King Cake!

This year, I decided to be fun and festive and get a king cake for the kids for Mardi Gras. We took it over to a friend's house to eat with dinner so that the three of us wouldn't be stuck eating the whole thing at home by ourselves. I remembered getting these at church youth functions as a kid and really enjoying the tradition. I talked it up to Avery and Claire and told them how one person would get a small "baby jesus" in their piece of cake and have extra blessings for the year (since they're too young to "host the party next year" or whatever the actual tradition may be). The cake is supposed to celebrate Jesus' meeting with the three wisemen.

They and their friends were really excited. Sadly, no one got the baby Jesus that night. Christi and I divided the rest between the two of us to keep for breakfast tomorrow (It is like cinnamon bread, after all), and we covertly looked for the hidden baby to no avail. So I was stuck with no baby Jesus and two very excited kids eagerly awaiting breakfast. I guess it's a safety issue, and to keep kids from choking, bakeries are not putting them inside and letting you put the baby in yourself. I think Walmart certainly should have let me know that mine did not include the prized baby. After a FB cry for help, I took the suggestion to print out a picture of baby Jesus and tuck it inside. 

Avery didn't seem to mind at all that it wasn't plastic. He was very excited to find it wrapped in a tin foil envelope in his cake at breakfast. He even took it to school to show his friends.

Claire didn't seem to mind too much that it wasn't in her piece. She has high hopes for next year! 

Crisis adverted and lesson learned for next time! Be sure the king cake comes with a baby!