Monday, January 01, 2007

Happy New Year


Wishing all my friends and family a blessed 2007.

December 31 was the Feast of the Holy Family.

"Families, be who you are." Pope John Paul II

Well, yesterday, we got to be who we are and to spend time together as a family. We sent surfing in the afternoon.

We went to Mass together in the evening. And said some prayers at the nativity creche.

We spent the evening dancing to 1980s music at the home of our friends - and welcomed in the New Year with champagne, friends, family and text messages. :-)

Today is the Feast of Mary, Mother of God.

Planning on Mass this evening. Maybe a picnic this afternoon. Giving out new diaries for 2007.



Or check out this idea for a Family New Year Resolutions Book.

Sometime today ( we hope!) Thomas and I are making St Basil's Bread. On January 1, Eastern Orthodox Christians celebrate the feast of St Basil the Great. St Basil preached against the Arian heresy, which denied the divinity of Christ, and he helped to formulate the doctrine of the Trinity.

In Greece, on St Basil's Day, the Orthodox bake an aromatic bread. The bread is blessed and distributed by the head of the household. The first slice is dedicated to Christ, the second to the Virgin Mary, and the third to St Basil. Then the family is served, starting with the eldest. A silver coin has been baked into the bread and the person who finds it has a special blessing from St Basil for the coming year .

To make St Basil's Bread, start with any white dough bread recipe. Add some cinnamon and grated orange peel. When shaping the dough into a loaf, reserve a small piece.

Form the numbers of the year ( 2007!) from this piece and place it onto the unbaked loaf. Decorate with almonds and cherries and bake as normal.

Sounds yum.

And not too many calories or fat grams! lol!

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