Our annual home-school All Saints’ Party is one of my children’s favorite events each year. This year was no different. They had SO much fun! The two women that coordinated, and gave Kristy and I a much needed break this year, did an excellent job.
As usual the evening started, in the church, with the Rosary and Litany of the Saints. It is such a perfect way to start the evening and so precious to hear all the children praying together dressed as the saints of their choice. I’m sure the Saints in heaven were smiling.
Then it was time for dinner. Dinner was kept fairly simple and was potluck style. The dessert table consisted mostly of donuts, a very appropriate food for this feast.
I have always wanted to use Jennifer Miller’s suggestion and include a “graveyard” at our party, but with the overwhelming amount of work that went into the games, I was never able to pull it off. I passed on the suggestion to Marci this year — who did a beautiful job with it. After her awesome Summer with the Saints, I’m convinced that she can do anything!! 🙂
It turned out perfect! At the base of the cross, she made tombstones out of painted card stock labeled: Departed Family, Forgotten Dead, Departed Clergy, and Departed Friends. There were markers available so that everyone was able to write their departed loved ones names down. In fact, we were able to place the names at the base of the altar at the cemetery this morning for our All Souls Mass!
After dinner we took a group photo of the kids and had a procession of Saints, at which time they were able to tell everyone who they were dressed as. Each child was given a treat bag (to be filled with treats while playing games), a candy bar, a holy card, and a rosary.
The children were very anxious to start playing the games…
In addition to some old favorites, there were some fun NEW games this year as well!
One was a variation at St. Isidore’s Pumpkin Patch. This year, the object was to “roll” the pumpkin into the basket, rather than toss it. Sort of like bowling, but without the pins. The kids loved it.
Another new game was called Feed My Sheep. The object of this game was to toss a bunch of hay (a bean bag with hay glued to the outside) into the mouth of the sheep! What a clever idea!
A favorite new game, especially with the boys, was St. Pat’s Shooting Gallery! The object of this game was to hit the shamrocks on the wall with these little rubber disks (which are safe if they go astray and hit something or someone else!). Bonus points, or rather candy, for hitting the leprechaun!
My girls loved the new Halo Toss.
The Tower of Babel was lots of fun too. This game took 2 or more players, and the object was to build the tallest tower without it falling over before the time ran out.
There is always a long line for Fishers of Men.
I was recently asked for copies of my Musical Saints posters, and since I couldn’t find them on my computer, I quickly made new ones. After years of using the same ones, it was high time for replacements anyways.
When I took my little Saint Clare over to play Musical Saints, she immediately noticed the Saint Clare poster and said:
She then sat in “her” chair, a very happy little girl.
When the music started I told her that she needed to start walking again… Which she did, but when the music stopped, and someone else sat in “her” chair she wasn’t sure WHAT to do!! As soon as they got up, she jumped back in the chair and refused to move:
I had to break it to her, that it wasn’t just her chair, and that she did need to share it, but I couldn’t help laughing at the same time. It was funny!
She quickly got over it, and here is a picture of her with a little friend who borrowed her costume from last year. Doesn’t she make a cute little Saint Kateri?
Snuggles was pretty content just eating pizza and hanging out with daddy. Especially since it had been a week since he had seen him!
Oh! I almost forgot!! The Saint-O-Lanterns were used to decorate the tables, but I did get a quick photo, before we left, of them all lined up.
There wasn’t a competition this year, but I must say that my personal favorite was this beautiful carving of Our Lady of Guadalupe:
Everyone had a great time, and all my children came home with WAY too much candy…
All Saints in Heaven ~ Pray for Us!
for the record, that is *not* way too much candy… 😉
How precious!
In my house it is! 🙂
Now that’s a party! Ours was a bt shabbier, but loads of fun. Our dessert was “Graveyardy”. Come on over to see,
Your party was way better than ours!! Ours was pretty good though. It looked like a great time!! It seems so homey. Ours is in a church gym, it’s not potluck, it’s snackluck.
(I did post pictures on my private blog of the kids:)
Now, do you mix all the candy together and they all share? Or do they get to just keep it and eat it whenever?
Just fyi, I’m a mean mommy and they mix it all together and pick from one bag…1/2 like it and 1/2 don’t. I keep the bag and they get it for dessert….the asking of “Can I have candy for breakfast?” has begun….
It was so much fun and I have to agree that the ladies who planned it did a most beautiful job!
I love the picture of Saint Clare and Saint Kateri (I am biased though, lol) those big brown eyes on both of them could melt an army!
We are a big bowl on top of the fridge kind of family. It makes it easier. Some people get candy they don’t like as much and others do, you know how it goes. So the bowl works well. Usually at this party all the kids get one regular sized candy bar and we make sure the kids get that one….
Oh! And our eldest was a helper. So she kept her bag (which was just a few really nice treats like a pack of gum, a DQ certificate, etc) and the other share the littler candies with her. It works out so much better, especially when some kids get tons more than others.
I just found your blog. I’m trying to plan for next year at our parish. We have a newly formed group of Catholic moms and I like to plan ahead! LOL!!! My hope is it will raise their awarness in our rural community and give inspiration for those who feel that they aren’t up to the experience of going deeper in their faith.
Peace!
Diane
what a great post. I had alot of fun organizing this event, and am I crazy for wanting to do it again next year??? lol
We had a great time…
Blessings~
+JMJ+