Celebrate Meaningfully
You've been there before. Warmth in your cheeks rises as a friend goes out of her way to notice something about you that she deems worthy of celebration. She makes intentional moves to make you feel loved and known at just the right time. Maybe she penned a card that you keep in a shoebox on the top shelf of your closet dedicated to only meaningful mementos. Maybe she created a thoughtful gift that was so specific only she could have thought of it. Maybe she threw you a glamorous party and invited friends of yours that she's not close with, but knew you'd want there. Maybe you didn't do anything, but she noticed how God has been moving in your life and celebrated it in a way that meant a lot to your calling and encouraged you to keep going in the things He's stirring in your spirit.
Celebration is so special. We know what it's like to be celebrated and I believe there are some intentional ways we can celebrate our people that will help them remember just how for them we really are! You don't have to wait for graduation, a wedding, a baby announcement, or making the Dean's list to have a reason to celebrate. I challenge you to flip the script on celebrating only for occasions. Let's write a narrative that helps us celebrate for a plethora of other reasons.
Here's how :)
If you get anything from this blog, this is the best of what I've got right here-
Celebrate how they do it, not necessarily what they do
For example, if you are going to see a friend's school musical performance, there is a difference between celebrating being in a play (the what) vs. How they performed. "You looked like you were having so much fun on stage, you acted with grace and spunk! I love that your energy was tangible to the audience and helped the cast be able to have natural reactions, not forced ones."
Another example- birthdays. The "what" is turning another year older, the "how" is how they spent the last year of their life. "I've noticed the way you have really grown in empathy this year. There have been so many experiences that you walked with your friends through that really mattered. I am excited about how this will impact the year to come. I have been touched by how you really care for others. (Insert all the happy birthday pleasantries here)."
How is more meaningful. People want to be seen. Take a little extra time to call out the deeper parts in celebration!
The next tip is to show up in your celebration style authentically. Don't try to celebrate the way you think someone else might. You have a unique way of celebrating and you're allowed to use it! For example one of my best friends is INCREDIBLE at spontaneous gift-giving. One gal in our squad will say something about wanting to try silk pillowcases or a new boutique that has beaded earrings with vibrant colors, and the next week they will be in a package on her doorstep. This friend is an expert at noticing and remembering!
(ps; I'm the friend who wanted to try silk pillowcases 🙊)
Another friend of mine is really good at themed gifts. One year for my birthday she bought me three things that all tied together under the theme of dreaming. She put together a notebook for dreams, a sticker of a city I was dreaming about moving to, and an art print to remind me of what I was working toward in that season. SO thoughtful!
I am the kind of celebrator that shows up with words. Gifts kind of stress me out tbh. I feel like I still haven't found the middle ground of what is not too generic, and also not way over the top. But I show up with words big time. Let me send a group text to plan the party. Let me know your word of the year and it's going on a keychain, bracelet or wall hanging. Let me share that new blog post my new writer friend just published into the world. Let me go to every high school basketball game and cheer just a tad too loud when a student in our youth ministry makes the free throw in the last 3 seconds of the game. I'm definitely that girl.
What kind of celebrator are you? I bet you already know!
It would be super easy for me to give you a list like this
show up with a meal
go to their band concert
bring a snack on the walk
write a card
buy gas station flowers
remember dates
These are all good things. All good places to start. I just think you're a deeper well than that. Celebrate with a heart posture that is ready to make it all about them.
My boyfriend knew that I was in a particularly challenging week a few weeks back. The Lord was asking me to step into some things I was scared out of my mind to do. I was trying not to get knocked out by life while staying obedient. I was the kind of tired that if someone looked at me the wrong way in Kroger I might just fall apart. My feet hurt. I wasn't getting home from working two jobs until around 9 pm. I had zero energy to make dinner. I had very little margin left to think creatively. I needed some help and he knew it. He called me and told me to detour to his place after work one night and when I got there dinner was made, candles lit, worship music was playing, and my favorite wine was already poured. I felt so seen and served. He celebrated by serving and preparing for my heart to settle in. He celebrated by calling me higher in the midst of exhaustion. He celebrated by thinking through what would serve me best at that moment.
I believe this community is one of celebration. I believe that the women reading this are women who love their people really well. Be encouraged to get specific with your noticing and your words. Be encouraged to celebrate in ways that are true to you. Celebrate by making it all about them. Your community will be richer for it!
