St Brigid Celebrations 2012

Eden's colouring page she drew for us

The celebration of St Brigid snuck right up on us as we had just started back to our regular lessons for the year this week. After a long Summer break we are excited to be back in the organised learning phase.
However as we had not time to look at anything new this year, or the chance to get materials either. Our day consisted of using what we had to great some memories for the favourite feast day.

The first thing we started to do was to colour in some pictures while I read aloud Saint Brigid and the Cows 

Brigid's Cloak

We used Eden's colouring page as well as  St Brigid that Charlotte has shared. The children also coloured in the Celtic knots that I have on my planning page

As the reading took quite a while we started to have a jumpy three year old and Corbyn stayed  for most of it which is a good effort for him

While we were doing other feast day activities Autumn was doing puzzles puzzles with little Arwen and then a very bouncy Corbyn wanted to join in.

Vellvin actually cam up with the idea to make St Brigid Paper Dolls (she was couch bound after spraining her ankle the day before). Rogan individually drew and coloured in the dolls, each one different and cut them out for the younger children.

I wanted to create a blue cloak for her to wear that the children could take on and off. So based off the picture book above Brigid's cloak I found some blue tissue paper,

cut it out with a slightly rounded end on one end, crumpled it up and got the younger ones to put some starts on the cloak.

Then I simply twisted it on in place at the front and held it with another sticker.

A view from the back.

As is tradition we made Irish Soda Bread (recipe on this post) and interestingly again Rogan was the keen participator of this activity.

Here are our little ones putting stars on the paper cloaks.

Our line up of St Brigid Paper Dolls

These are close ups of Rogan's Paper dolls

The two St Brigid peg dolls I have made for Autumn (left) and Arwen (right) for their birthdays. They let us borrow them for this feast day.

Eden making a St Brigid Cross from the sags (sharp wild grasses) we have on our property. They were difficult to work with as they do not roll or bend easily.

So not to be discouraged we looked for another medium to make them with- our solution from something we had on hand was.....wait for it....

The Jute String St Brigid's Cross

Our Bookcase display

As Rogan was setting the table he ran off saying he had a brilliant idea, and came back with these Schleich cows from our collection of these toys.

As we were unable to go out to get food or supplies for this feast day (lack of a car) we looked as I said for what we could use at home. Hence, the fact that it was just before shopping day as well meant, well not much to choose form in the larder.
As we thought about it we decided we could make home made wedges: potatoes are great Irish food right, with sour cream; representing the dairy of St Brigid's early years and sweet chili sauce (with no relation to Ireland at all)

The beverage of choice this evening was more dairy: milk shake, chocolate of course with yet more dairy, cream.

Our completed soda bread was the last item on our agenda and  we even had left over  for morning tea.

Just remember that the tradition of celebrating Saint Brigid’s Day was often focused not only on the saint herself but also on cattle and dairy ... of which Brigid is the patron saint.

I know I always can't resist looking for new ideas so here are a few new ones~
*  new links for making Crosses and this one Crosses- easy to see
* Irish Ideas- like a unit study (not sure how good this one is as I have only just started looking at it)

Blessings to you and your homes,
 

St Brigid Feast Day coming Up

A quick reminder for all you preparing for St Bigid's feast day on the 1st of February~
I don't have much more to add to our plans than in the past but you can see them here as well as how we celebrated in 2011

Blessings to you and your homes,
 

St Brigid Day 2011

St Brigid Display

Our celebration of St Brigid went fairly well for the things we were attempting to achieve.
I made a candle to light over dinner from a blue candle and printed out an image to be pinned on the candle. This is very quick to do for any special occasion actually.

Some of the children completed the sheets from our list of things to do.

I read to them Brigid's Cloak and the on-line stories as they coloured in and filled in the worksheets etc.

It was hard to get all our children together as we still don't have our little ones back doing lessons yet, so, it is  hard to get them actually in on the activities at the moment.

Of course what is a feast day without food and this is always a treat Irish Soda Bread:
OUR RECIPE  is:
4 1/2 cups of flour
3 TBSP soft butter
2 cups sultanas
2 tsp bi carb soda
2 cups of buttermilk
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup of sugar

1. Mix butter with flour with fingertips until well blended.
2. Mix rest of all dry ingredients, including sultanas
3. Add buttermilk bit by bit until all dry ingredients are mixed together...mix will be sticky.
4. Flour hands and knead until mixture is held together.
5. Place on board cut in half to make two loaves
6. Loaves are round and cut a cross in centre.
7. Mixture can be made into scones or smaller loaves.
8. Bake at 425 degrees fro 5 minutes then at 350 degrees for 35-40 mins until golden brown.
9. Serve with butter.

Vellvin's St Brigid cloak cut into shape with blue cream and small 'stars' on  top from the stories we read today.

Scones with jam and cream- remember St Brigid is the patron saint of dairy maids as well as:

•babies •blacksmiths •boatmen •cattle •chicken farmers •children whose parents are not married •dairymaids •dairy workers •Douglas, Lanarkshire, Scotland •fugitives •infants •Ireland •Ivrea, Turin, Italy •Leinster, Ireland •mariners •midwives •newborn babies •nuns •poets •poultry farmers •poultry raisers •printing presses •sailors •scholars •travellers •watermen

Eden made our St Brigid Crosses- one from pipe cleaners which were quite difficult to tidy up at the end and two form native grasses we have on our property which were much easier to do.

Our Stew Recipe: (no photo)
Irish Stew:
This is a large recipe that feeds our family of 13 for 2 meals
2 1/2 kilos of gravy beef ( I find this is much more tender than stewing steak)
at least 1 potato for each person
4 sweet potatoes
8 carrots cut into small pieces
2 onions ( I often don't add this due to our older boys who don't like onion)
any other veges you want to add.
250grams of dried apricots (not the Turkish ones)
250-500grams of dried pitted prunes
1/2 jar of fruit chutney
garlic powder
onion powder
chicken stock
flour, salt and pepper.

Method~
cut gravy beef into chunks and coat with the flour that has salt and pepper mixed through.
Put into large cauldron
add cut up veges and dried fruits and seasonings.
cover with water and put INTO oven (NOT on top of stove)
Cook until done stirring periodically.

NB. The more flour you coat the meat with the thicker the gravy for the stew.
If it isn't thick enough when cooked just add a little cornflour to some water in a separate container, mix to a thick paste and pour into stew (now on top of stove) and stir until thickened.

Our prayer for you:
Everliving God, we rejoice today in the fellowship of your blessed servant Brigid, and we give you thanks for her life of devoted service. Inspire us with life and light, and give us perseverance to serve you all our days; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, world without end.
Blessings to you and your homes,

Feast day plans for St Brigid of Ireland

Happy Feast of St Brigid of Ireland.

We love our Irish saints as we have a family history that links us back to the 'Isle of Erin.' So this is one day we enjoy celebrating!

Our plans today consist of these activities:
Food~
Irish Stew
Irish Soda Bread
Scones with Jam and cream - St Brigid is the patron saint of Dairy farmers hence the use of cream
We are also going to make a St Brigid cloak cake this was Vellvin's idea.

Reading~
This is an interesting read for the children and I love this poem from the site: it could be used for memorisation or copywork

The Giveaway -
Saint Brigid was
A problem child.
Although a lass
Demure and mild,
And one who strove
To please her dad,
Saint Brigid drove
The family mad.
For here's the fault in Brigid lay:
She WOULD give everything away.

To any soul
Whose luck was out
She'd give her bowl
Of stirabout;
She'd give her shawl,
Divide her purse
With one or all.
And what was worse,
When she ran out of things to give
She'd borrow from a relative.

Her father's gold,
Her grandsire's dinner,
She'd hand to cold
and hungry sinner;
Give wine, give meat,
No matter whose;
Take from her feet
The very shoes,
And when her shoes had gone to others,
Fetch forth her sister's and her mother's.

She could not quit.
She had to share;
Gave bit by bit
The silverware,
The barnyard geese,
The parlor rug,
Her little
niece's christening mug,
Even her bed to those in want,
And then the mattress of her aunt.

An easy touch
For poor and lowly,
She gave so much
And grew so holy
That when she died
Of years and fame,
The countryside
Put on her name,
And still the Isles of Erin fidget
With generous girls named Bride or Brigid.

Well, one must love her.
Nonetheless,
In thinking of her
Givingness,
There's no denial
She must have been
A sort of trial
Unto her kin.
The moral, too, seems rather quaint.
WHO had the patience of a saint,
From evidence presented here?
Saint Brigid? Or her near and dear?

Of course we will read  Brigid's Cloak

The older children will also read this beautiful story here and write a narration on it.

Activities~
Making St Brigid's cross using these instructions with whatever materials we have on hand, perhaps long grass or pipe cleaners

Write this blessing out to go with our Cross's
An on line quiz
Wordsearch I can't get the direct link to work so just choose wordsearch
St Brigid crossword
St Brigid's mantle- a fun activity
Of course a holy card to have at the end of the meal printed and written on
Draw a Celtic cross and colour
Practice form drawing with Celtic knots as the pattern, for the younger children they can just colour them in!

St Brigid Colouring page from Charlotte 
We will also be using various colouring pages from these books:


Life in Celtic Times:- what ever pages they like

Celtic Stained Glass pattern Book- choose a design and colour it


Link to book :Ours is slightly different being not only letters but is an older version and I can't find a link

Copywork quote~
I would like the angels of Heaven to be among us. I would like an abundance of peace. I would like full vessels of charity. I would like rich treasures of mercy. I would like cheerfulness to preside over all. I would like Jesus to be present. I would like the three Marys of illustrious renown to be with us. I would like the friends of Heaven to be gathered around us from all parts. I would like myself to be a rent payer to the Lord; that I should suffer distress, that he would bestow a good blessing upon me. I would like a great lake of beer for the King of Kings. I would like to be watching Heaven's family drinking it through all eternity."

~ St. Brigid of Ireland

Prayers~
I found this lovely St Brigid Chaplet  prayer on line we will try to pray

Prayer to St. Brigid
Brigid, you were a woman of peace,
You brought harmony where there was conflict.
You brought light into the darkness.
You brought hope to the downcast.
May the mantle of your peace
Cover those who are troubled and anxious,
And may peace be firmly rooted
In our hearts and in our world.
Inspire us to act justly and reverence all God has made.
Brigid, you were a voice for the wounded and the weary.
Strengthen what is weak within us.
Clam us into a quietness that heals and listens.
May we grow each day into greater wholeness -
In mind, body and spirit.
Amen!

Litany of St Brigid form here

An interesting little piece of information I found

 

St. Brigid of Ireland, Pray for us!

Blessings to you and your homes,