January’s Feast Table and Celebrations

Husband is back at work and the tree is looking a little frumpy (how can a fake tree look frumpy?-but it does!).  We’ve turned the page on a new year and are changing up our homeschool routine and materials.  Time to buckle down and get to work on those resolutions.

Like I mentioned in my last post, one of my goals this year is to be more intentional about living the liturgical year with my family.  There are two ways I plan on doing this:  setting up a feast table and choosing 1-2 feast days to highlight through food or other simple ways.  Today I’d like to share with you my plans for celebrating in the liturgical month of January through our January Feast Table.

January Dedication:  Month of the Holy Name of Jesus

January Feast Days and Observances:

• 1st Solemnity of Mary
• 2nd Sts. Basil and Gregory Nazianzen
• 4th St. Elizabeth Ann Seton
• 5th St. John Neumann
• 13th St. Hilary
• 21st St. Agnes
• 22nd Day of Prayer for Legal Protection of Unborn
• 25th Conversion of St. Paul
• 26th Sts. Timothy and Titus
• 28th St. Thomas Aquinas
• 30th St. John Bosco

Floating Feasts:

(These are feasts that “float” around and are not assigned to a specific date.)

• Epiphany (The Sunday between January 2nd and January 8th.)
• Baptism of Our Lord (The Sunday following Epiphany.)

Our feast table…

Many of you were interested in the feast table I mentioned.  This is not my original idea.  While we have always had a table in our home to highlight the liturgical seasons of the year, I’ve been inspired by Wildflowers and Marbles’ beautiful table.  I also like Auntie Leila’s little oratories, but I wanted something a little more hands on for the kids. (Besides, as a semi-recent convert, I don’t have much for beautiful religious pictures, crucifixes, etc!)

I couldn’t find the right place for a while, but finally settled on the console table behind our couch.  I had considered having a feast basket, so if you are short on space, that may be a good option for you.  And for the frugally minded, I spent absolutely nothing on this project!

I’m really happy with the flexibility of the feast table.  I could change the featured saint everyday and it would not be a big deal (better yet, my oldest could do it!).  I’ll share with you in another post how we have incorporated this feast table into our daily rhythm.

So without further ado….

Our January Feast Table:Epiphany Table:

• White cloth (represents the Christmas season liturgical color)
• Wisemen working their way to the Baby Jesus by Epiphany (We were gifted our sweet Christmas Star from Afar set this year, and our children are crazy about it!  It is a more Christian take on the Elf of the Shelf craze.  Find the star every morning and bring the Wisemen there.) UPDATE:  You can read more about how we use this set as a simple way of living the full liturgical Christmas season here.
• January Feast Table Bookbasket
• Candle (to light during devotions)
• One Hundred Saints (propped on cookbook holder, opened to pertinent saint on saint feast days)
• Priest and altar boys in liturgical colors (Pictured below)

 

Ordinary Time:

• Green cloth to mark the liturgical season (I just layered green placemats I had on hand)
• One Hundred Saints (opened to the day’s saint, today was St. Elizabeth Ann Seton)
• Picture frame written on with dry erase marker stating the feast day
• Candle (for family devotions)
• Priest and altar boys in pertinent liturgical feast day colors
• January Feast Book Basket

 

January Feast Book Basket:

Permanent Book Basket Contents:

These are books we use for simple family devotions.  We occasionally incorporate these into our Morning Basket time.

• The Catholic Children’s Bible
• Picture Book of Saints
• Angel Food for Boys and Girls (quick, and beautifully sweet devotionals our whole family enjoys!)
• Around the Year: Once Upon a Time Saints (pictured below)

 

Our January Feast Table Book Basket:

(These are just what we have on hand or ones I check out yearly from our library.  I’m hoping to continue adding to our collection!)

• Take it to the Queen and other books about Mary(1st)
• We Three Kings (Epiphany)
• The Story of the Three Kings (Epiphany)
• Baboushka and the Three Kings (Epiphany)
• Angel in the Waters (22nd)
  
• St. Paul the Apostle (25th)
• St. Thomas Aquinas for the Child and Childlike (28th)
• St. Thomas Aquinas:  The Story of the Dumb Ox (28th)

Book Basket Wish List:

(We don’t have these titles yet, but maybe someday!)

• Mary, Mother of Jesus (1st)
• Mary (1st)
• The Saving Name of God the Son (3rd, Monthly Dedication)
• Mother Seton and the Sisters of Charity (4th)
• A Story of Mother Elizabeth Seton (4th)
• Kat Finds a Friend (A Story of Elizabeth Ann Seton) (4th)
• The Third Gift (Epiphany)
• The Last Straw (Epiphany)
• Small Camel Follows the Star (Epiphany)
• The Adventures of St. Paul (25th)
• St. Paul:  The Apostle to the Gentiles (25th)
• The Great Hero (25th)
• The First Christians:  The Acts of the Apostles for Children (25th)
• St. Thomas Aquinas and the Preaching Beggars (28th)
• A Story of St. John Bosco
• St. John Bosco and Dominic Savio (Vision) (30th)

Other ways to celebrate in January…

I’m not a crafter ( I no longer feel bad about this!) so instead we’ll be reading about saints as their feast day occurs.  Also, at the beginning of every month I’ll visit Catholic Cuisine for some inspiration for celebrating with food.  There aren’t many feast days that our family celebrates in January.  On tap for the 24th are St. Francis de Sales Honey Goodness Bars.

How do I know what is happening when…

And the one tool that helps me know what is going on in the church– My Catholic Liturgical Planner.  I’ve been using it for a week and I love it!  (There are also instant digital copies available as a super inexpensive option!)

What is on your feast table this month???

You’ll also love:

Must Reads for Young Catholics

Lenten Sacrifices for the Young (and Old!)

Troubleshooting the Catholic Feast Table

10 Must Do’s in Your Catholic Preschool

All of the feast table posts…so far!