Twelfth Night

We've generally done most of our celebrating of the three kings on Epiphany and not on twelfth night.  But this year, for a few reasons we moved a large part of our celebration to the fifth.  I enjoyed spending this last day of Christmas setting a festive table and thinking toward an evening celebration.  I found myself sewing a gold cloth for the table.  Then I was making stars on sticks to place in the wood pieces Jim cut and I drilled for the 'trees' for our advent garden; it was delightful to find another use for them. 

Friends came over after dinner and the fun began with kingly children following the star around the house  (Jim is always the star - he just carried the one from our tree this year.)  They marched while holding our magi and singing "We Three Kings."  The star stopped over our party table where baby Jesus awaited the magi.  Christmas Crackers, Kings Cake and Lamb's Wool were the simple elements of the celebration.

Rowan and Isaac helped to make this star garland.  We used wax paper and ironed crayon shavings between the layers.  I then cut stars and hot glued them to twine.

The Christmas crackers were a last minute addition and we so loved that we all ended up with crowns!  I'll be on the look out for more next year!

I made the King's cake from Let Us Keep The Feast: Living the Church Year at Home (Complete Collection)
this year.  It was different than one's I've made before and equally yummy.  I have no idea which we'll do next year.

The boys ended the evening by filling their shoes with grass for the camels.  They are so very eager to see what the wise men will leave! 

 On Epiphany itself we plan on getting take out (from the east) for dinner and chalking our door.  There is a service at church we are hoping to attend at seven, which is late for our boys, but I'm hopeful we can somehow make it work.