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Lisbet
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| Posted: Feb 23 2009 at 3:18pm | IP Logged
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How do you all handle family celebrations during Lent? We have baptism on Sunday, which I'm not too worried about since it is a Sunday. But, our anniversary always falls during lent, as does birthdays for 2 kids, and then their Christ Birthdays (we celebrate baptism days here...) I never know how to handle this. Thanks for sharing.
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Lisa, wife to Tony,
Mama to:
Nick, 17
Abby, 15
Gabe, 13
Isaac, 11
Mary, 10
Sam, 9
Henry, 7
Molly, 6
Mark, 5
Greta, 3
Cecilia born 10.29.10
Josephine born 6.11.12
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LLMom
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we have two March birthdays and baptism days. We celebrate their birthday for each child during Lent. We haven't done another party for baptism for any of our children. It was just too much for me to keep up with, but we do mention it. I often feel bad for having cake during Lent but a good priest said that it was not obligatory for special occasions.
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Lisa
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aussieannie
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I think that it is important that they be celebrated, it only has to be one meal out of the day, maybe an extra sacrifice can be undertaken by all on that day to compensate? But I think it is important, otherwise it is very hard on those in the family whose important, personal dates fall in the lenten period. If it were to fall on a Friday in lent...maybe the option of an eve celebration?
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SuzanneG
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We have lots of spring birthdays, and celebrate just as we do during the rest of the year. If it falls on a Friday we move it to Sat. or Sun. And, if celebration days fall during the Triduum, we move it too.
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Suzanne in ID
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Mom of 7 (Girls - 14, 12, 11, 9, 7 and Boys - 4, 1)
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JennGM
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We celebrate the birthdays. Sometimes we move the family celebration to Sunday so all can enjoy. I take it as a charitable act to celebrate especially a child's birthday, even if it falls during Lent (Holy Week is a different story). They can't help it when they were born, and they deserve a celebration just like their siblings.
The problem is getting everyone to see that way, so if people are declining to come celebrate, we try to move it to either a Solemnity or Sunday.
It's not a sin to have sweets in Lent, and in this case, making the sacrifice of not making the sacrifice is the case here.
We don't do the baptismal days yet, but I would probably have the same philosophy.
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Jennifer G. Miller
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Family in Feast and Feria
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Lisbet
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| Posted: Feb 23 2009 at 3:58pm | IP Logged
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Thanks ladies - I feel much better about celebrating now! :) I always felt a bit of 'guilt' if we did and 'guilt' if we didn't.
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Lisa, wife to Tony,
Mama to:
Nick, 17
Abby, 15
Gabe, 13
Isaac, 11
Mary, 10
Sam, 9
Henry, 7
Molly, 6
Mark, 5
Greta, 3
Cecilia born 10.29.10
Josephine born 6.11.12
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JodieLyn
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yep, we move it off of a Friday if necessary..
a birthday celebration here is getting to pick the dinner meal on your birthday and cake.. and depending it could be your party or your party could move to a weekend day but you still get to pick the meal on your actual birthday. (parties are not generally elaborate.. mostly it's just having a few friends instead of only family)
If your birthday falls on a Friday during Lent and IF we're not going to the Soup and Bread Supper at the Church.. then you have the choice to pick a no meat meal on your actual birthday or a meal on another day that week (we check the schedule to see which day would work best)
Matter of fact we have one of those this year.. she asked if we could bring soup and bread on her birthday for the supper at church (yes) and then we'll do her party another day (can't do it saturday because of other commitments.. I forget what she wants to do.. maybe the weekend before her birthday) but she'll likely get to pick a meal other than the soup.. because we'd have signed up for at least one day and she didn't ask to pick the soup just that we do it on that day. 
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Jodie, wife to Dave
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sewcrazy
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We just move the celebration to the weekend.
My son turns 16 this Friday and I am debating what to do to celebrate on that day. He is my only one at school, and last year I conspired with one of his teachers, Father Paul, to have cake for his lunch module. Fr Paul did remind me that there is no specific restriction on cake, even on Fridays, in Lent. But we never eat sweets on Fridays in Lent.
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LeeAnn
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Red Cardigan
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Well, we only have my DH during Lent. But we celebrate! It's our family custom to celebrate "on the day," not on the nearest weekend. Some families do that anyway, so it's no big deal to move one during Lent, but we celebrate everyone's special day on their actual birthday, so it would seem weird to move his celebration to another day.
If his b-day's a Friday we'll do a meatless meal (pasta, usually, as he hates fish). But the only time we ever moved his party was when his birthday actually fell on Ash Wednesday (which just happened to be his 40th). We celebrated the day before instead.
Voluntary sacrifices are just that--voluntary! So even if you gave up desserts, I'd say go ahead with the party ('cause the *real* sacrifice will be having cake in the fridge for the rest of the week and not being able to get at it until Sunday!)
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LucyP
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Our daughter's birthday falls on Easter Saturday this year, so I was pleased to see this thread. Not sure what to do about it though? Last year (my 1st as a Catholic) I was told Easter begins on the Saturday? I don't really want to move her birthday to Easter Sunday, as that obviously takes precedence, and her birthday would be overshadowed. The monday is a holiday here, but her dada will be working - so I'm just a bit baffled! She's only two, so we could just move the celebration to coincide with dh's birthday on the 18th, I suppose.
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JennGM
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Lucy, when you say "Easter Saturday" do you mean "Holy Saturday" before Easter Sunday?
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Jennifer G. Miller
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Carole N.
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Lucy, I had an Easter birthday last year. If you go to the Easter Vigil, then you can celebrate both the next day. Have your traditional Easter dinner, but make a cake with an Easter theme (chocolate bunny in grass with jelly beans on the cake). My mum did this for me when my birthday fell close to Easter (I think that I was five).
I usually have my birthday in Lent and my husband and I frequently have our wedding anniversary during Lent. This year it is on Holy Thursday. What to do? It can be difficult to celebrate considering which day of the week the celebration falls on. I usually celebrate on my birthday unless it falls on a Friday.
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 Carole ... in Wales
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Lisbet
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Sometimes My oldest child's birthday falls on Easter! :) That's celebration enough for him!
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Lisa, wife to Tony,
Mama to:
Nick, 17
Abby, 15
Gabe, 13
Isaac, 11
Mary, 10
Sam, 9
Henry, 7
Molly, 6
Mark, 5
Greta, 3
Cecilia born 10.29.10
Josephine born 6.11.12
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tallulah23
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My daughter's birthday is during Lent and we will have a small celebration on her actual birthday with a few presents and a small mini "cake" (more like a dairy free, wheat free, egg free cupcake...) for her and then the big party for everyone on a Sunday so people can eat cake guilt free :)
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Maria B.
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We have three birthdays the first week of March, including mine! We do celebrate them, sometimes the day of or sometimes we move them around to accomodate the calendar, dh's work, schedules, etc. If my girls opt for a party with friends, they do it on a Sunday.
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Maria in VA
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4Real Forums : Domestic Church
Topic: Lent Question
