Mary’s is one of only three birthdays on the liturgical calendar each year (the others are Jesus’ and John the Baptist’s). Kids love a birthday party, and this is a perfect day to let them head up the decoration committee and create drawings and random paper cut outs that are claimed to be flowers. We keep a shelf out in the garage of birthday party leftovers, like plates and streamers and balloons, and they get to use that too. They get to help make a blue birthday cake and use too many sprinkles. At the birthday party, I serve blue food, as blue is Mary’s color. Of course, there aren’t many blue foods, so the menu gets a bit odd, but that’s part of the fun. Here’s our favorite blueberry cornbread recipe.