Another Ayyam-i-Ha Celebrated!

Only one week ago, our family celebrated Ayyam-i-Ha. Starting February 26-March 1, Baha'i families and communities celebrate these "inter-calary" days with gift-giving, hospitality, and charity.

Decorating For Ayyam-i-Ha
In our home, we decorate with dolls from other lands. I bought beautiful cloth dolls at Pier One Imports one year after Christmas. One is from India and has a beautiful pink sari, another is from Scotland, another from Africa, and the other from Japan. The four dolls are displayed prominently on our mantle.

With gem color lights, the room was aglow with a warm feeling of spring approaching. We have beaded birds and a garland of felted flowers and a garland of spring flower buds strung throughout the main room. Iz and K had a delightful time hanging up our little animal ornaments on their play kitchen and play stand.

Family Party!!
We make 9-pointed star sugar cookies every year for neighbors and the children's teachers. And one of our yearly holiday highlights is our extended family party that involves all of our cousins, aunts, and of course, grandma and grandpa. Each family brings a large basket and a dozen handmade gifts to pass around to each family. By the end of the party, everyone's basket is brimming with gifts and goodies to take home. This is the 2nd year we have decided to add a chocolate fountain to the festivities.

The Ayyam-i-Ha Virtues Fairy
At our community-wide party for the children, we invited the Ayyam-i-Ha Virtues Fairy to come. She sat on her throne and invited each child to sit on her lap. They chose their own unique virtue from her sash and she told them how that virtue made them special. Each child seemed enthralled with her attention. She was magical.