Merry Christmas all, I can't believe I am posting on Christmas, but here I am sharing our Christmas Eve.
Here is our table set with wood plates and goblets, as well as a couple of pottery pitchers.
We have been having a Bethlehem dinner on Christmas Eve for more than 30 years ... Its hard to believe I know. We 'pretend' that we are having dinner at the Inn, dressed as characters of the nativity story. We eat foods we read about in the Bible; olives, grapes, nuts, cheese, crusty bread, fatted calf and grape juice (which we refer to has 'new' wine.) We tear our bread and dip it in olive oil, we eat our meat and cheese with our fingers. We eat by candle light.
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I once told my kids that since they were all grown up, we were going to quit having Bethlehem dinner. They disagreed, and here we are still doing it, even though my baby is now 22.
Meet the three wise people from the east.
Above is Joseph and the baby Jesus.
To the left is a lone shepard boy.
Here is a lovely shepherdess talking to Joseph. We always conclude the evening by reading the story of the nativity as found in Luke.
I hope you all had a lovely Christmas Eve, and that you are now having a wonderful Christmas Day.
I have NEVER heard of this lovely tradition. I'm thrilled your chil'ens didn't want to discontinue the memories. An annual, honorable no-brainer. You know exactly what you'll serve for every Christmas Eve dinner. This is spectacular for many sweet reasons.
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas!
Kelley ~
Thanks Kelley, that is kind of how I have come to see it. -Paula
DeleteI love it! We do a Shepherd's Supper for our Christmas Eve dinner. A friend told me about hers a few years ago and we adopted the tradition and love it! We eat on the living room floor on a blanket my DH brought back from Saudi Arabia and we have lamb, pitas, hummus, grapes, pomegranates, grape juice and goat cheese. We eat by candlelight with the angels singing in the background (MoTab :) and the we read Luke 2.
ReplyDeleteI've been trying to think of other foods we could include to round out the menu a bit, but I have little kids who are picky. :) I've thought about figs, dates, olives, pistachios, and dried apricots. Nobody will eat dates or figs so those are out, but I might try the others next year. I need to look for some neat wooden bowls or plates like you have! Best I could do this year was my wooden cutting board. :D
Merry Christmas!
We haved tried lots of different menus, even lamb one year which was NOT a hit with little kids. We have had pomegranates before, and dates and figs, same issues you have had. We did pitas for several years but found the kids prefered the fresh loaves of bread torn and dipped in olive oil. Its definitely a process.
DeleteAs for the wood plates, it has taken years to accumulate them. We started with wooden bowls with are much easier to find. The Shepherd's Supper sounds really fun too.
What a wonderful tradition! Looks like everyone had a great time. Hope you had a Merry Christmas. Mimi
ReplyDeleteThanks, its kind of different though, and I always wondered what my kids friends, and later spouses thought about it.
DeleteWhat a lovely and memorable tradition. This is the real meaning 'keep Christ in Christmas' Blessings Paula Lusk
ReplyDeleteThat has been our intent. Its makes you wonder what it was really like then and there.
DeleteI am new to your blog and am completely obsessed with all you do/done/plan...etc... :)
ReplyDeleteI had never heard of that type of dinner, growing up with a very large extended Mexican family, we as cousins, aunt, uncles and my nana (God rest her beautiful soul), and nina's planned and prepped for all of us to make homemade tamales. The tradition fizzled out when my nana passed. I have tried to get cousins and such together but too many schedules these days...so we do it at home now and I swear she makes them thru my hands! I love that your kids want to continue. My kids love our quirky traditions and stories of the past. Cheers <3
How do you prepare your 'fattened calf'? Do you have a tried and true recipe you follow?
ReplyDelete