When my children were little they VERY eagerly awaited the preparatory period before the Great Fast which begins with Zacchaeus Sunday. It was truly one of their favorite weeks of the year because it always included some very special crafts and treats. I hope to share these ideas with you today!
First of all, we reviewed the story of Zacchaeus by reading their favoriite bible-story book version as well as by watching the Veggie Tales video...this includes a cute little song which they sing to this day! Its a catchy little tune! Once inspired, it was time to welcome our friend Zacchaeus as an honored guest in our home. One way we did this is by fashioning a likeness of our friend as a paper doll! We have several potted ficus and palm trees in our home where he would appear among the branches, waiting there to see Jesus! Here's a template you can use to make a paper Zacchaeus for the trees in your house!
...you can't seem to make just one!
Wooden skewers or sticks taped to his back anchor him well to his tree.
Here he is by the back door!
Next, we make a brown paper Zacchaeus tree and hang it on the back door. This will be useful in keeping us on track spiritually during the Great Fast. It is this time of the season that we begin to think of ways in which we can improve ourselves during Lent and give worthy offerings to Jesus. Our tree has three branches on its trunk; one is marked "Prayer", one " Fasting", and the third is marked "Almsgiving". As the lenten season progresses, our children can add leaves to our tree when they perform one of these spiritual gifts for Christ. For example, when we attend the Presanctified Liturgy, each child can place a leaf on the "Prayer" branch. After giving some canned goods or clothing to the poor, they may place a leaf on the "Almsgiving" branch, and so on throughout the Fast until our tree is full of beautiful leaves!
Now all of these things will be accomplished before Zacchaeus Sunday so that we are ready to hear the Gospel reading. When we come home from Liturgy, this special breakfast treat will be waiting for us!
St. Zacchaeus Cinnamon Roll
The picture from last year does not do this breakfast treat justice, as it is a favorite in our home even when it's NOT Zacchaeus Sunday! Just take your favorite cinnmon roll recipe, and cut the dough in half. Setting one half aside, roll the rest of the dough out, filling it as usual and then roll it up, place it onto a baking sheet, BUT...before you cut it into slices, turn the pan and make the slices lengthwise, cutting the roll into long strips, but only halfway down the "trunk" of the tree. Fan the strips out to form the "branches" of the tree. Next, take the remaining dough and break it up into little golf-ball size pieces. Shape eaxh piece into a leaf shape, dip it into beaten egg and then in green sugar or green sprinkles and place it as a leaf on your tree! You can use the last ball of dough to make a little face, YES...it's Zacchaeus! Place him in the top of the tree! Bake this as you would as usual when you make regularly shaped cinnamon rolls. When they cool down completely, you can then melt some chocolate chips in a glass bowl in the microwave, spoon the melted chocolate into a bag and pipe some bark onto your tree, and some eyes, hair and a beard onto our friend. What a great after-Liturgy treat for Zacchaeus Sunday!
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