The 12th Day of Christmas

To celebrate the Epiphany, I wanted to do something special for dinner.  I found the idea for a 12 days of Christmas dinner party on the Shower of Roses website (http://showerofroses.blogspot.com/2013/01/Twelve-Days-Christmas-Party.html) and decided to give it a try.  On the website, she not only came up with a menu item for each of the 12 days of Christmas symbols, but she explains the Catholic aspects of the faith that each symbol represents.

I took some food ideas from the website and altered a few based on what I could find at the grocery and what the girls would eat.  

Here is what I came up with...some are a stretch, I know.

A Partridge in a Pear Tree

Represents Jesus Christ on the cross

Since I already made a fruit salad for 9 ladies dancing which included pears, 

I just used that for the partridge in a pear tree.

Two Turtle Doves

Represents the 2 Testaments of the bible (the old and new)

Dove chocolates for the two turtle doves.

Three French Hens

Represents the 3 gifts of the Magi (or the 3 virtues: faith, hope, & love)

Cooked chicken for the three French hens.

Four Calling Birds

Represents the 4 Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, & John

I forgot to get food for this one, so I said that since we have four little girls, 

they could represent the 4 calling birds :)

Five Golden Rings

Represents the first 5 books of the bible: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy

Onion rings for the five golden rings.

Six Geese-a-laying

Represents the 6 days of creation

Deviled eggs and hard-boiled eggs for six geese a-laying.

Seven Swans-a-Swimming

Represents the 7 Gifts of the Holy Spirit

Seven layer salad for the seven swans a-swimming.

Eights Maid-a-Milking

Represents the 8 Beatitudes

Milk to drink for eight maids a-milking.

Nine Ladies Dancing

Represents 9 Fruits of the Holy Spirit

A nine fruits salad for nine ladies dancing.

Ten Lords-a-Leaping

Represents the 10 Commandments

Roman numerals written with icing on graham crackers to look like the ten commandments for ten lords a-leaping.

Eleven Pipers Piping

Represents the 11 faithful apostles

Pretzel rods for eleven pipers piping.

12 Drummers Drumming

Represents the 12 points of the Apostles Creed

Corn dogs (to look like drumsticks) for the twelve drummers drumming.

For dessert, we made a funfetti cake to look like a jeweled crown, just like my mom used to make when I was growing up.

The Kings Cake

After dinner, the girls put on their crowns and capes and carried the kings to the manger scene.

I would post the video of the procession with us singing, but I do not want to hurt your ears ;)

Our four little kings in their homemade crowns.

Epiphany Gifts

Prayer journals, pens, rosary bracelets, lip gloss, and candy (of course)

Our Christmas decorations are still up, not only because Paul is out of town for the week, but because I can't seem to part with the Christmas lights.  I wish I could keep them up for months.  The Christmas season always seems to go too quickly.