May Holidays- Menus and More!

One of the reasons that the women in my family started The Gingham Apron several years ago was to start bringing more celebration in the lives of our family. You know, life can be hard, and in one way or other all of us have difficulties. But life is also so wonderful! And we are always looking for ways to bring joy and lightness into ordinary days. We want to “Taste and See that the LORD is good,” because that’s exactly what God tells us to do in Psalm 34. Here are some of the ways that we bring celebration and gratitude into the month of May. I hope these ideas inspire you to celebrate with your family a little more this May.

May Day

The month starts out with May Day, and we have celebrated that in many fun ways over the years. Our kids especially remember the year that my mom actually made a May Pole in her backyard!  She’s always looking for ways to make life fun and exciting! You can read more about that here.

Cinco De Mayo

We love so many bright, fresh flavors found in Mexican cuisine and really take advantage of that on the fifth day of May. Check out all of our favorite recipes here.

I know that I will be making taco skillet and guacamole, because our family especially loves those dishes. And now that we live in Southern California, we can pick up fresh avocados just about anywhere.

 

Mother’s Day

And then we are on to Mother’s Day. How do you celebrate Mother’s Day in your family?

Molly writes about the treasure that moms truly are here. And she shares her delicious Angel Food Cake with Berries that makes Mother’s Day delightful.

And I write all about my mom and my two precious grandmothers here. The women in my life are the best!

 

How about celebrating Mother’s Day with an effortless brunch? We have a brunch all planned out for you right here.

Need a quick and easy gift for your mom? Print this lovely sign and pop it in a frame. Isn’t it beautiful? Your mom will love it!

Memorial Day

And then we round out the month with a Memorial Day, a time in which we can remember in gratitude those who have given so much for our freedom. Why not have a BBQ with family, friends, or neighbors? Here is a wonderful menu Molly gathered that everyone will enjoy!

And I really like to relax along with everyone else on Memorial Day, so last year I rounded up a Menu of Make-Ahead Side Dishes that really makes the actual holiday effortless. Grill some brats and hot dogs and pull these side dishes out of the fridge.

And if you’re looking for inspiration and reflection about our wartime heroes, read my mom’s post about her uncle who served in WWII. Wonderful!

I’ll leave you will this verse about the goodness of God. He has blessed us in countless ways, and I hope that you will join me during this month of May recounting and celebrating all of his blessings.

Psalm 103 

Praise the Lord, my soul;
    all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
Praise the Lord, my soul,
    and forget not all his benefits—
who forgives all your sins
    and heals all your diseases,
who redeems your life from the pit
    and crowns you with love and compassion,
who satisfies your desires with good things
    so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.