Christ is illumined! Let us shine forth with Him!

We are finishing the feasting portion of our Christmas celebration this week. With everyone's exhaustion and schedules, we are not making King's Cake for Epiphany this year. However, since Dominic and Shawn are visiting us, and they are Old Calendar, we will do a little more Christmas celebrating with them. Because of that, we will also be keeping a lighter fast for Wednesdays and Fridays while they are here.

We have the feast of the Theophany and Epiphany this week. So, we are still celebrating, even though we are getting back to our normal fasting schedule. The Christmas season doesn't end until the final feast of the Nativity, which is the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Presentation of the Infant Jesus in the Temple. We keep our tree and decorations up through that feast, and still eat festive foods, though we slow down and ease back into normal eating during this time, so Lent doesn't hit us like a freight train. One of our kids had the idea to make star shaped French fries for the feast, so we are doing that.

Shawn's family (most of them) will be coming up this weekend, also, and we are excited to celebrate with them. May your feasting be joyous, and your New Year be full of health and love!

• Sunday - 11th Day of Christmas
  Breakfast: Shakshouka, Bread, Mandarin Oranges, Mint and Rose Tea, Coffee
  Dinner: Red Beans and Rice, Parish Brings Sides/Salads/Fruit/Desserts
• Monday - Twelfth Night
  Breakfast: Hard Boiled Eggs, Toast, Fruit, Mint Tea with Honey
  Dinner: Bierocks (Deconstructed for Jerome), Mustard, Pickles, Leftover Desserts
• Tuesday - Feast of the Epiphany and Theophany of Our Lord Jesus Christ
  Breakfast: Cottage Cheese, Toast, Coffee, Tea and Milk
  Dinner: Cows in a Blanket, Star Shaped French Fries, Chocolates
• Wednesday
  Breakfast: Hard Boiled Eggs, Fried Potatoes, Coffee, Tea and Milk
  Dinner: Butter Tomato Sauce with Pasta (GF for Jerome), Fruit Plate
• Thursday
  Breakfast: Scrambled Eggs with Cheese, Toast, Fruit, Coffee, Tea and Milk
  Dinner: Broiled Skirt Steak, Salsa Rice, Ranchero Beans, Ice Cream
• Friday
  Breakfast: Yogurt and Blueberry Preserves, Toast, Coffee, Tea and Milk
  Dinner: Fish Burgers, Pickles, Fruit
• Saturday - Feast of Saint Gregory of Nyssa
  Breakfast: Ricotta Fritters with Maple Syrup (gluten-free for Jerome), Fried Ham, Sliced Apples, Applesauce for Jerome, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Garlic Rib Roast, Scalloped Potatoes, Steam Sautéed Carrots, Christmas Cherry Nut Cake and Brown Sugar Shortbread

Labels: Christmas, Church Year, Epiphany, Faith and Morality, Family, Homemaking, Keeping the Feast, Menu Plans, Nativity, Tales from the Kitchen, Theophany

// posted by Ranee @ Arabian Knits @ 2:11 PM