Here in America we get started with "Christmas" as soon as the turkey is cleared from the Thanksgiving table! Sometimes Advent can seem rushed with all the holiday bustle. Christmas comes and goes and by December 26th - most of the country goes back to its normal routine. Holiday music ceases, Valentine's Day decor takes over every store, lights come down, trees go to the curb... but WAIT! What about the 12 days of Christmas?!
Traditionally the 12 days of Christmas fall between December 26th and January 6th.
December 26th: The Feast of St. Stephen - the first Christian martyr
January 6th: Feast of the Epiphany - the day we remember the visit and worship of the WISE MEN
THIS IS A HIGH FEAST TIME!
The carolling, partying, feasting, etc. should continue!!! Our family has been living it up!
Yesterday was the 12th day of Christmas and here's how we celebrated...
CROWNS + KING'S CAKE + HOUSE BLESSING
We all made CROWNS to remember the 3 Kings that came to worship baby Jesus
- bearing gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
These were gifts for a KING and they make sense in light of the identity of the the CHILD.
Gold is a symbol of kingship on earth, frankincense (used for incense) is a symbol of deity, and myrrh (an embalming oil) is a symbol of death. Crazy prophetic huh?!
Traditional King's Cake is a little too much CRAZY for this family to handle... so I made these lovely, vanilla cupcakes with strawberry cream (melted Rice Dream with strawberries)! Wow. Completely plant-based too!
It was quite the party!
It is an old tradition to put the current year and initials of the Magi above the door of your home with blessed chalk - an outward symbol of faith to all those who come to visit! Here is the blessing we used.
"20 "being the millennium and century
"C" standing for the first Wise Man, Caspar
"M" standing for Melchior
"B" standing for Balthasar
"13" standing for the decade and year
It is popularly believed that the Kings' initials also stand for:
"Christus mansionem benedicat" ("Christ bless this house").
BEAUTIFUL. LOVE IT. HOPE YOU ALL HAD A GOOD 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS THIS YEAR. XO.
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