9 Ways to Celebrate Presentation of Christ
Celebrated February 2nd
The Feast of the Presentation of Christ in the Temple is celebrated each year on February 2nd. The Feast is one of the 12 Great Feasts in the Orthodox Church. Another name for the feast is The Meeting of our Lord, and in some Western traditions you may hear it referred to as Candlemas. The story of the Presentation is told in Luke 2:22-29. Mary (Theotokos) and Joseph were faithful Jews and observed their religious customs. An important custom was for the couple to take their first-born son to the Temple 40 days after his birth and dedicate him to God. In addition, if the parents were wealthy, they were to bring a lamb and a young pigeon or a turtle dove to be offered as a sacrifice at the Temple.
In this guide you’ll find simple and 9 easy and fun ideas to celebrate the Presentation of Christ as a family - emphasis on easy! Activity suggestions, book recommendations, song links, and additional information so you can share her story and what this feast is all about!
Living Liturgically
Here you’ll find easy ideas to celebrate Presentation of Christ as a family - with an emphasis on easy! As a busy mom with 4 little ones, I know how precious your time is, so I hope to simplify how you celebrate feasts together. Perhaps some of these ideas will become new traditions for you and your family for years to come! In this list you’ll find ways to teach your children about the feast. Understanding our faith, especially as a child, is also very important! But all these ideas aside, the most important way we can celebrate any feast is by attending Divine Liturgy!
Scroll to learn more about the Presentation of Christ and find 9 ideas to celebrate this feast with your family
The Story of the Presentation of Christ in the Temple - When Jesus was 40 days old, Mary and Joseph took Him to the Temple in Jerusalem. They were not wealthy, so they took two turtle doves with them to offer as a sacrifice at the Temple. As they arrived at the Temple, Mary and Joseph were met by a very old man named Simeon. He was a holy man and was noted as a very intelligent scholar. Simeon spent much time studying about the prophets of Israel. It was during his studies that he learned of the coming of the Messiah. The Jewish people were waiting for the Messiah to come and deliver Israel from their conquerors. From that time on, Simeon spent his time praying for the Messiah to come. He spent many years in prayer. Finally, while St Simeon was praying he heard the voice of God. God promised St Simeon that he would not die until he had seen the Messiah. When St Simeon saw Jesus, he took the baby in his arms and blessed the Lord and said:
Additional Liturgical Significance: The words St. Simeon spoke when he saw the Christ Child are known as "St. Simeon's Prayer." This prayer is sung daily at the evening Vespers services of the Orthodox Church. Also, in the Orthodox Church, both baby boys and baby girls are taken to the Church on the 40th day after their birth and prayers are said for both the mother and child, and the child is dedicated to God. This is done in remembrance of the Theotokos and Joseph taking the infant Jesus to the Temple.
There are many ways to celebrate this Great Feast with your kids!
Check out this list below for some ideas to help you make this day extra meaningful and even begin some new traditions in your home!
1. Attend Liturgy
If you choose to do one thing, make this your priority! The most important way to celebrate any feasts is to attend Divine Liturgy for the feast! This is how we connect our lives at home with our lives in the church. Our lives ought to be hinged in the Church, as this is where Christ offers us His Life. Jesus tells us “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5) We have to attach ourselves to the vine, as often as we are able. Partaking in the Eucharist, giving thanks to God for all He has given us, this is the Christian life. As a family, prioritize attending Divine Liturgy for the 12 Great Feasts. Check with your local parish to find out when the services are being offered.
2. Bring Candles to the Church to be Blessed
In some churches there is a tradition to bring their candles to their local church where they are blessed and then used for the rest of the year. For Christians, these blessed candles serve as a symbol of Jesus Christ, who referred to Himself as the Light of the World
3. Make Your Own Rolled Beeswax Candles
About 450 AD in Jerusalem, people began the custom of holding lighted candles during the Divine Liturgy of this feast day. Making candles is a fun way to connect with this long standing tradition and have fun while doing it! We do this every year for this feast day. You can make candles using a rolled beeswax kit like this one (affiliate link) which makes it super easy and convenient or by melting pellets of beeswax - see this tutorial.
4. Create an Atmosphere in Your Home
Set out an Icon of the Presentation, eat dinner by candle light, add a vase of flowers to your icon corner. During your family prayers, sing the words St. Simeon spoke when he saw the Christ as a Child, which are known as "St. Simeon's Prayer." This prayer is sung daily at the evening Vespers services of the Orthodox Church. Whatever you do, creating an atmosphere that elevates the feast days in your home is a beautiful way to celebrate the feast!
5. Read the Story about the Feast
For Biblical Stories, we love to read them directly from the source! You can find the story of the Presentation of Christ in Luke 2:22-29. In The Children’s Reader Bible, this story is on page 173.
Book Recommendations:
Heaven Meets Earth: Celebrating the 12 Great Feasts - by Ancient Faith Publishing has information about each major feast and is a book I use all year round! Highly recommend having a copy of this one in your collection. Grab your copy here.
Saint Simeon and the Entrance of our Lord into the Temple - by Masha R. Jones. This gem of a book is brand new, created by a fellow Orthodox Homeschool Mom! I love the whimsical illustrations and the simplicity of the story, as my 7 year old can easily read it aloud for us. I know you’ll love it too. Available on Amazon (affiliate link).
February My Synaxarion: A Saint for Everyday - by Potamitis Press features the Presentation of Christ on February 2nd. We can’t stop singing the praises of this little series of books, and I appreciate that it also highlights the major feasts too! Grab your copy here.
The Meeting of Our Lord (Twelve Great Feasts for Children Series) - This little series of books is a great little collection created by Mother Melania at Holy Assumption Monastery. The illustrations are simple and beautiful with whimsical watercolors and Orthodox iconography. On their website they also offer a FREE companion work sheets and activity ideas, including teacher's key and lesson plans. To obtain your FREE copy, please click Meeting of Our Lord Worksheets to download.
The Story of You by Orthodox Children’s Press - shares about a churching from the perspective of parents! This is a great opportunity to remind your children about their own presentation to the Church at their churching. Whatever Christ does, we do too! My children love this one. Obtain your copy here (affiliate link).
In the Candle's Glow by Elizabeth Crispina Johnson is about how candles are made at the monastery and how we use candles for prayer at church! Since the Presentation is all about Christ being the light of the world, this could be a neat time to reflect on how we use candles in church and how candles are made! You can get your copy here.
6. Listen to a Song for Kids about the feast
One of the easiest ways for children to learn is memorization through songs. This is especially true for elementary aged children. Gigi Baba Shadid is a singer/songwriter and she is also a Priest wife and educator at a classical education school. I highly recommend playing this song with your kids a few times before the feast and singing along with them. You’ll be amazed how easily they pick up the words! Check out this song called “Baby Christ in the Temple” which shares the story of the Presentation of Christ in a way that kids will be remember.
Fun fact: this is my daughter’s hands: we own this set and were able to snap some photos of my kids using them for Orthodox Pebbles!
7. Learn more about the Presentation of Christ together
with this Free Printable Lesson Plan and Paper Puppets by Orthodox Pebbles! Once again, Orthodox Pebbles knocks it out of the park with a brand new lesson/set on the Meeting of our Lord! This free printable packet is jam-packed with helpful information for a formal/guided lesson to help your children understand this feast and its signifance.
Or Orthodox Pebbles Fabric Learning Set for Purchase:
One of my favorite resources to teach a Biblical Story is through the Fabric learning sets produced through Orthodox Pebbles. This fabric learning set includes both the story of the Meeting of our Lord and the Annunciation. It is hands-on, Orthodox-focused, interactive, and helps children better remember the story and meaning of these two Great Feast days. You can purchase the DIY fabric through Draw Near Designs.
8. Watch this short video for kids
Check out this 4 minute video that explains the story of the Presentation for children to help them better understand the story from the perspective of St Simeon, the one who receives Christ (God-Receiver) in the Temple.
9. Create a Feast Day Banner
Draw Near Designs created a FREE printable feast day pennant banner illustrating the 12 Great Feasts of the Orthodox Church! This is a great way to follow along with liturgical calendar by following the Major Feast Days, coloring one per feast day this year!
Final Thoughts
When it comes to Major Feast Days, I always prioritize 2 things: (1) Attending the service and (2) telling my children about the feast day prior - or afterwards. Usually this is done by showing them the icon or reading the account from their Children’s Bible. If I can do those two things, I feel a great sense of success! My hope is that these feasts days imprint on their hearts during their childhood and they have a greater love for our Savior as they grow up because of them. Now, if you are able to do those two things, you’re a gold star! Bravo! If you are in a season where you want to go a little deeper and make those connections stronger, I will cheer you on and encourage you on that venture. Some seasons allow for more, especially as children grow older. But if you find yourself in a busy season with littles, rest assured, you have many many years ahead to be able to add more to your plate!