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| a bit overdone -- I'm still learning with my new shortbread pan |
In our family, the Christmas season goes until January 6, Epiphany (Three Kings' Day). We keep the tree and other Christmas decorations up until then. On or around the 6th (usually the Sunday following Jan. 6), we have a nice meal together.
In recent years, we've made this meal a winter tea. This Sunday my family will enjoy another winter tea in the afternoon. Here's my planned menu so far:
- homemade scones with an assortment of spreads
- cookies (perhaps finishing off the Christmas cookies or more of the above-pictured shortbread cookies)
- cranberry-chicken salad on beds of greens
- tea cups of cream of broccoli soup
- lots of tea, of course
- there will also be some hidden chocolate coins (for "gold") tucked into each folded napkin
The shortbread above was made with another gift to me, this shortbread pan. My family knows I like to bake. I overdid the first batch. I know now to move the oven rack up one slot and bake for a minute or two less. But I do think the cookies are pretty anyway.
Do you do anything for Epiphany or Three Kings' Day?
We don't celebrate Epiphany and I don't know a whole lot about it. Is the 12 Days of Christmas song somehow related to it?
ReplyDeleteYour shortbread looks beautiful!
Hi Kris,
DeleteEpiphany commemorates the visit of the Magi (kings) to baby Jesus, observed on January 6 for most Christian denominations. The twelve days of Christmas begin on Christmas Day. So January 6 (Epiphany) would be the 12th day of Christmas. Some cultures mark Epiphany with parades, feasts, gifts to children, and special foods, especially cake or sweetened bread desserts.
Thanks on the shortbread. I love how the mold makes them look so fancy.
I'm familiar with Epiphany from the church liturgical calendar, but it's never been something we celebrated at home, growing up, or now as adults. In fact, this Sunday, the 7th, is my son's 16th birthday so we'll be doing his requested birthday meal (Chicken Parmesan) for that. But my hat is off to you for planning so many special meals for your family. This is something you seem to put so much thought and care into, and I'm sure they find it special.
ReplyDeleteOn the matter or your shortbread, they look beautiful! And I personally feel shortbread have better flavor when browned a bit more, so I intentionally do so. I bet yours will be wonderful!
Cat
Hi Cat,
DeleteHappy birthday to your son! 16 is a big one. Chicken Parm sounds like a delicious birthday meal request. I hope you all enjoy this celebration.
Thanks or the input on shortbread. I hadn't thought about better flavor if browned more. I followed the recipe that came with the pan. This one called for powdered sugar. I think I'll try the pan with my mom's recipe, which uses granulated sugar, and see how we like that one. It may brown differently, too.
What a lovely tradition to celebrate Three Kings Day with a family tea. We don't celebrate Epiphany per say, but my husband likes to leave our decorations up until then. However, this year we took our outside lights down early because we have several days of bad weather predicted. And then when the house had boxes of lights and decorations scattered about, we decided to go ahead and take down inside ones, so we could start putting things away. Where we store Christmas things has to be packed a certain way.
ReplyDeleteHi Live and Learn,
DeleteThat makes sense. Sometimes you have to do things in specific order so it will all work out or will fit together in a certain way to be most useful for the next use.
With a storm in the forecast, it made sense to take your outdoor lights down sooner than usual. We've had years where the weather has been so nasty that our lights have been left up until about the 3rd week of January, just so we wouldn't chill ourselves to the bone taking them down earlier.
Now you can stay cozy indoors when the bad weather hits your area.
I never heard about this until last week when someone at work talked about it. No, we don't celebrate this either.
ReplyDeleteAlice
Hi Alice,
DeleteInteresting. For our family, Epiphany or Three Kings' Day marks the end of the Christmas season.
You may be in the majority. I went for a walk yesterday evening and almost all of the houses had taken their outdoor lights and other Christmas decor down. Only a handful still had them up.
We somewhat celebrate Epiphany. I like to leave the tree and decorations up until then, too. But we have other commitments for both days this weekend, so we began un-decorating today. :( However, we always leave our nativity set up. My Magi haven’t made it to the stable yet, though they’re almost there! I begin moving them towards the stable on Christmas Day, which is also when Baby Jesus appears in the manger, in our household, much to my husband’s chagrin! The kings will arrive on Epiphany.
ReplyDeleteWhen I taught first grade Sunday school, I would make a Three Kings’ cake as part of the celebration with the class.
Your molded shortbread looks so pretty and sounds perfect for tea. I like the idea of your tea as an Epiphany celebration. My parents gave me some beautiful cookies stamp-like molds a few years ago. They look similar to your finished products. The first time I tried using them, the details were lost on the cookies. This year, I chilled the dough for a bit and they molded great, and like yours, look so fancy!
Lynn
Hi Lynn,
DeleteI love how you do your nativity scene! It's like a mini play.
I've seen photos of Three Kings' cakes, and they look so festive. One year, I may try to make one.
Oh that's a great tip for your cookie dough and stamps. I love how impressive cookies can look with either stamps or molds. I bet yours look so nice.