t do on regular weekdays and activities that keep you talking and connected.

In the winter, I pull out puzzles, games, and even crafts. You might even consider making the day media-free to keep the conversation flowing.

One Sunday, after lunch, we all grabbed snacks and loaded in the car for a drive down the backroads near us. We passed valleys, creeks and even a small waterfall, and we made it up dirt mountaintops with views galore.

We felt far away from the world and laughed, talked, and listened to music along the way. We grabbed dinner to go and ate it alongside a river on the way home. That was definitely a day of rest and connection!

Slow Your Pace

One of our family’s Sunday habits is to stay socializing at church as long as possible. I will admit that I did not always love this during the years of nursing and naps. However, I have seen the fruit of lingering longer.

We talk to many people, both old friends and new arrivals. The kids visit the church library. Mama gets to talk with a wise older woman or a younger one needing guidance. Dad discovers someone with a need that he can help with.

These extra minutes allow for a deeper connection with our church family. Arriving early or leaving late can allow for new or deeper connections. Apply the concept of rest to your pace at church, and don’t be in a hurry to leave.

Make Sunday a Special Day

Don’t allow Sunday just to come and go. Plan intentionally for it. Also, remember that the concept of rest reminds us of Matthew 11:28-30 (ESV), “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Sundays may be made for liturgies, but they are not about additional laws. Do what works for your family to enhance your worship, connection and peace. Enjoy the day as God designed it to be enjoyed, with a focus on Him.