Jesus Birthday Cake

We've done various things for the CAKE part of our Birthday Party for Jesus....but I realize I have no recipes or clear instructions on the blog. Here we go.

First there are many things you COULD do with a birthday party for Jesus. It could be part of an RE celebration, it could be held the last week of RE, it could be held at your home with children invited (each guest bringing a donation for a charity)....but what we've done the last few years is simpler still. Sometime on Christmas Afternoon or Evening.....after dinner..... we have a party. We sing Happy Birthday, we blow out candles, we eat, we share what we have most loved or appreciated about the birthday boy (much like we do for human members of our family) and then we give our gifts to Jesus. The last few years this has consisted of us reading our "Jesus Stocking" entries. This year, with the stocking MIA and young ones who are old enough to celebrate Christmas but not quite old enough to write out messages for the stocking....I'm coming up with a new plan..... That's what we do. Hmmm...with Bre home we could attempt some of the Christmas hymns of the church around the cake....

As for the cake....we've made a simple cake, frosted it and treated it like any birthday. You'll note above we don't DO a devotional - we simply celebrate a birth. BUT you can take a few moments and discuss the colors of the cake etc. Last year I BOUGHT a cake at walmart, and I asked them to write "Happy Birthday Jesus" on it. The clerk said, "Do you mean Happy Holidays," and I said, "No".

Then she asked, "Oh, Merry Christmas?"

I said, "No."

Stacia, then 3, piped up with, "It's a BIRTHDAY for Jesus."

The clerk gave me a strange look and wrote Happy Birthday Jesus on our cake. ::snort::

Here are some Jesus Birthday Cake ideas/recipes....in case you'd rather something with a bit more symbolism.

Variation 1: from cooks.com

Make a round cake - chocolate to symbolize our sin.
Cover with white frosting - white to symbolize His purity that covers our sins.
Decorate with a star and an angel - they symbolize the bearers of the first glad tidings.
Add 12 red candles - 12 candles symbolize that Christ is our light through the 12 months and the color red stands for his blood sheet for us.
Encircle the cake with green frosting - symbolized everlasting life.

Variation 2: from cooks.com

Purity: One round white cake with white frosting.
Bethlehem: Topped with yellow sugar star.
Tidings of Great Joy: Figure of angel.
Christ our Light Thru the Year: Encircled by 12 red candles.
Everlasting Life: Greens around base of cake.

Variation 3: symbolism from, "The ADVENTure of Christmas", by Lisa Welchel

1 box of white cake mix - divide batter in 1/2
Add red food coloring to 1/2 - blood of Jesus
Add green food coloring to other 1/2 (eternal life)
Bake according to directions.
Add yellow coloring to white frosting (birthday of the Son of Righteousness)
Fill and frost red and green layers with yellow frosting.
Large white taper candle (Jesus center of our lives) in the middle of the cake.
Each family member places a small birthday candle around the cake (our lives revolving around Jesus, let our light shine before all)

Close to this idea, but adding stars, hearts and such is this cake from Christianity Today.

Variation 4 - The Grand Poohbah of Jesus' Birthday Cakes (This one is similar to the one I first saw).

Mary Rice Hopkins has provided us with instructions and a talk to give as we decorate the cake....all telling the Christmas/salvation story.

Some use ANGEL food cake (get it), Red Velvet Cake, but never Devil Food's cake. Make a "theme" cake - a normal cake but decorated with the theme of stars, nativity, gifts, birthday, gift box...

Visit my Advent Index for more ideas, stories and tips.

Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...