Wednesday, January 6, 2016
Happy New Year 2016! {Mary, Max, and Epiphany}
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Happy New Year! It's hard to believe Christmas 2015 is quickly coming to a close, but as I have mentioned before we are still celebrating the Christmas season.
When does Christmas really end? It seems this is up for discussion as each Christmas rolls around each year. If you want to find out more information about the real end of the Christmas season, Christmas to Candlemas: When is the Real End of the Christmas Season? by Jennifer Gregory Miller, is an informative and interesting post to read.
In the middle of the Christmas season is January 1st, the start of a new year and on January 1st, the Catholic Church celebrates the Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God.
After our family went to the vigil Mass on New Year's Eve for this feast day of Mary, we came home and had homemade cheeseburgers and drank sparkling cider from "fancy" (plastic champagne) glasses.
We watched the movie Max before we watched the ball drop in NY City. Our family really enjoyed this family movie!
Speaking of NYC and the ball dropping wouldn't it be amazing to see thousands ring in the Solemnity of Mary the Mother of God in Times Square? ;)
Then on Sunday, January 3rd, the Catholic Church celebrated Epiphany Sunday. (The traditional date of the Feast of the Epiphany is January 6, but in the United States Epiphany Sunday falls on the Sunday between January 2nd and January 8th.) Like last year, we will be celebrating somewhat of an Epiphany "season" in our house this week, meaning we are spreading out the celebration of the Epiphany all week with making and eating a King Cake, we chalked our door tonight, January 6th, and then we are hosting an Epiphany party with some families this weekend.
Epiphany teaches us quite a bit and there is alot to learn from this celebration so why not drag it out as long as possible? :)
Then on Sunday, January 3rd, the Catholic Church celebrated Epiphany Sunday. (The traditional date of the Feast of the Epiphany is January 6, but in the United States Epiphany Sunday falls on the Sunday between January 2nd and January 8th.) Like last year, we will be celebrating somewhat of an Epiphany "season" in our house this week, meaning we are spreading out the celebration of the Epiphany all week with making and eating a King Cake, we chalked our door tonight, January 6th, and then we are hosting an Epiphany party with some families this weekend.
Epiphany teaches us quite a bit and there is alot to learn from this celebration so why not drag it out as long as possible? :)
We enjoyed reading This is the Star, The Last Straw, and Small Camel Follows the Star which are great books and each have a different take on the Magi's journey to visit Baby Jesus.
Last year we made the 3 Kings Ornaments and laying on the table in plastic bags in the above photo collage is real frankincense and myrrh given to me by Anna-Marie. I love pulling out these each Epiphany to show my children what the Wise Men brought as gifts to the Christ Child.
It's a tradition to bake a small Baby Jesus in the King Cake to hide it to symbolize the Wise Men looking for Jesus. This year our 2 year old found the Baby Jesus, but she wasn't too sure about it all, especially when her 8 year old sister started licking the cake and icing off of it. :)
We usually write our 20+C+M+B+16 blessing on a black sheet of paper on the back of our door (because it's cold outside :) ) and leave it up all year round.
The new year is also a great time to pick a patron Saint with the Saint's Name Generator. You can pick one for yourself and each family member can get a patron Saint. I got St. Dominic Savio. Who'd you get?
Last year I compiled all my favorite posts for 2014 to mark the beginning of 2015, but I don't have a list of 2015 favorites ready, but check out my 2014 favorites if you're interested!
And I still plan on doing a post about a big new year's resolution goal I'm working on right now and will continue to be working on for a few months...stay tuned! :)
Have a blessed week!
The new year is also a great time to pick a patron Saint with the Saint's Name Generator. You can pick one for yourself and each family member can get a patron Saint. I got St. Dominic Savio. Who'd you get?
Last year I compiled all my favorite posts for 2014 to mark the beginning of 2015, but I don't have a list of 2015 favorites ready, but check out my 2014 favorites if you're interested!
And I still plan on doing a post about a big new year's
Have a blessed week!
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I'm Tracy. I love my faith, family and on most days, homeschooling my 5 blessings. When I'm not busy baking cakes for my family or making memories in real life or dreaming I had a housekeeper or professional chef, I enjoy documenting a slice of Smith life in blog land.
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4 comments:
We loved Max! We saw this summer at the drive in.
Wishing you a very blessed Christmas
What great traditions! Oh, how I love King Cake! :)
I got St. Peregrine, and within 2 days learned of several people who have been diagnosed.
Happy New Year!!!
You are an inspiration. : )
My kiddos have been asking for King Cake and packzi but no way was I ordering one (we've done that in the past, they tend to be too large for us!) and I'm not talented enough to make one so hopefully they show up in the grocery store as in years past in the next few weeks. I am hoping we can make it to the Shrove Tuesday pancake dinner! Blessings on your new year!