Chickadee Home Nest: Baby Jesus

Saturday, January 7, 2012

Celebrating The Epiphany--the Three Kings' Long Trip

"Celebración de los Reyes Magos" - Having come to the U.S. from Cuba in 1961, our family still celebrates "El Día de los Reyes Magos" (The Day of the Three Kings), and the Kings still bring presents to our children. Our 4-year-old granddaugher explained to her pre-school teacher that they come to our homes "because our family is Cuban." :)

The "Reyes Magos" are such an integral part of Latin culture that my mother told me recently of a wonderful toy store in Havana (Cuba) called "Los Reyes Magos." Isn't that a great name for a toy store?! Surely it didn't survive much after 1961.

This year my husband and I hosted our family's Three Kings celebration, now that our granddaughter is old enough to understand the story. The Three Kings brought some gifts and left them under the tree for them (yes, we keep our tree up until The "Reyes Magos" come), but to make certain that the spirit of the day wasn't lost, the central figure in my tablescape was my childhood Baby Jeasus, which my grandmother managed to bring back to me in 1983 when she was able to visit Cuba. She gave it to me originally, and gave it to me again...isn't that {AMAZING}?!

A celebration of the Three Kings is really about Baby Jesus.

The Three Kings: Melchior, Gaspar, and Balthazar
We know they brought frankincense, myrrh, and gold,
but we don't know which gift each brought.
The red candle urn (left) is Tiara.

Crystal Three Kings and Baby Jesus
After I took this picture I added the the full text of Matthew 2: 1-12,
telling the story of The Wise Men.
A battery-operated candle behind the vintage trees
gave the scene in the cloche a soft glow.

In our invitation we promised cookies and hot chocolate and other "kingly" treats...
The table was set in jewel tones--befitting the gifts that the Three Kings brought.
Here's what we served~
Christmas tree carrot Bundt cake (in s/p cake stand with wonderful high dome,
from Bombay Company, a gift from my mother years ago)
Cream cheese with hot pepper jelly (red) and green pepper jelly
with buttery crackers (lower right)
Gem shortbread cookies
Candy cane-striped meringue kisses

Jewel-toned vintage Tiara platter and Cambridge Caprice bowl
(the latter a gift from my SIL years ago)
Sterling compote holds whole cashews and dried cranberries,
a simple, yummy combination.

Since we were serving buffet style, the "star" stacker seemed quite apropos, don't you think?
Ribbon candy is a must during the holidays...in another Cambridge Caprice bowl,
surrounded by a mix of sterling and crystal candle holders.
Dishes are Lenox Eternal and the clear ones in the first two tiers are vintage Federal, Heritage pattern.
The bottom ones are vintage, of unknown lineage, but pretty.

We served Golden Pineapple Punch in our sterling punch bowl--a gift from my MIL,
complete with ladle, platter, and lid.
Have you seen many punch bowls with lids? I haven't,
but it's quite old now, and perhaps it was something more common in the past.

We served the punch in our "vintage" ARBY's goblets (can you say "vintage" and "goblets"
in the same sentence as Arby's? :) )
I have many of the glasses, and our son found these at Goodwill recently
and wrapped them up as what he thought would be a funny gift--

ARE YOU KIDDING?! They're PERFECT!
Funny, when I set them out I actually admired how they glistened! :)

~~~~~~We also served the BEST CAPPUCCINO HOT CHOCOLATE EVER,of course
topped with whipped cream from my iSi Cream Whipper
(to find out more about it see HERE)
Everyone raved and asked for the recipe.
Sadly, I forgot to take a picture.
I served them in old footed punch cups--very pretty.

I wish you a happy, healthy 2012 with much to be thankful for.

Does your family celebrate the Epiphany?
Do the Three Kings visit your home and leave gifts?
If you do a celebration, I'd love to know about it,
and if you have posted pictures, please be sure to share them with me!

Thanks for stopping by. Please leave me a comment to let me know you were here—I read every single one of them! They encourage me and inspire me. And if you like what you see a lot J, maybe you’d like to +1 this post too! Thank you!

I will be joining these fun parties; please stop by to see all the great things there!

Seasonal Sunday at http://thetablescaper.blogspot.com/

Homemaker on a Dime, Sunday at http://www.homemakeronadime.com/p/link-parties.html

House in Roses Show Off Your Cottage Monday at http://houseinroses.blogspot.com

Amaze Me Monday at http://dittledattle.blogspot.com/

Metamorphosis Monday at http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/

Motivate Me Monday @ Keeping It Simple

Newbie Party on Monday at http://debbie-debbiedoos.blogspot.com/

Tabletop Tuesday at http://astrollthrulife.blogspot.com/

Wow Us Wednesdays at http://savvysouthernstyle.blogspot.com/

Mrs. Hines’ Wednesday Show & Tell at http://www.linkytools.com/wordpress_list.aspx?id=120723&type=thumbnail

Tablescape Thursday at http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/