Seven Ways to Celebrate Shavuot

When the omer count finally makes it to fifty it's Shavuot! Then what? Here are a few ways you can celebrate this year.

-Watch the wheat harvest. Shavuot is about the wheat harvest and celebrating the bread of life. Get in touch with a local farm or farmer to see when they will be harvesting their wheat, and if you can visit. Seeing cows and beehives would also be fitting. If nothing else, go for a drive or bike ride to see if you can find a farmer gathering their wheat. Usually the timing is just about right here in the Midwest and farmers harvest the wheat around Shavuot. Or think about taking family pictures in front of a wheat field.

-Give the word to someone. On Shavuot we celebrate the giving of the Torah, why not keep that gift going? Purchase a Bible for someone who doesn't have one or would benefit from a different translation. Or gather Bibles to give to a nonprofit like a soup kitchen or homeless shelter so they can share them with their clients. Children (or adults) could memorize a verse to recite to grandparents or the congregation as a way to share the word with others.

-Have two loaves of bread. Leviticus 23:17 says to bring two loaves of bread as a wave offering to YHWH. Why not try your hand at baking bread or purchase a couple of delicious loafs from a bakery? Maybe a new recipe or trying an unusual kind would make it even more wonderful. Serve them with different spreads and toppings to make a bruschetta bar or do-it-yourself grilled cheese. Seeing not one, but two loafs of bread is a reminder that YHWH takes care of our needs. Thank him for the provision before digging in.

-Get immersed. In Acts 2 believers were baptized in the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Shavuot. Spend your Shavuot at the lake or on the beach and get immersed. This would be a great opportunity for meditation on that passage of Scripture or a group discussion about it.

-Throw a painting party! Get together a group of friends and render Bible verses to canvas. Paint or handwrite the words to a favorite verse or the fruit of the Spirit or the ten commandments. Even if it doesn't turn out a masterpiece it's still a fun way to focus on Scripture and spend time with others. Provide canvases, brushes, paint, and lots of newspaper to keep things clean. A painted or printed out Scripture would also make a great Shavuot gift for a friend. Another way to give the word.

-Study Scripture. Aren't we celebrating that we received YHWH's word? That could look like having friends over for a late night Bible study, having a picnic near a wheat field to read the book of Ruth, kids acting out a Bible story, or a dramatic reading. Delving into Scripture is a foundational part any feast and it should be a joy!

-Provide for the poor. At the end of the instructions for Shavuot in Leviticus 23:22, we are reminded to not use all of our resources on ourselves but leave some for those in need. Could you donate clothing to a women's shelter at this time of year or non perishables to a food pantry? How about volunteering as a family at a local nonprofit? Putting together action packs for Voice of the Martyrs was a memorable Shavuot activity for our congregation. Donate financially to a missions cause you believe in.

Have a very happy Shavuot!