Three Kings Day and Martin Luther King Day

THREE KINGS DAY

Last but not least, 

I'll tell you about two other January traditions that my family does.  The first is to celebrate Three Kings Day on January 6th. 

This holiday is actually celebrated by many cultures around the world, but we developed our love for it while living in Mexico, where it is known as Dia de los Reyes. It is the day that Christianity traditionally regards as the day when the three Magi or wisemen finally found the Christ child and visited him.  

Three Kings Day originated in Eastern Christian Churches as early as 300 BC. Today countries like England, Russia, Brazil, Germany, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, and Bulgaria all celebrate it.    Each country has its own celebrations and traditions, but a popular part of many of their celebrations centers around fruit cake with a hidden object inside.  For example, in England a baked bean is hidden in traditional  fruit cake for children to find.  In Mexico, it is a tiny plastic baby that is hidden in a sweet bread with glaceed fruit. 

What all of the Three Kings Day celebrations have in common though, is the belief that January 6th marks the official end of Christmas. You've all heard of the Twelve Days of Christmas, right? Well, many people believe that these refer to the 12 days leading up to Christmas Day, as is practiced by many in the United States when they give presents on those twelve days prior to December 25th.  But in reality, the Twelve Days of Christmas refers to the 12 days of Christmas, or in other words, the 12 days following Christmas from the 25th of December to the 6th of January.   Christianity originally held that these twelve days constitute the true Christmas holiday. Additionally, the night before January 6th is known as the Twelfth Night- referred to by Shakespeare in his play The Twelfth Night. 

In Mexico, the three wisemen Melchior, Gaspar, and Balthasar are believed to pass through during the night on their way to Bethlehem, leaving little tokens and gifts in the shoes left by children at the doors or windows of their home. Some children leave grass in their shoes for the wise mens' camels to eat. 

For our Three Kings Day celebration, we like to gather as a family for dinner and festivities. We usually serve up something Mexican and sing some customary songs for this holiday: 

We Three Kings of Orient Are

and

Los Reyes Magos

(The traditional song sung in Latin America. You can find it on itunes if you're interested.)

I served enchiladas this year! I got the recipe from Pinterest and they are delicious! 

2-3 chicken breasts, shredded 

1 {8 oz.} pkg. cream cheese

1 28 oz. can green enchilada sauce {I used Macayos brand]

1 can black beans, drained & rinsed

2 cups cooked rice 

Tortillas {I like to use the ones you get at Cosco that come uncooked- just be sure you do cook them before making the enchiladas]

1-2 cups shredded monterrey & colby cheese

Cook chicken and shred; boil rice.  Mix the shredded chicken, cream cheese, and 2 cups of the enchilada sauce together. Mix in rice and beans to your taste- I use about 1/2 c of each.

Pour half a cup of the enchilada sauce into the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish. 

Place chicken mixture in each tortilla.

Roll up each of the tortillas and place them in the baking dish seam side down. 

Top with the rest of the enchilada sauce…  

and 1-2 cups of shredded cheese.  The more, the merrier so we piled on the full two cups :)

Cover the baking dish with foil and bake at 375 for about 25 minutes.

Uncover the enchiladas, turn on the broiler, and broil for about 3-5 minutes uncovered...just long enough to brown the cheese.  Swoon.

Then, I like to bring out the gold, frankincense and myrrh that I bought while living in Jerusalem. I think it is really fascinating for people, children especially, to see what these gifts of the wisemen really are.

FRANKINCENSE

It has a strong fragrance often used as incense and leaves a chalk-like residue.  It is actually hardened resin that has been extracted from the trunk of Boswellia trees and has been used in Egypt and the Near East for over 5,000 years. It is often distilled into an essential oil and traditionally was used to anoint newly born infants. 

MYRRH

Although it looks like a hard stone, like frankincense, myrrh is also a hardened resin that has been extracted from a tree.  Prized for its medicinal properties, it would have been considered a practical gift with many uses. 

"GOLD"

No, I didn't buy any gold bars while I was in Jerusalem, but I did hold onto a stash of sheqels (Israeli currency) that I use to represent gold. 

The ROSCA de REYES

Everyone's favorite part of our evening is when we cut the Rosca de Reyes (Ring of Kings). Representing the crown that the three Wise Men or Kings would have worn, this sweet bread ring hides a tiny baby that is found only by cutting into the cake. 

Mexican tradition holds that the baby represents the Christ child hiding from King Herod when he ordered his soldiers to kill all the infant boys under the age of two. As you might remember from the Biblical account, Mary and Joseph fled to Egypt in order to keep Christ safe. The knife that cuts the cake represents the swords that slew the innocent children. 

Whoever finds the baby in their slice of cake is responsible for hosting a party on February 2, Candlemas, which according to Christian tradition is the day the Christ child was presented at the Temple. 

[I apologize my pictures of the cake aren't great, I took them with my phone :) ]

The baby peeking through the cake! We found it!

You can find a Rosca de Reyes at any Mexican bakery during the first week of January.  I'd recommend picking one up next year and introducing this fun tradition to your kids. Watch them squeal with delight as the bread is cut and they look to see if their piece is hiding the baby.  

MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY

Finally, I will quickly tell you about our traditions for Martin Luther King Day. 

First, our mom always talked to us about what this day means and told us about Martin Luther King Jr. She usually read to us all or part of his famous "I have a dream" speech and explained his important role in helping to bring about greater equality. 

"I have a dream that one day... little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers."

Martin Luther King Jr. 

And then to represent, or in a way, honor this vision of Dr. King Jr., we would make chocolate chip cookies.  My mom explained to us, as we made them, that just like you need all the ingredients to make perfect chocolate chip cookies, you need all people to make a perfect world.  You can't leave anybody out. Each person, each culture, each race has its own unique contributions. And we should not be afraid to join together, mingle together and be one in our purpose, in our vision, and in our . . . ooey-gooey tastiness - oh wait,  that's the cookies talking. 

This year I made Martha Stewart's Chocolate Chip Cookie bars. They were oh so delicious!

Humanity 

by Elma Stuckey

If I am blind and need someone 

to keep me safe from harm, 

it matters not the race to me 

of the one who takes my arm. 

If I am saved from drowning 

As I grasp and grope, 

I will not stop to see the face

Of the one who throws the rope. 

Or if out on some battlefield

I'm falling faint and weak,

The one who gently lifts me up

may any language speak. 

We sip the water clear and cool

no matter the hand that gives it

A life that's lived worthwile and fine

what matters the one who lives it?

Then, we would also talk about other important people that played significant roles in promoting civil rights. We talked about Harriet Tubman, a woman who helped to guide hundreds of slaves to safety and freedom on the underground railroad, and read Eloise Greenfield's poem Harriet Tubman.

". . . Nineteen times she went back South 

To get three hundred others

She ran for her freedom nineteen times 

To save black sisters and brothers. 

Harriet Tubman didn't take no stuff

Wasn't scared of nothing neither

Didn't come in this world to be no slave

And didn't stay one either."

Then we'd talk about Rosa Parks and her incredible bravery in refusing to give up her to seat on the bus to a white man.  We'd talk about Sojourner Truth, a slave escapee who was a remarkable women's rights activist.  And we'd talk about Jackie Robinson and the persecution he had to endure as the first African American to play Major League Baseball. 

Lastly, in honor of Jackie we would always play a family game of baseball out in the yard! 

"And He inviteth them all to come unto Him and partake of His goodness; and He denieth none that come unto Him, black and white, bond and free, male and female; and He remembereth the heathen; and all are alike unto God, both Jew and Gentile."

2 Nephi 26:33

Hope you've had a Happy January!  Thanks for taking a moment to  read about some of our traditions for making this a fun and memorable month! 

Snowmen and Polar Animal Fun

SNOWMEN

 Another one of my family's January traditions is to spend a couple of days dedicated to all things snowman. The possibilities are endless, but here's a few ideas.

MAKE RICE KRISPY SNOWMEN

I have so many memories of making these year after year as a kid. Using a normal batch of Rice Krispies, mold the Krispies into different sized balls. You might need to wait until they have started to cool/harden enough that the balls will keep their form. If they are too warm they will start to ooze and slump. Stack the balls one on top of the other. Then use whatever you like to decorate them. I used pretzels for arms, chocolate chips for eyes and buttons, and some candy from a snowman decorating kit I had on hand for the nose and scarf.  

HAVE A VICTORIAN SNOW LUNCHEON

Victorian enthusiast Sarah Ban Breathnach shares this timeless idea for a Snow Luncheon: Tomato Soup, Grilled Cheese, and Snowman Salad- a perfect refection after playing outdoors in the snow or on a cold, wintry day better spent indoors.  I personally took advantage of a rainy, overcast afternoon to serve this up to my husband and son. It made for a warm and tasty lunch while we listened to the pitter-patter of rain outside. 

Warm Tomato Soup

Grilled Cheese

(We like ours with thin slices of avocado, tomato and fresh jalapenos.)

Victorian Snowman Salad

Take halved pears (fresh or canned) and spread with cottage cheese. Then use raisins for eyes and buttons and a carrot shaving for a nose. They were surprisingly delicious.

MAKE SNOWMAN CRAFTS

I found this little felt snowman kit at Michael's craft store and put it together. 

      

We also put together a paper-plate snowman. Just turn the plate over and use colored construction paper to cut out a hat, nose, eyes and mouth.  My one-year old was a big help ;)  He liked to tear off each thing just after I glued it on. And in fact, this picture was taken only moments before he decided to destroy the whole thing all together. But hey, at least he was having fun!

EAT SNOWMAN SANDWICHES

There are several different ways you can do this so get creative. One cute idea I've seen is to spread white cream-cheese over a bagel half and then stick a small carrot stick in the center hole of the bagel, using raisins for eyes and a mouth. 

Or, you can do what I did. 

Make a sandwich - whatever kind you like. Ours was peanut butter, my sons favorite! Use a cookie cutter, bowl, or glass cup to cut a circle from it. Then, stick a mini carrot in the center and use raisins for eyes and mouth. Or let your kids decorate them any way they want. 

Notice the plates we ate our sandwiches on?? So cute right?

READ SNOWMAN BOOKS 

AND SING SNOWMAN SONGS

Some of our favorite snowman books include: 

The Snowman, by Ramond Briggs

Frosty the Snowman, by Steve Nelson

Snowmen at Night, by Caralyn Buehner
The Missing Mitten Mystery, Steven Kellog

BUILD A SNOWMAN

Of course, if you live where there is snow, it goes without saying that you should build a real snowman!  

HAVE SNOWMAN MOVIE TIME

My mom always believes that if you take time to play and get creative with your kids - doing a fun activity or craft, making a fun treat, etc. - then your kids will give you some time. She just means that kids need to be stimulated, they need to use their minds and creative capabilities, and they need undivided attention. When kids aren't allowed to stretch and use their minds or get that precious (cellphone and social media free) time alone with you, they start to act out. And my mom always says that a misbehaving or cranky child is a bored, hungry, or tired child (NOT a bad child.)

   If you provide this time and attention for your children, then you'll find that afterwards they'll be content to play and be on their own for a little bit so that you can get some stuff done for yourself.   In the short time I've been a mom, I've already started to really see the truth in this. 

After a fun day of snowman books, crafts and making a snowman lunch, your kids will love snuggling up to watch a snowman movie, giving you a minute to yourself. And because they haven't spent all morning in front of the TV, chances are they'll be even more engaged in the show :) 

 FROSTY the SNOWMAN   and  JACK FROST are two cute snowman movies I'd recommend. 

And maybe you'll want to serve up some wintry cookies to enjoy while they watch the movie. 

POLAR ANIMALS and ARCTIC FUN

POLAR ANIMAL REPORTS

Another fun January tradition we have is to spend a day or two learning about Polar Animals. Each year my siblings and I would choose one polar animal (polar bears, penguins, seals, arctic fox, etc.)  to do a "report" on. Its funny to think that back then we didn't have the internet, so we had to use our trusty Children Encyclopedias that sat on our family room bookcase to look up information. We would also check-out books at the library or use some fun books our mom had collected about such animals.  With help, we would then read and learn all about our particular animal and then write up a report about some cool facts we had learned. We would also learn how pollution and other harmful practices by humans have threatened the life and well-being of these animals, and noted things we can do to help change that!

 Next, on our 'Polar Animal' day we would take turns presenting our reports to each other, eager to also show any neat pictures we had found. It was such a fun and, of course, educational activity.

Even if you don't do "reports," its still fun to learn about some of these arctic critters with your kids. Penguins alone are so fascinating!   




Did you know:

There are 17 different kinds of penguins!

Rockhopper penguins got their name because they don't waddle like most penguins, they hop!

Male Adelie penguins give pebbles to their female mates as presents!

Emperor penguins are the largest kind and can grow to 4 feet tall- taller than some of your kids! :)

Emperor penguins sing, and no two have the same song!
Babies learn to recognize their mother's particular song. 

When a female lays an egg, the male will keep it warm in a little pouch above his feet. The mother knows to return with food just as the egg hatches so she can immediately feed her hungry baby. 



POLAR BEAR CUBCAKE PAWS

I loved making these each year as a child!  Just bake yellow or white cupcakes and frost them with white frosting and coconut shavings. Then use York Peppermint Patties and Junior Mints to create the paw print!   I can't decide if they look more like paw prints in the snow or like the bottom of a polar bear paw - the coconut kind of looks like fur :) Either way I think they are pretty cute! 


MAKE POLAR ANIMAL CRAFTS

These next ideas are from the blog I Heart Crafty Things. I just thought they were so cute and she even shows the tutorials of how to do them!  Check out her walrus and polar bear paper plate tutorials here !

Photo courtesy: I Heart Crafty Things

Photo courtesy: I Heart Crafty Things

PLAY WITH POLAR TOYS

Growing up we also had a polar animal play set. It came out only during January so we always looked forward to playing with it!  It had little penguins that "ate" fish, a seal that balanced a ball on its nose, and a polar bear. Today it stirs such nostalgic feelings in me for those childhood days! So much so, I thought I'd find some polar toys for my son to also play with each January. I found these at a toy store and thought they were cute: 

My sister-in-law also gave me this awesome penguin stacker toy- perfect for our Polar Animal days!






ENJOY ARCTIC MOVIES and BOOKS

Lastly, we would watch one or two polar animal movies:  

ICE AGE

HAPPY FEET

The PEBBLE and the PENGUIN


are a few fun ones!

There are so many fun books too: 

ICE BEAR, Nicola Davies
POLAR BEAR NIGHT, Lauren Thompson
LITTLE POLAR BEAR, Hans de Beer
IF YOU WERE A PENGUIN, Wendell & Florence Minor
ARCTIC TALE, Rebecca Baines

are just a few!

January Traditions

SNOWFLAKES and 
WINTER WONDERLAND FUN

"Snowflakes are one of nature's most fragile things, but just look what they can do when they stick together. " 
V.M. Kelly

I love snowy mornings! There is just something so still and mystical about waking up to a world hushed by a thick white blanket of snow. It seems to muffle the sounds of the world and makes the warmth of indoors seem all the more inviting.    Snow to me represents so many happy memories-  beautiful sunny days on the mountain spent skiing with my dad. Sledding as kids. Snowball fights, snow angels and snowmen. And warming nearly frost-bitten noses over a steaming mug of hot cocoa.   But "Snow Days," when school was canceled due to deep snowfall, were perhaps the best of all.  Climbing out of our cozy beds we'd follow the smell of sizzling bacon to the kitchen where we'd find our mom serving up a tasty breakfast of snowflake shaped pancakes drizzled in warm maple syrup. And then, still in our pajamas, we'd feast while watching the snow fall silently outside, burying us deeper and deeper in its majestic cloak.

After growing up with snowy winters, it has been a big adjustment for me to now live in a climate where it doesn't snow. Not that I mind the seventy degree Januarys, but I do get a little nostalgic for frosty patterns on the window panes, the inviting warmth of cozy fires on frozen nights, and the thrill of an afternoon playing in fresh powder- whether it be sledding, skiing, ice-skating or just making a snowman.

I found this January, however, that doing my mom's winter traditions helped to bring a sense of those winter-wonderland days into our home, as we filled it with paper, pancake and pretzel snowflakes,  the "arctic chill" of polar-animal fun, and the "frosty" delight of snowman pleasantries (nevermind the palm trees and bright sunshine outside). 

Here are my family's January traditions that I re-lived this year and my mom's ideas for making the most of this magical winter month. 

MAKE SNOWFLAKE PANCAKES

I used cookie cutters because I don't have pancake molds like my mom does. (She got her's at Williams and Sonoma.)  To make cookie cutters work I decided to wrap a piece of tinfoil around one part of it so I would have something to lift up and remove the cookie cutters with once the pancake was ready to be flipped. I'm glad I did because the cutters got too hot to touch.

To make the pancakes, I just set the cookie cutters on a hot griddle and poured the pancake batter into it.  The key I found was having the batter be liquid enough that it would run into all the nooks of the snowflake but thick enough that it wouldn't run out from under the cookie cutter. (I'd also recommend greasing the sides of the cookie cutters with cooking spray beforehand so they separate easily from the batter once you need to remove them.)     When it was time to flip the pancake, I gently lifted up on the tinfoil handle I created, very slowly until it came loose, flipped the pancake and let it finish cooking...

...then voila! Snowflake shaped pancakes!  (And the best part is, you can use any cookie cutter shape you want to make pancakes  for other occasions or holidays!)

MAKE SIZZLING SNOWFLAKES

For a fun after-school snack or leisure time activity, these are a hit with kids and so easy!  Just pair them with some sliced apples, berries, or even a veggie for a healthier snack. 

First, take a store-bought flour tortilla. I like to use the ones from Costco that are not already cooked- they fold easier and are much tastier!

1.  Fold the tortilla in half twice (Picture 1). Then fold it once more (Picture 2).  Then, cut out shapes exactly like you would a paper snowflake. 

Then, unfold your masterpiece to see what it looks like! 

Heat some oil or butter (coconut oil is great for something like this as a healthier alternative to regular oil).  Once the pan is hot, lightly fry the tortilla on both sides until it gets light brown and crispy.   Immediately transfer to plate and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. (You want it to still be hot and moist from the oil so the sugar will stick). And bam! You have a sizzling snowflake treat!

 Here's another one we made. 

COZY UP ON THE COUCH AND READ SNOW BOOKS 

AND POEMS

Another fun afternoon activity was when our mom would read to us Robert Frost's poem Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening. She would read it slowly aloud and then have us, young as we were, offer interpretations on what we thought he might have meant by each stanza. This poem is noted for its deep meaning and its fun to talk about. If nothing else, its a great poem that evokes the mood of a frosty, snowy day in January. 

Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening

BY ROBERT FROST

Whose woods these are I think I know.   

His house is in the village though;   

He will not see me stopping here   

To watch his woods fill up with snow.   

My little horse must think it queer   

To stop without a farmhouse near   

Between the woods and frozen lake   

The darkest evening of the year.   

He gives his harness bells a shake   

To ask if there is some mistake.   

The only other sound’s the sweep   

Of easy wind and downy flake.   

The woods are lovely, dark and deep.   

But I have promises to keep,   

And miles to go before I sleep,   

And miles to go before I sleep.

Some other books we enjoyed: 

The Snow Queen (a tale retold and illustrated by many authors including Mary Eingelbreit)
Winter Lullaby, by Barbara Seuling
The Snow Child, by Freya Littledale
Its Snowing! Its Snowing!, Jack Prelutsky


Another tradition in our home was singing. We had "singing time" every morning before school (I'm not kidding), where my mom played the piano and we sang songs. And of course the songs were always tied into the season or month :) 

In January we would sing: 

"I Like to Play in the Snow," words and music by Janeen Brady 
"Suzy Snowflake," words and music by Sid Tepper
"Playful Little Jack Frost," words and music by Janeen Brady

MAKE SNOW CONES (aka  SNOW CREAM)

This was impossible for me to do without snow, but its a fun treat if you happen to have some snow on hand: 

Scoop fresh, clean snow into a bowl. Heat some maple syrup until just before it boils. Pour over the snow and enjoy an unusual but tasty treat! Its like a winter shaved ice.

Or try the Victorian version: 

Take 1 C milk, 1 tsp vanilla, and 1/2 C sugar. Beat well until frothy. Place mixture in a large bowl and add enough clean snow so that the liquid is completely absorbed. It will have the consistency of sherbet. 

 LEARN ABOUT "SNOWFLAKE BENTLY" 

and JOHANNES KEPLER

Each year growing up we'd spend an afternoon learning about these two men and their important contributions to our understanding of snowflakes.

   In the early 1900s, Wilson Bentley, then a young boy, happened one day to look at a snowflake through a microscope, an act that ignited within him a lifelong passion to study snowflakes.  As a result, his life's work is largely responsible for our present day knowledge about snow and its intricacies.   Bentley, spending 46 Vermont winters alone in a shack, captured over 6,000 images of fragile flakes by catching them on a blackboard and quickly photographing them before they melted away.   Before his discovery no one knew the incredible and beautiful patterns of snowflakes, many assumed they were just puffs of falling snow.     

Talk about "Snowflake Bentley's" discoveries and teach your children about how snowflakes are formed.   You can also talk with them about Johannes Kepler, who discovered that snowflakes are ALL 6-sided and that there are 6 major kinds of snowflakes: spatial dendrites, stellar crystals and capped columns to name just three. Show your children pictures of these different shapes and wow them with the fact that, like human thumb prints, there are no two snowflakes alike! 

Photographer Andrew Osokin captured these images with a macrolens. They are real snowflakes! And they absolutely BLOW my mind! 

Then . . .

                BE "Snowflake Bentley" for an AFTERNOON

After you've learned about these two men and the formation of snowflakes, have a shot at trying to capture and look at your own snowflakes! 
  

You will need:   Black Paper,   Magnifying lens

  When it is snowing outside, chill a black sheet of paper in the freezer for about ten minutes. Immediately take outside and catch snow as it falls. When flakes land on the paper, look at them with a magnifying glass to spot their incredible patterns! You'll be impressed with how well you can see them even with just a simple magnifying glass. 

CUT OUT PAPER SNOWFLAKES

                          

While taping up our paper snowflakes to the window, I noticed something strange on the surface of our pool out back. It looked like thick plastic. Walking outside to investigate, to my shock and utter excitement I found that it was ICE! We had been experiencing the coldest January in 25 years where we live, but I never thought it would actually freeze the surface of our pool.  I was so happy I could have cried! It was like the tiniest little piece of my childhood winters had found me!  As if, like magic,  nature had made an exception to itself, and acknowledged my efforts to make the most of our snowless January with this little gift of winter. 

MAKE SNOWFLAKE PRETZELS

This recipe is to make 4 large pretzels (or six small ones).  (I halved the original recipe so double it if you wish.)

1 package dry active yeast
3/4 cups + 1/8 c lukewarm water 
1/8 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
2 tbls butter, softened
1/2 an egg
3 cups all purpose flour

Egg Wash
1 egg
1 tbls water
Coarse Salt


Dissolve yeast in the water until dissolved. Add sugar, salt, butter, egg and half of the flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in remaining flour a little at a time until dough forms. Turn it out onto a floured surface and form into a smooth ball. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate four to six hours. 

Once the dough has about doubled in size, punch it down and divide it into four equal parts (To make smaller pretzels divide it into six equal parts and adjust the following steps accordingly.) 

Setting all but one piece aside, divide that piece into four smaller pieces.  Then, roll three of those four pieces into long, thin ropes as pictured below. 

Overlap the three ropes on a greased baking sheet, as pictured below, to make the form for your pretzel. 

Take the remaining quarter piece and divide it into six equal parts. Then divide each of those in half until you have twelve small  pieces of dough. 

Take one of the twelve pieces and dip it in a little water so that it becomes sticky. Attach it to the end of one spoke. Attach a second piece to the other side, as pictured below on the right.  

Continue this until you have attached two small pieces to each of the six spokes on your snowflake, as pictured below.  Then, repeat  these steps to make your other pretzels.  

Make the egg wash and brush it onto each pretzel. Then sprinkle the coarse salt over them. 

Bake at 400 degrees on a greased baking sheet for about 10-15 min. or until golden brown. Enjoy!

And last but not least . . .

MAKE SNOWFLAKE-SHAPED SUGAR COOKIES

Betty Crocker made this awesome frosting  that is perfect for your snowflake shaped sugar cookies!  It comes complete with shimmering blue sprinkles!

  SNOWMEN AND POLAR ANIMAL FUN STILL TO COME! . . .