When my kids grow up they may say mom nagged, yelled & complained a lot and that would be fair. But they must never leave out the part where mom celebrated the sacraments & feast days in BIG way!
Friends who have been to our parties can attest to how grand we celebrate. While birthdays around here are a big deal, celebrating the sacraments are MAJOR! Same goes for feast days.
When my husband and I are no longer on this side of earth, we want our children to be able to stand on their own two feet and know why they believe. Not for the sake of tradition, while beautiful it is and ever will be; I want them to hold steadfast to the truth because it's really all they have. And if we celebrate with meaning and party with a purpose, then when nostalgia is sparked, it will hit differently. I want them to ponder, that even when mom and dad were between jobs, or finances were tight, they still managed to celebrate each of us equally in a memorable way.
But why? Does our faith as Catholic Christians hold that much importance? You're darn right it does. And don't you ever forget it kids. They are sponges. Be careful what they soak up.
Here are a few suggestions of how to celebrate with a lasting impact:
Dining out Only ONCE!
For us, the promises of First Fridays & Saturdays from both the Sacred & Immaculate Heart look a little different than most.
Waking up early on a Saturday morning where you can sleep in is nobody's favorite thing. Let's be real. But it's what unfolds from the start of that tiny sacrifice of yanking the covers from over your own head to actually get out of bed with a sigh, that you choose to turn into joy; that's golden. It's where the prize behind door #1 is unveiled. We know that starting the first weekend of each month through this unbroken tradition is paramount. Not for the sake of ancient tradition alone, but new ones!
Did no one ever tell you that once you are an adult, you can keep your family traditions and create new ones!?! Yes. That's right. YOU can start your own. While that sounds obvious, in actuality it is an abstract thought to most.
After children have fasted for hours into what they think is starvation mode, (and sometimes husbands too) enjoying breakfast out to eat following Mass is far more satisfying than on any other given day. Why? Because you are not doing it very often therefore it is special. Like opening a triptych altar for a brief moment outside of Easter Season. For most large families, budgets are pretty tight these days. Saving up to eat out once or twice a month makes it a real treat to the family and your wallet. The same goes for First Friday night dinners out. No one needs a better reason to not cook at the end of a long week but we are sure glad the promises of The Sacred Heart give us an excuse! We try our best to make this happen ritually whenever life allows. It gives us something to look forward too. So why not save it for Jesus & Mary.
Let the Siblings Rival
Are you tired of saying,"STOP FIGHTING!"? Yeah. Me too. So encourage them to fight it out. In a constructive sorta way. Entertain the idea of a sibling cook-off competition. Bragging rights up for grabs all month long...for the winner that is.
As our family grows larger with each passing year, we have come to realize that idea numero uno above is not always feasible. Sometimes it can feel like scheduling a field trip just to go out to eat and be able to seat 9 people together on the fly without reservations! So for that reason we needed a back up plan to still be able to celebrate minus the hassle.
Sibling cook-offs gave us that second option in our back pocket. Invite a family over to be the judge and it gets you as parents off the hook of declaring a winner. Also helps your child to break free from technology in exchange for more realistic fun in the form of life skills. It's a win all the way around. Even for the loser. Makes for a great team building activity for parents to connect with their child 1:1 in the cook-off with dad and son against mom and daughter. Or swap around on rotation month to month. Whatever you do, don't forget to reflect on those promises! Promise #2 is to establish peace in your home! If that means friendly fighting over who plays chef best, will bring peace in your domestic church, then bring it on! Sign me up please!
For the sake of bragging rights and paper trail purposes: my son won last month's battle. This was a tough fight. Im still in disbelief that they both can cook this great and that my second oldest daughter with more experience lost this time around. Kudos to the Knights and Coughlin family for engaging in a war you didn't choose for yourself, at the mercy of Gianna's Manicotti verses Mateo's Famous Seared Steak. More importantly thanks for being hard on the per our request and not doing them a disservice by saying... "you both won!"
Friday Fishermen & Saturday Tea with The Queen!
When time or money doesn't allow and you need something more realistic and slower paced this is it! The boys will fish and bring home dinner because it's meatless Friday anyway. If you can't make time for an ideal fishing trip at sea, settle for a quick cast in the neighborhood pond just for fun and memories sake. While the ladies enjoy some girl time over tea with the queen of heaven at noon on First Saturday after the Angelus. Sometimes this means reading a book about Our Lady or children's Marian Consecration. Either way its always accompanied by floral blooming tea that is fun to watch for children and adults alike! What a great way to celebrate with flowers fit for a queen while watching it bloom before your eyes! These are the things kids will never forget.
Years from now they won't remember that favorite toy, but they will remember time well spent that money can't buy. Make every moment count. The fondest memories are made when gathered around the table. Make sure that your name is never blotted out and that you promote the devotion to The Sacred Heart and that of His mother's Immaculate Heart by passing along these tips to a friend if you've enjoyed reading thus far.
Feast on my friends. Cheers.