Oh, Dearest Mother, Sweetest Virgin of Altagracia, our Patroness. You are our Advocate and to you we recommend our needs. You are our Teacher and like disciples we come to learn from the example of your holy life. You are our Mother, and like children, we come to offer you all of the love of our hearts. Receive, dearest Mother, our offerings and listen attentively to our supplications. Amen.



Active Topics || Favorites || Member List || Search || About Us || Help || Register || Login
Domestic Church
 4Real Forums : Domestic Church
Subject Topic: Christmas wheat to sprout?? Post ReplyPost New Topic
Author
Message << Prev Topic | Next Topic >>
MaryM
Board Moderator
Board Moderator
Avatar

Joined: Feb 11 2005
Location: Colorado
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 13104
Posted: Nov 28 2011 at 2:59am | IP Logged Quote MaryM

The practice of planting wheat to sprout has been mentioned here on occasion but I can't find a thread devoted to it, so I know we haven't talked about it in depth. I've learned about it in other places on line and some oop print books then wrote a short post for O Night Divine a few years ago. We have planted the Christmas wheat a couple times. It is planted to sprout and be ready to add to the manger as a soft bed for the Baby Jesus by December 24. The new green shoots are also a reminder of the new life born in Bethlehem (and wheat represents the "Bread of Life" - and Bethlehem - house of bread).

I don't seem very good at planning ahead to get it sprouted in time. I'm marking it on my calendar to do again this year though.

I have seen it associated with both St. Lucy's feast day and St. Barbara's. Different cultures do it at different times. It seems the Italians, Hungarians, and Croatians plant on St. Lucy and France, Ukraine, Romania, Yugoslavia set out seeds to sprout more in association with the Feast of St. Barbara. Doing it on St. Barbara's feast day (Dec. 4) gives it a lot more time to sprout and develop. It would be tall enough to cut. Doing it on St. Lucy day (Dec. 13) is closer to Christmas so produces a shorter growth.

If you do this Advent tradition, which date do you choose? Did any of you do this growing up as part of your ethnic tradition?

And this year I'm thinking of it in enough time to actually order a kit. The Confraternity of Penitents sells St. Lucy Wheat Kits.

__________________
Mary M. in Denver

Our Domestic Church
Back to Top View MaryM's Profile Search for other posts by MaryM Visit MaryM's Homepage
 
stellamaris
Forum All-Star
Forum All-Star


Joined: Feb 26 2009
Location: Virginia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2732
Posted: Nov 28 2011 at 7:01am | IP Logged Quote stellamaris

Thanks for this reminder, Mary! My wheat kit is on its way! This is a wonderful tradition I have been meaning to start for several years as my husband is both Italian and Hungarian. I always forget, though! Not this year...thanks again !

__________________
In Christ,
Caroline
Wife to dh 30+ yrs,ds's 83,85,89,dd's 91,95,ds's 01,01,02,grammy to 4
Flowing Streams
Back to Top View stellamaris's Profile Search for other posts by stellamaris Visit stellamaris's Homepage
 
MaryM
Board Moderator
Board Moderator
Avatar

Joined: Feb 11 2005
Location: Colorado
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 13104
Posted: Nov 28 2011 at 1:36pm | IP Logged Quote MaryM

Finding some lovely photos of the blé de la Sainte Barbe (wheat of St. Barbara) used to decorate the tables at Christmas.





__________________
Mary M. in Denver

Our Domestic Church
Back to Top View MaryM's Profile Search for other posts by MaryM Visit MaryM's Homepage
 
MaryM
Board Moderator
Board Moderator
Avatar

Joined: Feb 11 2005
Location: Colorado
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 13104
Posted: Nov 28 2011 at 1:39pm | IP Logged Quote MaryM

Croatia's "božićna pšenica" or "Christmas wheat" planted on Saint Lucia Day. Decorates the table on Christmas.



__________________
Mary M. in Denver

Our Domestic Church
Back to Top View MaryM's Profile Search for other posts by MaryM Visit MaryM's Homepage
 
stellamaris
Forum All-Star
Forum All-Star


Joined: Feb 26 2009
Location: Virginia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2732
Posted: Nov 28 2011 at 3:12pm | IP Logged Quote stellamaris

Thanks for sharing those pics, Mary!!

__________________
In Christ,
Caroline
Wife to dh 30+ yrs,ds's 83,85,89,dd's 91,95,ds's 01,01,02,grammy to 4
Flowing Streams
Back to Top View stellamaris's Profile Search for other posts by stellamaris Visit stellamaris's Homepage
 
JennGM
Forum Moderator
Forum Moderator
Avatar

Joined: Feb 07 2005
Location: Virginia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 17702
Posted: Nov 28 2011 at 4:38pm | IP Logged Quote JennGM

I've always wanted to do this! Thanks for the reminder and link, Mary!

__________________
Jennifer G. Miller
Wife to & ds1 '03 & ds2 '07
Family in Feast and Feria
Back to Top View JennGM's Profile Search for other posts by JennGM Visit JennGM's Homepage
 
CrunchyMom
Forum Moderator
Forum Moderator
Avatar

Joined: Sept 03 2007
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 6385
Posted: Nov 28 2011 at 6:58pm | IP Logged Quote CrunchyMom

Well, I have about 25 pounds of wheat berries in my freezer from before we gave up wheat (when we were grinding our own flour). Not sure I'll need that much

__________________
Lindsay
Five Boys(6/04) (6/06) (9/08)(3/11),(7/13), and 1 girl (5/16)
My Symphony

[URL=http://mysymphonygarden.blogspot.com/]Lost in the Cosmos[/UR
Back to Top View CrunchyMom's Profile Search for other posts by CrunchyMom
 
MicheleQ
Forum All-Star
Forum All-Star
Avatar

Joined: Feb 23 2005
Location: Pennsylvania
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2193
Posted: Nov 29 2011 at 8:42am | IP Logged Quote MicheleQ

Oh what a lovely idea! I have einkorn wheat berries in my cupboard that would be perfect for this!


__________________
Michele Quigley
wife to my prince charming and mom of 10 in Lancaster County, PA USA
http://michelequigley.com
Back to Top View MicheleQ's Profile Search for other posts by MicheleQ Visit MicheleQ's Homepage
 
MaryM
Board Moderator
Board Moderator
Avatar

Joined: Feb 11 2005
Location: Colorado
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 13104
Posted: Dec 12 2011 at 5:54pm | IP Logged Quote MaryM

So is everyone doing this tomorrow? Or did you do it on St. Barbara's feast?

__________________
Mary M. in Denver

Our Domestic Church
Back to Top View MaryM's Profile Search for other posts by MaryM Visit MaryM's Homepage
 
JennGM
Forum Moderator
Forum Moderator
Avatar

Joined: Feb 07 2005
Location: Virginia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 17702
Posted: Dec 12 2011 at 6:01pm | IP Logged Quote JennGM

Planning on tomorrow!

__________________
Jennifer G. Miller
Wife to & ds1 '03 & ds2 '07
Family in Feast and Feria
Back to Top View JennGM's Profile Search for other posts by JennGM Visit JennGM's Homepage
 
Mackfam
Board Moderator
Board Moderator
Avatar
Non Nobis

Joined: April 24 2006
Location: Alabama
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 14656
Posted: Dec 12 2011 at 6:27pm | IP Logged Quote Mackfam

MaryM wrote:
So is everyone doing this tomorrow? Or did you do it on St. Barbara's feast?

We hope to start ours tomorrow, St. Lucy's feast. On St. Barbara's we try to bring in branches to force so they'll be in bloom for Christmas. I've always wanted to have one of those long-ish, rectangular shallow planters for our St. Lucy day wheat sprouting. Maybe one day I'll get one.

__________________
Jen Mackintosh
Wife to Rob, mom to dd 19, ds 16, ds 11, dd 8, and dd 3
Wildflowers and Marbles
Back to Top View Mackfam's Profile Search for other posts by Mackfam Visit Mackfam's Homepage
 
stellamaris
Forum All-Star
Forum All-Star


Joined: Feb 26 2009
Location: Virginia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2732
Posted: Dec 12 2011 at 6:32pm | IP Logged Quote stellamaris

We're doing it tomorrow as well! I decided on St. Lucy's Day since my children are part Italy as well as Hungarian. And some Swedish, too, so St. Lucy is the all-around favorite here! We only have a few grains of wheat here, but down in Virginia I have a 25 lb. tub of hard spring golden wheat. Next year I'd like to bring up a cup or two to sprout. The picture you posted looks so lovely and lush with the larger amount of grass and the ribbon tied around it, Mary!

__________________
In Christ,
Caroline
Wife to dh 30+ yrs,ds's 83,85,89,dd's 91,95,ds's 01,01,02,grammy to 4
Flowing Streams
Back to Top View stellamaris's Profile Search for other posts by stellamaris Visit stellamaris's Homepage
 
JennGM
Forum Moderator
Forum Moderator
Avatar

Joined: Feb 07 2005
Location: Virginia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 17702
Posted: Dec 12 2011 at 6:36pm | IP Logged Quote JennGM

Mackfam wrote:
MaryM wrote:
So is everyone doing this tomorrow? Or did you do it on St. Barbara's feast?

We hope to start ours tomorrow, St. Lucy's feast. On St. Barbara's we try to bring in branches to force so they'll be in bloom for Christmas. I've always wanted to have one of those long-ish, rectangular shallow planters for our St. Lucy day wheat sprouting. Maybe one day I'll get one.


I have a lovely wreath type form that is hollow--it's to place flowers floating on it, but I keep thinking it would be so nice to plant the wheat. Next year, if this works out. We only have a few seeds right now.

__________________
Jennifer G. Miller
Wife to & ds1 '03 & ds2 '07
Family in Feast and Feria
Back to Top View JennGM's Profile Search for other posts by JennGM Visit JennGM's Homepage
 
momtomany
Forum All-Star
Forum All-Star
Avatar

Joined: Feb 17 2005
Location: Pennsylvania
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 505
Posted: Dec 13 2011 at 7:53am | IP Logged Quote momtomany

Thanks for the reminder to plant ours!

__________________
Mary Ann in PA
wife to MIchael, mom to Elizabeth, Becca, Tim, Peter, Andrew, Sarah, Matthew, John, Leah and Joseph
Back to Top View momtomany's Profile Search for other posts by momtomany
 
Grateful in VA
Forum Pro
Forum Pro


Joined: Oct 22 2010
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 277
Posted: Dec 13 2011 at 11:28am | IP Logged Quote Grateful in VA

Ordered mine when I saw this in Nov. Planting it this afternoon. Thanks so much, this is new for our family this year.
Back to Top View Grateful in VA's Profile Search for other posts by Grateful in VA
 
MaryM
Board Moderator
Board Moderator
Avatar

Joined: Feb 11 2005
Location: Colorado
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 13104
Posted: Nov 24 2012 at 4:37pm | IP Logged Quote MaryM

Bumping... so folks have plenty of time to order or get wheat locally to plant on St. Lucy day.



__________________
Mary M. in Denver

Our Domestic Church
Back to Top View MaryM's Profile Search for other posts by MaryM Visit MaryM's Homepage
 
MaryM
Board Moderator
Board Moderator
Avatar

Joined: Feb 11 2005
Location: Colorado
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 13104
Posted: Dec 12 2012 at 3:02pm | IP Logged Quote MaryM

Planting your wheat seeds tomorrow?

__________________
Mary M. in Denver

Our Domestic Church
Back to Top View MaryM's Profile Search for other posts by MaryM Visit MaryM's Homepage
 
jawgee
Forum All-Star
Forum All-Star


Joined: May 02 2011
Location: New Hampshire
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1415
Posted: Dec 12 2012 at 5:04pm | IP Logged Quote jawgee

Of course!

We got a dozen for our Classically Catholic Memory homeschool group from Confraternity of Penitents.

__________________
Monica

C (12/2001), N (11/2005), M (5/2008), J (8/2009) and three angels
The Catholic Cup on Facebook
Back to Top View jawgee's Profile Search for other posts by jawgee
 
MaryM
Board Moderator
Board Moderator
Avatar

Joined: Feb 11 2005
Location: Colorado
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 13104
Posted: Dec 06 2013 at 3:25pm | IP Logged Quote MaryM

Bump...

Too late for St. Barbara, but not for Saint Lucy.

Who has been doing this the last several years? We have and have found it to be such a lovely and symbolic centerpiece.

__________________
Mary M. in Denver

Our Domestic Church
Back to Top View MaryM's Profile Search for other posts by MaryM Visit MaryM's Homepage
 
LeeAnn
Forum Pro
Forum Pro
Avatar

Joined: May 25 2007
Location: Washington
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 470
Posted: Dec 13 2013 at 1:26pm | IP Logged Quote LeeAnn

I came across a nice blog post about Christmas wheat customs:

A French Christmas - the feast of St. Barbara
Back to Top View LeeAnn's Profile Search for other posts by LeeAnn Visit LeeAnn's Homepage
 

If you wish to post a reply to this topic you must first login
If you are not already registered you must first register

  [Add this topic to My Favorites] Post ReplyPost New Topic
Printable version Printable version

Forum Jump
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot create polls in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum

Hosting and Support provided by theNetSmith.com