Celebrating Pentecost {and Link-Up!}

Come Holy Ghost, fill the hearts of Your faithful and kindle in them the fire of Your love. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created. And You shall renew the face of the earth.

Tomorrow we celebrate Pentecost Sunday! Since Pentecost if the Birthday of the Church, our family always celebrates with a birthday cake! Our cake is a usually a white cake with white frosting since Pentecost is also known as Whitsunday. The large candle in center represents Christ our Light, who promised to send the Holy Ghost, and the 12 smaller white candles represent the 12 Apostle and the tongues of fire. The 7 red hearts represent the 7 gifts of the Holy Ghost, and the 12 strawberries, placed around the cake, represent the 12 fruits of the Holy Ghost.

Pentecost Sunday 2011

After singing Happy Birthday to the Church, our kids blow out the candles with a "mighty wind."

One year, when I was short on time, I just picked up a white Cheesecake from Costco, along with some Strawberries, which was quick and easy! Red Velvet would also work nicely, as Robina has previously suggested.  Additional dessert ideas for Pentecost include Flames of Pentecost Cupcakes, Flaming Cupcakes for Pentecost, Pentecost Cupcakes, Pentecost Pie, and Holy Spirit Cheesecake.

Catholic Icing shares a great idea for Pentecost Sundaes, and don't miss these Pentecost Parfaits at Catholic Mom! 

In addition to dessert there are all sorts of other recipes that you could make for Pentecost in the archives.   Some of our favorites are a Twelve Fruit Salad and Seven Layer Bean Dip:

Twelve Fruit Salad 
in honor of the twelve fruits of the Holy Spirit

Last year our salad included: Kiwi, Red Raspberries, Black Raspberries, Strawberries, Watermelon, Red Grapes, Green Grapes, Cantaloupe, Pineapple, Peaches, Nectarines, and Apricots.

7 Layer Dip in honor of the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit

Beans, Salsa, Sour Cream, Guacamole, Cheese, Green Onions & Olives

Since Pentecost is also known as "Whitsunday," one tradition is to serve white foods. Since Pentecost is also known as "Whitsunday," and one tradition is to serve white foods. Some ideas include powdered sugar doughnuts with white hot chocolate in the morning, and an afternoon snack of milk and Macaroons, and Cornish Game Hens (representing the Dove), Pasta Alfredo (white), and Cauliflower (white) for dinnertime.

You could also go with a "Red-Hot Theme" for dinner this year. Examples would include: fiery hot food, food cooked over flames, and any other food that is red. Perhaps even the Phoenix-Tailed Shrimp which happens to be one of the suggestions for the final Good Shepherd's Garden Party!

Holy Spirit Crackers for Pentecost Sunday are yet another fun treat for Pentecost! 

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Now it's your turn!  Be sure to take pictures tomorrow to share in the link-up below.  And for all of those that have been joining us and celebrating the Easter Season with The Garden of the Good Shepherd, we'd love to see pictures and hear about how you modified our Good Shepherd's Garden Party for your family, or incorporated any of our other ideas into your celebration.   

To Participate:

1. Create a post about your Pentecost Sunday and/or Good Shepherd's Garden Party for the seventh week of Easter. 

2. Using the linky below, enter the exact link to your post.

3. Add a link your post, referring back to this post so that others can find the party as well!  

4. Be sure to visit the links and see how everyone else has been celebrating!

I hope you have a blessed Pentecost Sunday!