A Very Simple Tea for the Twelve Days of Christmas and Epiphany

As 2006 draws to a close and we make ready to celebrate the Epiphany next week, I hope some of you will enjoy this simple Tea suitable for any of the Twelve Days of Christmas. While I would prefer to create detailed menus emphasizing the infancy narratives found in St. Luke and St. Matthew, time is of the essence, and a simplified version will work well for this year.

In advance of the Tea, I would suggest that mothers set aside three things--a little bit of money for the poor box, a list of special prayers said thoughout the week (especially prayers for your children), and notes of sacrifices made or sufferings offered in love (parents experience this everyday). These will be important at the end of the Tea. If you are so inclined, ask your children to join you, setting aside a portion of their Christmas money, saying special prayers, and keeping track of little hurts and sufferings they remember to offer up.

Christmas and Epiphany Tea Menu

House of Bread
Tea from the Innkeeper
Sugar Cubes for Our Lady
Milk for St. Joseph
The Babe in the Manger
Shepherds' Staffs
A Host of Angels
Wise Men's Gifts

Recipes and Suggestions

Begin by reading from any good picture book on the Nativity, choosing your version based on your children's ages and the beauty of the illustrations. As you serve the tea, re-tell the story of the Nativity, explaining the significance of each menu item as you go along. (In the recipe section below, I will attempt to show in a small way how this might be done.)

1. "House of Bread" (Lk. 2: 1-4.)

Offer the children a basket of rolls with butter to represent Bethlehem, which means "House of Bread." As you read or tell the beginning of the Nativity story, explain the significance of this, reminding them of the Holy Eucharist. The gospel begins:

"In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that the whole world should be enrolled. This was the first enrollment, when Quirinius was governor of Syria. So all went to be enrolled, each to his own town. And Joseph too went up from Galilee from the town of Nazareth to Judea, to the city of David that is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child."

2. "Tea from the Innkeeper" (Lk. 2.)

Bethlehem was crowded, and there was no room for Joseph and Mary in the Inn. Taking pity on the young couple, the innkeeper allowed them to take shelter in a cave used by animals. Tea represents warmth, hospitality, and comfort, and so, as we pour our tea, we remember the innkeeper who offered a humble roof to the blessed couple on that holy night.

3. "Sugar Cubes for Our Lady"

We call Our Blessed Mother "our life, our sweetness, and our hope." As we sweeten our tea, we are reminded of Our Lady's sweetness, the spotless whiteness of the refined sugar symbolizing her purity and innocence. The cubes dissolve in the hot liquid, just as Our Lady conformed herself completely to the Divine Will. Stirring the cubes into our tea, we repeat Mary's Fiat as proclaimed in the Angelus saying, "Behold the handmaid of the Lord. Be it done unto me according to Thy Word."

4. "Milk for St. Joseph"

Often, when we drink tea, it is hot and can burn our lips. The milk cools the tea and protects us, just as St. Joseph protected the Holy Family. It's pure whiteness reminds us that St. Joseph was a pure and just man.

5. "The Babe in the Manger" (Lk. 2: 6-7)

"While they were there, the time came for her to have her child, and she gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn."

The manger was a place where animals ate, reminding us that our dear Lord provides food for our souls in the Holy Eucharist. The swaddling clothes prefigure the burial cloth that would be placed around Christ's body after the Crucifixion.

To assemble sweet mini-mangers, gather:

Waffle Bowls for ice cream (or individual graham cracker tart shells)
Ice cream or pudding
Toasted Coconut or shaved white chocolate (optional)
Pepperidge Farm "Gingerman" Cookies
Whipped Cream or Cool Whip
Necco Wafers (optional)
Decorator's gel icing (optional)

Put a scoop of ice cream or pudding into a waffle bowl, sprinkling toasted coconut or white chocolate shavings on top for hay. (In the photo, I used a mixture of white coconut and shaved milk chocolate, but white chocolate would be even better.) Nestle a Gingerman cookie in this "manger," tucking a yellow Necco wafer under its head for a halo. Dollop Cool Whip or Whipped Cream over the center of the body for "swaddling clothes," drawing a sweet little face and curl of hair with decorator's gel icing. As you will note from the photo, I used a graham cracker pie shell, but waffle bowls make even better mangers if you can find them at your local store.

6. "Shepherd's Staffs" (Lk. 2: 8.)

"Now there were shepherds in that region living in the fields and keeping the night watch over their flock."

Hand each of the children a candy cane to represent the staffs of the shepherds. (These may be taken home or saved for later.) Teach the children of the spiritual significance of the candy cane. Each one reminds us that Jesus is the Good Shepherd. The red and white represent the blood and water from His side and, when turned upside down, the candy cane forms the letter "J."

7. "A Host of Angels" (Lk. 2: 9-20)

Hold a simple white tissue paper angel up for view as you tell about the angel who first came to the shepherds. Then, just before you say, "[a]nd suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying: 'Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to those on whom His favor rests,'" ask the children to peek under their plates or placemats. There they will each find a simple tissue paper angel with the words "Glory to God in the Highest" emblazoned across the front. Have the children shout out the angels' message with joy while waving their special angels, "Glory to God in the Highest!" or "Glory to God in the Highest and on earth peace to those on whom His favor rests!"

8. "Wise Mens' Gifts"

Tell or read about the gifts of the Three Wise Men, allowing the children to take turns opening three beautifully wrapped gifts for the Baby Jesus they will find in the center of the table. In the first box, representing "Gold," put money gathered for the poor or for your parish. (This is especially effective if the children have shared some of their Christmas money in advance.) The next box, representing "Frankincense," will contain a spiritual bouquet of prayers said by Mom and Dad on behalf of and in thanksgiving for these precious children. Ask the children to continue to "fill" the box with prayers throughout the month. The last box, representing "Myrrh," will contain a list of sacrifices or sufferings offered up for the Christ Child. If these were completed by Mom and Dad, ask the children to continue to fill the box during the month of January.

At the end of the Tea, process to your familiy's Nativity scene, presenting these three boxes to the Christ Child and adding the figures of the Wise Men to the creche if you have not already done so. If you decide to make this Tea a tradition in your home, it might be worthwhile to consider filling the Three Wise Men's boxes as an activity throughout Advent or during the Twelve Days of Christmas.

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Christmas and Epiphany Tea Shopping List

Tea
Milk
Sugar cubes
Bread or rolls
Butter
Waffle bowls for ice cream (or individual graham cracker tart shells)
Ice cream or pudding
Toasted Coconut or shaved white chocolate (optional)
Pepperidge Farm "Gingerman" Cookies
Whipped Cream or Cool Whip
Necco Wafers (optional)
Decorator's gel icing (optional)
Candy canes

Other items you will need:

White tissue paper to create simple angels (The great thing about tissue paper is you can cut out several at once.)
Pen or marker for writing "Glory to God in the Highest"
Three wrapped boxes containing money for the poor, prayers, and sacrifices as described above

May God continue to bless you and your families during this holy season!

Comments

[Cheryl]

Alice,
You are incredible!!! I am going to do this...THIS year! On Thursday, I think. Thank you so much!

[Jennifer]

This is gorgeous. I am printing in out and we are doing it as well. The reading passages are wonderful. Thank you so much!

[Beck]

Oh Alice, this is so great! I was wanting something to do with the kids on the afternoon of Epiphany and this will be just perfect! Your ideas are so wonderful.

[Therese]

Alice,
You did it again!!
THANK-YOU!

[Jennifer in TX]

Alice,
Your generosity in sharing your wonderful ideas is beyond measure...I love this tea!!

[meranda in arkansas]

We are going to do this too!
Thank you.

[Jeannine]

Thanks, Alice! We will do this!

[Kristen Laurence]

Another wonderful tea! My favorite, though the most simple is "Sugar Cubes for Our Lady". Perfect, Alice!

[Meredith]

Love it Alice, what a dear you are to continually share your heart and soul with these beautiful Teas!! I can't wait to do this on True Epiphany Thursday, what a blessing it will be for us! Happy New Years again!

[Julie]

I don't suppose you are interested in moving to Wisconsin next door to me? This is beautiful! What a blessing you are to your children (and friends!)

[Margaret in Minnesota]

Have I told you today that I just love you? Thank you, in Jesus & Mary, for the many, many ways you bless our domestic church.

[Helen Griffin]

Our lives have been pulled in so many directions this year with the loss of Grandpa and the taking on of most of the farm work that planning anything has been difficult, time and energy just too short. Finding your beautiful ideas is like finding a treasure, one that was needed but not expected. I plan on using this with my Little Flowers group since we are meeting only two days after Epiphany this month. I even found a Wilton Gingerbread kit with 8 gingerbread men for 75% off! Thanks for your kind generosity, you have made my planning easier just when I needed it most!
Love in Jesus through Mary with Saint Joseph,
Helen