Someone's special breakfast

In the quest to connect with my kids and create fun memories, I confess to making stuff up.  Like holidays and traditions to which we have no particular cultural or religious allegiance.  For example "Old Befana Day."  You all celebrate that one right?  (For the curious:  it's on Epiphany and we started celebrating after we read the lovely book by Tomie DePaola, The Legend of Old Befana).  And while we're at it we celebrate Epiphany with a Three Kings Cake too (although we are certainly not whatever flavor of Christian is supposed to revere that day).  Half a birthdays (you know, from Winnie the Pooh?) + half a dozen pagan holidays, those are always good.  All the regular American holidays get their share of family traditions too (birthday cake for Jesus, an animal tree in the forest), but there's something extra fun about celebrating the stuff no one else even knows exists.  "Really?  Old Befana doesn't leave presents in your shoes?  Bummer."

I think a big part of why I was attracted to Waldorf as a young homeschooler (besides the fun moms) was all the holidays and festivals and celebrations.  Michelmas!  Yes!  (I'm not even sure what that one is about).  But if it involves special food or presents or art projects, count us in.

Bella with St. Lucia Day buns

Does my lack of reverence harm the sacred nature of these days?  Yes, probably, shame on me.  But it's fun to wake your girls up in the morning and say, "It's the solstice!  Let's stay up late tonight and stare at the stars and make some festive solstice food!"

At one point I designated a notebook to write down all the holidays and traditions, because I kept forgetting some of the lesser ones and then my kids would say, "Hey!  It's St. Nicholas day and he didn't show up!"  Whoops.  "No girls, he comes TONIGHT......."  I already admitted I really do make this stuff up.

Last week I had the brilliant idea that we needed more special days and inaugurated Sunday morning as Someone Special's Special Breakfast (it's hard coming up with good names - you try).  Let's just make every Sunday morning it's own special holiday!!  3 of the 4 of us plan and cook a yummy feast for the 4th person, while theoretically the lucky duck sleeps in.  Maybe I'll succeed; I haven't had my turn yet.  Daddy got the first turn because.....well, because then maybe just maybe he'll pitch in next week, IF we start early enough to not impinge on football.  It was fun, although I ended up doing all the choosing and the cooking.  Oh well, rest assured a little defeat will not squelch my celebratory urges.  Maybe if we can somehow work presents into it?

Will my girls look back at their childhood and wonder how come mama was such a nutjob?  Probably.  Maybe they'll notice the little bits of love tucked into all those shoes and Epiphany cakes and buttermilk waffles.  I hope so.  It's hard work keeping up with that notebook.