It was also their Happy Birthday, Jesus! party. This is such a sweet celebration. The entire elementary school meets in Fellowship Hall. Each class has a birthday cake, scripture is read, carols are sung and the principal tells a story about the different symbols of Christmas. We end by singing Happy Birthday, Jesus and going off to our individual classrooms. Truly a sight to behold
Let's start with Jesus' birthday cake. There is significant symbolism involved in it. We started this tradition with our boys when they were little (well, they're still little - only 6 and 8!) and it now continues at their school. First you bake a chocolate cake. The dark cake represents our sin. Then you frost it with white icing. This represents the cleansing of sin through Jesus on the cross. Then we place red M&Ms on top in the shape of a cross representing His death and resurrection.
The cake is a bit "homemade" looking. Not all fancy, like a store bought cake. But I labored over it non-the-less! In fact the morning of the party, I'm driving the boys to school with the cake sitting on the armrest in the middle of the front seat. I stop at the stoplight and one of the boys backpacks falls forward and hits the armrest. I plainly told the boys (as calmly as I could) that heads would role if they messed up the cake! Oops! Sorry Jesus. Sorta lost sight of what we're celebrating! But it's okay...I'm back on track now!
Then the principal tells a story similar to this one.
Finally we light the birthday candle and sing Happy Birthday, Jesus.
This is such a wonderful tradition that really puts Christmas in the right perspective.
Here's wishing you and yours a blessed, Christ-centered Christmas!
My favorite party of the year!!
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