Epiphany stars

I don't know about you but I grew up in a home where Christmas was over pretty much on December 26.  It was a slow haul to New Years and then we launched into the drudge of winter.

But I am more religious than my parents were.  My kids are growing up in a more religious household.  

So last night (January 7) we had our own little Epiphany party. 

It was not a huge deal, but after taking down almost all of our Christmas decoration EXCEPT for the stars we made we had ourselves a special dessert, a game night, and an evening of sleeping in front of the fire.

Epiphany Prep

     The week pefore Epiphany we decorated stars, hung them on string, and put them all about the house.

      We talked about how the Magi are people who noticed God in the stars.

     We talked about how God sometimes uses nature to share Godself with us.

     We asked our kids where in nature they see God...they came up with answers like, "In dead animals and in dead deer" so I am not sure how this landed...but it was funny anyway.

Epiphany Vigil:
     The kiddos helped me make little pies.  Shapes like stars (we would have made cookies or some sort of star shape anything but we have little pie pans shaped like stars.
    They chose a couple of games they wanted to play.
   We tried to go to evening church but we messed up the schedule.

we got home from not going to church and

     Ate our desserts
     Folded laundry and cleaned up the living room because life is not all romantic and celebratory.
     Put the 2 year old to bed.
    Played 2 hours of games everyone choosing 1.
     Then we set up the girls beds in the living room and let them "sleep near the light".
   Our evening prayer, that we do every night, included a made up line about light.

It was a lovely Saturday, but it also felt beautifully religious and meaningful without being overly pious or dry.

Just right for us.