Pentecost Dinner Party!

Dust off your finest linens and bring out the decorations, for the Holy Spirit is ready to renew hearts this Pentecost!

Let the trumpets sound, the candles flicker, and joy overflow! Pentecost – the feast that marks the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles and the birthday of the Church – calls for your attention! So, why not celebrate Pentecost at home with your kids by hosting a jubilant dinner party?

Whether around a lavish table with guests, or in simple cosy comforts with just your family, let the warmth and joy of the Holy Spirit fill your house!

A celebration of joy!

At the very first Pentecost, the disciples were so filled with the Holy Spirit that onlookers thought they were drunk (Acts 2:13)! What seemed out of character to others was really the overflow of divine joy.

Let that same supernatural joy be the theme of your celebration!

Joy springs up in laughter, song, and silliness. Whatever brings delight to your family, do more of that on Pentecost.

Here are some ideas to stir up joy in your home:

Praise and Worship music: Create a family playlist and let praise music play throughout the day. Encourage kids to sing along.
Party hats or headbands: Let little ones decorate their own paper hats or headbands with red, orange, and yellow “flames” or symbols of the Spirit (e.g. doves, wind, fire).
Games and charades: Play “Guess the Gift of the Spirit” – charade-style, or create a Holy Spirit scavenger hunt using clues that lead to a treasure (like a treat!).
Joy Jar: Let each person write or draw something that brings them joy and place it in a decorated jar. Read them aloud at mealtime.

Decorate your home

Red is the liturgical colour of Pentecost, symbolising the fire of the Holy Spirit. So let your home be decorated in red for this great feast!

To turn your everyday space into something festive, you don’t need anything elaborate. A few thoughtful touches can create an atmosphere of festivity.

Here are some simple ways to decorate for Pentecost:

Dress the table: Set the dinner table with a red tablecloth, napkins or placemats, and add red roses for the centrepiece.
Light up your space: Light candles or string up fairy lights over windows.
Hang party accents: String red streamers, red balloons, or paper flames from the ceiling.
Dress the part: Encourage guests to wear red or a red accessory.
Create a “Come, Holy Spirit” prayer corner: Decorate your prayer altar (or a small corner of the house) with red cloth, a Bible opened to Acts 2, and a candle. It’s a beautiful way to mark the spiritual aspect of the day.

Dinner

Pentecost is a feast, and a feast requires good food! You don’t need anything fancy, just something that will bring everyone together to celebrate.

Here are some ways to make your Pentecost dinner extra special:

Start with prayer: Light a candle and pray together, asking the Holy Spirit to be present at your table.
Serve something red: A vibrant red cordial, fruit punch, or red wine will add a special touch.
Serve a family favourite: Whatever the meal, serve a dish that everyone enjoys.
Add a spiritual touch: Symbolic of the fruits of the Holy Spirit, serve a fruit salad after the main meal. You might even let each person choose a spiritual fruit they desire to grow in.

Birthday cake

Nothing says celebration like cake! It’s the Church’s birthday after all..

Bake or buy a cake – it doesn’t matter, as long as there’s cake! You may choose to decorate it with strawberries to represent the fire of the Holy Spirit. Alternatively, you may decide on a simple cake with thirteen candles to represent Mary and the twelve apostles on the day of Pentecost.

Fire

Why not bring something of the fire of the Holy Spirit to the occasion? Light the fire pit or fireplace after dinner – a beautiful and captivating way of bringing everyone together.

Simply enjoy each other’s company, or go a step further by reading the Pentecost story from Acts 2:1-12.

You may choose to use the following prompts for discussion:

How do you think the Apostles felt at that moment?
How do we hear the Holy Spirit today?
What gifts of the Spirit do you see in your family members?

Making that extra effort to commemorate Pentecost at home with your kids is sure to speak volumes to them that the Holy Spirit is worth celebrating. May our hearts be set ablaze at this time with the joy of fellowship and the Spirit of renewal.

Just as the Apostles were filled with awe and wonder on that first Pentecost, we too can be inspired to seek the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives each day.