Advent Events

On the Feast of St. Andrew, November 30th, we set up our Nativity Village. I discovered this year that we have exactly 24 village people and shepherds so we would be able to add one each day of Advent, so our Village went up first. We set it up along the top of the piano to the top of the cabinet next to the piano.

Books

My favorite picture book this year is The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey. If you have the Christmas Mosaic available from Hillside Education, my grandma's Molasses Cookies are featured alongside this book study.

Pippin took quite a fancy to the book Father and Son. He sits for long periods of time (and Pippin doesn't sit!) just looking at the pictures.

With all the lovely feast days, it is sometimes hard to remember that Advent is indeed a Penitential Season of the Church.

St. Nicholas Day - December 6th

St. Nicholas, Bishop.
Instead of having Santa Claus on Christmas, we celebrate St. Nicholas Day, remembering his generosity in giving... saving Christmas for Baby Jesus. We set up our Stockings the night before. I see I forgot to take a picture of them. We set them up along the loft railings this year.

In the morning there were new scapulars, gold chocolate coins, toothbrushes (how else will I remember to replace them each year?), and other little gifties, mostly gotten from the St. Nicholas Center. They have some really beautiful items! This is where we bought the Bishop Cookie Cutters from. Here is Pippin holding one of his gold coins. They get the number of gold coins and chocolate malted milk balls according to their age. Pipping *loves* chocolate.

We made gingerbread Bishops. One trick to roll-out cookies... roll out on powdered sugar, it keeps the cookies from tasting flour-y and the powdered sugar dissolves so you don't see it after they are baked.

Decorating the Bishop cookies was fun... though again, I am no decorator so all my lines were shakey... the children take after me in this regard... I hope they improve and can take over decorating goodies in the future.

We rarely ever eat jello, but now and then we'll make some for funsies. We cut these jello cubes out with a bishop hat cookie cut out, then I reversed the cross. And you ask how did I get the 2 colors:
Stir together:
3 boxes jello
3 envelopes knox gelatin
Add and stir until jello is dissolved:
3 cups boiling water
Add and stir in:
1 cup heavy cream
Refrigerate.
(science class)
During the setting of the jello the cream will float to the top leaving clear jello on the bottom and creamy colored jello on top.
This recipe I got from a friend of mine when I was in 7th grade... a few years ago!
They are quite yummy! And makes your fat free jello 1/2 full of fat!

Now, are these not the prettiest napkins you've ever seen? I found these at the St. Nicholas Center as well.

Immaculate Conception - December 8th

Be sure to check out my friend Cecilia-in-Italy's blog with more pictures for this lovely Feast... The day began with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass followed by a day of rest and feasting.

Our Lady of Guadalupe - December 12th

This day we ate... Mexican Food... sorry no picture, beef and bean burritos really aren't all that picturesque! I wanted to attempt deep fried ice cream but decided against it, saving for another time! Instead we took oreos and crushed them up and put them in cupcake tins, topped with Schwan's Peppermint Stick Ice Cream (highly recommended) and topped again with more oreos. Yum.

St. Lucy Day - December 13th

Eowyn's 18" doll dressed up as St. Lucy. She wore a long white dress with red sash, wreath with candles and red/white striped socks. The tray holds pretend saffron buns, gifts, a candle and some little flowers. (outfit and tray found on ebay)

I pre-baked cinnamon buns the evening before (to be fully baked in the morning)... The traditional buns are made with saffron and in little "s" swirlies, we just did cinnamon.

Then we made St. Lucy candy.

These are those "o" pretzels with a hershey kiss or hug in the middle baked at 275 for a minute or two, until the chocolate is soft then pressed in with an M&M. I thought they looked a bit like eyes and since St. Lucy is often depicted with her eyes on a plate...this was coined St. Lucy candy! :D

Only 10 days until Christmas!