Friday, February 24, 2006

Lenten crowns

My friend, J., has so many inventive ideas for faith-related crafts for the kids. Next week at our homeschool group gathering, we'll do a project that she came up with: Lenten crowns.

We'll make salt dough crowns (a wreath shape) by braiding the salt dough and forming it into a circle. Into the dough we'll insert six candle holders, for each of the weeks of Lent. Throughout Lent, then, we'll light a candle each week, just as we do in Advent, to "count down" the days and add a special sense of anticipation to the coming of Easter. I'll either adopt J.'s readings to accompany the candle-lighting, or choose some of my own (gee ... better get on top of this. Lent starts in a few days. Yikes.)

When Easter arrives, the crown will be painted gold and decorated with flowers and other symbols of the Resurrection.

I love this idea. Thanks, J., for your imaginative and beautiful ideas!

2 comments:

Alice Gunther said...

This really is a great idea, Karen. Thank you for passing it along.

Bridget said...

We love to do this...although in a slightly different way...sticking -lots of!-toothpicks in before baking. When a family member performs a good deed, we pull a "thorn out of Jesus's crown".
Sometimes when one does something naughty, a thorn gets put back in!