Crumb-y Hospitality

Allison Auth encourages you to practice hospitality this season, especially if it involves a lot of crumbs. 

Recently, we invited a family with four kids ages 6 and under to our home for dinner. My own five are 4-14, but some of them still can make a mess with their food. By the time we were done with dinner, the floor was covered with crumbs and baby-sized chunks of food! Toys were spread across the house, but I assured our friends it was no worry; we would sweep and clean after they left. 

We had such an enjoyable evening of conversation while the kids played that it was worth the mess. I want them to come back! And I want them to feel welcome, even though there will be crumbs. 

Many years ago when the kids were tiny, we had several experiences of going to a house for dinner where I felt on edge about my kids’ behavior and the crumbs, sensing they were frustrating our host. I felt expected to clean up all the toys — even though the kids were little and I didn’t know where they went — and spent the time worrying about how we came across. It felt like a crummy kind of hospitality to be so uncomfortable that you can’t relax and enjoy the visit. 
 
After that, I then made the decision that I would welcome the chaos that came with hospitality because I believe people are worth it, and we can clean when they leave. This is a different kind of crumb-y hospitality because I want you to come as you are, to create memories amidst the crumbs, and leave feeling seen and known — not as though you had to perform.  

Hospitality for the Holidays 

As we enter the holiday season, I encourage you to contemplate your vision of hospitality. For a God who was born in a stable, He certainly shows us what matters most. Jesus entered our world in a lowly place, communicating that presence matters more than performance, or more than the picturesque.  

And yet, somehow, God transformed a feeding-place-turned-cradle into a beautiful image that we put on Christmas cards every year. He can transform our messiness into a work of art, too, when we allow our crumb-y hospitality to be a moment of encounter. 

In the busyness of the holidays, don’t forget that presence is more important than presents. Many people are lonely or sad this time of year, and can we invite them into our home and help them feel loved? In the whirl of shopping and picture-perfect parties, we can make room for the imperfect.   

Incarnational Honor 

Jesus came and took on human flesh to save us, but also to remind us that we are each made in God’s image. Let the reality of the Incarnation reveal to us the dignity of those we encounter in this season. Who can we look around and see, and honor the Christ in them? 

Saint Paul tells us in his letter to the Romans,  

Love one another with mutual affection; anticipate one another in showing honor. ... Contribute to the needs of the holy ones, exercise hospitality. ... Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. (Romans 12:10, 12, 14, emphasis mine) 

We honor each other by inviting them into our messy homes and spending time together. Maybe you can open your home to a few people this Advent — families, elderly, or single — who need a few crumbs in their life to not feel crummy.  

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Copyright 2025 Allison Auth
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