Christmas Tea (Epiphany Tea?)

Here's one Christmas tradition that we have neglected until now! (Now, hopefully this still counts because even though yesterday was really Epiphany, . . . it was celebrated at Mass today, so it's kind of like the belated 12th day of Christmas.) : ) Finally the girls and I got together and had our cups of Christmas Tea, as we listened to the song "Light a Single Candle."

I always try to tell them a story about "our loved ones who are gone," as the song instructs, so this year I told them one about Great Grandma Henel (their Great Great Grandma Henel) who, before she died, always used to send April and I a box at Easter with two styrofoam head bunnies (that we loved) and a whole bunch of chocolate foil eggs, that would always have melted in the Florida sun and, therefore, we weren't allowed to eat. (Although I have a sneaking suspicion that it was a ploy to get the candy out of the house. Ha!)

I could distract Annie with one of Laurie's tea cookies for only so long, . . . and then it became quite a disaster as she needed to be kept away from the very tip-able tea cups. : )
"Look at me, Grandpa! My pinky is up just like you said!"
Finally, I did a quick wash of everything and then let Annie ravage the table as much as she wanted.
And her favorite thing to do was pretend stirring. : )