Johnny Carson famously quipped, "There is only one fruitcake in the entire world and people keep passing it around." This quintessentially Christmas confection has been the butt of jokes in movies and books for decades. Love it or loathe it, the dense candied fruit/nut/liquor combination (and variations on that theme, as shown above) has staying power in cultures across the globe.
It is probably true that fruitcake appeals to more mature palates. Lately, pastry shops and home bakers have come up with a new Christmas tradition especially suited to children: the "Happy Birthday Jesus" cake.
A birthday cake for Jesus can help children grasp not only the real meaning of the season, but also that Jesus came into the world just the same way all babies do. It's a simple gesture to remind them that Christmas really is about the birth of a very special baby. Small children may wonder why the Magi brought gifts totally unsuitable for an ordinary child; this much more tender gesture underscores the fact that Jesus was human, too, and indeed had a childhood that children could relate to if only we knew more about it.
And, as birthday parties for kids are a way of saying "We are so glad you were born!", so too is the sharing of a birthday cake for Jesus on December 25 a sweet way of expressing our celebration and gratitude for His life.
If you have children or grandchildren in your life, or if you are young at heart, consider making a special birthday cake for the baby Jesus this year. |
