Ever since our oldest children were very little, we have been implementing an old monastic custom in our home by providing special treats, representing each of the “O Antiphons” on the days leading up to Christmas. The O Antiphon prayers begin on December 17th and end on the 23rd, which is the last Vespers of Advent, since the evening prayer on the 24th is the Vigil of Christmas.
The Benedictine monks arranged these antiphons with a definite purpose. If one starts with the last title and takes the first letter of each one – Emmanuel, Rex, Oriens, Clavis, Radix, Adonai, Sapientia – the Latin words ero cras are formed, meaning, “Tomorrow, I will come.” Therefore, the Lord Jesus, whose coming we have prepared for in Advent and whom we have addressed in these seven Messianic titles, now speaks to us, “Tomorrow, I will come.” So the “O Antiphons” not only bring intensity to our Advent preparation, but bring it to a joyful conclusion.
Each night, following our family rosary, we pray the O Antiphon for the day, sing O Come, O Come Emmanuel, which was inspired by this ancient tradition, and then give the children a special treat.
The “treats” have varied from year to year. Some years it has been little gifts or activities for the family, some years it is all food related, and some years it is a mix of both, depending on our schedule and budget. It doesn’t need to cost much or even anything at all! Be creative!
Sometimes the treats are a bit of a stretch, but my goal is try and find gifts that will either help increase our faith (Catechism books, holy family, saints, prayer, etc) or encourage family time (games, puzzles, going to look at Christmas lights, etc). You can find some of our past O Antiphon treats by scrolling through the archives and visiting Catholic Cuisine.
Our family loves this tradition. It is such a fun way to teach the children about these beautiful prayers of the church and also increase their excitement as Christmas gets closer.
Once again I am hosting an O ANTIPHON GIVEAWAY! One lucky visitor here at Shower of Roses will receive a gift package which will include one complete set of O Antiphon Ornaments and one themed gift for each of the seven O Antiphons! Be sure to scroll to the bottom of this post to enter.
I have listed each of the prizes below, as well as additional ideas (food, activities and gifts – or simply decorate chocolate coins) for each of the O Antiphons:
.: December 17th :.
O Wisdom that comest out of the mouth of the Most High, that reachest from one end to another, and orderest all things mightily and sweetly, come to teach us the way of prudence!
O Sapientia (O Wisdom) – An Alphabet of the Altar
sponsored by St. Augustine Academy Press
sponsored by St. Augustine Academy Press
Since the symbol for wisdom is a book, I usually choose a new Catholic book for our family. Last year I gave our family a copy of An Alphabet of the Altar which had just been reprinted by St. Augustine Academy Press. It’s a beautiful book and I highly recommend it! A copy will be included in the giveaway below!
“This is perhaps the most beautiful book we have come across in a long time, and it was a labor of love to reprint it for you. Each lavishly illustrated page is mesmerizing in its detail but even more so for its love of the beauty of our Faith. Printed in a deep, rich brown ink on cream paper, with a cloth hardcover and dimensional gold embossing, this is a book that will make you feel proud to be Catholic. Preorder yours today and save–this will make the perfect Christmas gift–even for those who already know their alphabet quite well.”
Additional Ideas:
- Bible Cookies or Bible Candies
- Brain Food (Dark Chocolate, Deviled Eggs, etc – I’m hoping to tuck some of the Theo Christmas Bars into stockings this Christmas.)
- Play a Trivia Game (Christmas Trivia, Catholic Trivia, Cranium)
- Play Memory with Catholic Words Memory Match, Saint Memory, or Catholic Quiz games (Scattergories-Catholic Edition is fun with the older kids too!)
- Bookmarks or Holy Cards
- Family Prayer Book, Catechism, or other Book (The Christmas Book, The Catechism in Pictures with review here, Jesus Make Me Worthy, My Catholic Faith, A Catholic Child’s Picture Dictionary, Around the Year: Once Upon a Time Saints, etc… The possibilities are endless.)
Our children received An Alphabet of the Altar last Advent. This year they will be receiving the first two books in The Wonder Series: The Wonder Story and The Wonder Days from St. Augustine Academy Press. These sweet books for children are part of a set of four by the same author, which have been lovingly restored from the 1920s originals. Intended for little hands, they all have large, thick, durable pages (not quite a board book, but a step up) and lots of full color illustrations. The Wonder Story tells the tale of Christ’s coming to earth as a little child; this story is then continued in The Wonder Days, which shows us His Hidden Life in the home at Nazareth. (I’m saving the last two books in the series for Easter.)
.: December 18th :.
O Adonai, and Ruler of the house of Israel, Who didst appear unto Moses in the burning bush, and gavest him the law in Sinai, come to redeem us with an outstretched arm!
O Adonai (O Lord) – The Virgin Mary Around the World with two Marian Dolls: Our Lady of Fatima and Our Lady of Czestochowa
sponsored by Shining Light Dolls
In the past we would emphasize the word “house” in this Antiphon, and have made our Gingerbread Houses or Gingerbread Cookies on this night. Now that we have two birthdays this week (and two birthday cakes to bake and decorate!) we usually wait until Christmas Eve, or sometime during the 12 Days of Christmas to decorated Gingerbread Houses. We have also incorporated Moses and the Ten Commandments and roasted Marshmallows in reference to Moses and the burning bush. This year I’m planning to branch off a bit and see if the kids can figure out how this Marian themed gift relates to this O Antiphon. Then we can discuss the various names for Our Lady, including House of Gold!
Additional Ideas:
- Ten Commandment Cookies
- Cookies made with this Gingerbread House Cookie Cutter or this cute 3-D Mini Gingerbread House Cookie Cutter made by Sweet Creations, emphasizing the word “house”
- Pull out the Smore’s Maker or light a bonfire and Roast Marshmallows, in reference to “Moses in the burning bush”
- Decorate Gingerbread Houses (we might use this pan this year, a Christmas gift from my girls)
- Notre Dame 3-D Church Puzzle, Forest Nativity Shaped Puzzle (shaped like house), or this Stained Glass Holy Night
- Father Leopold Lego Set or Architecture Blocks would also tie in nicely
We already have the picture book included in the giveaway, but our children will unwrap Our Lady of China and Our Lady of Vailankanni to add to our Shining Light Dolls collection.
.: December 19th :.
O Root of Jesse, which standest for an ensign of the people, at Whom the kings shall shut their mouths, Whom the Gentiles shall seek, come to deliver us, do not tarry.
O Radix Jesse (O Root of Jesse) – Ishmael: The Shepherd Boy of Bethlehem
sponsored by Shower of Roses
sponsored by Shower of Roses
From Jesse, the shepherd, to Jesus, the Good Shepherd…
I thought Shepherds would tie in nicely this year!
Additional Ideas:
- Root Beer Floats or Carrot Cake
- Roasted Root Vegetable, Hearty Healing Beef Stew or Hamburger Stew (pictured)… Yum!
- Purchase a Christmas Poinsettia (In the past we have also incorporated other Poinsettias: 12 Red Glitter Poinsettia Ornaments, Miracle of the Poinsettia, The Miracle of the First Poinsettia and Poinsettia Cupcakes)
- Play some sort of Gardening or Nature Game as a Family (perhaps Wildcraft! An Herbal Adventure Game, Gathering a Garden, or The Sneaky Snacky Squirrel Game!)
- A new “Family” Ornament
- Old Fashioned Root Beer Drops
- Bonus: You could even have a Jesse Tea!
This year our children will be unwrapping this darling Shepherd Puzzle Set made by Naturally Catholic to go along with the Nativity and Wise Men they received the last couple years. It’s one of our boys’ birthdays, so this gift doubles as a birthday gift too!
.: December 20th :.
O Key of David, and Sceptre of the house of Israel, that openeth and no man shutteth, and shutteth and no man openeth, come to liberate the prisoner from the prison, and them that sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death.
O Clavis David (O Key of David) –
Catholic Songs for Children CD and Sheet Music Book and St. Cecelia Doll
sponsored by St. Augustine Academy Press and Shining Light Dolls
This year’s gift incorporates music “keys” again…
Catholic Songs for Children CD and Sheet Music Book and St. Cecelia Doll
sponsored by St. Augustine Academy Press and Shining Light Dolls
This year’s gift incorporates music “keys” again…
Additional Ideas:
- Key Lime Pie
- Special drink with dinner. Since this is initially a monastic tradition, and on this night, the monk in charge of the wine cellar would provide a special bottle of wine.
- Surprise the family with tickets (“key”) to something local – Christmas play, the Nutcracker, etc. A few years ago I took our older children to see A Christmas Carol at the theatre.
- Key Puzzle/Brainteaser
- Tiny Saints Key Hooks (One year I purchased a couple key hook rails to use to hang our Rosaries. You can see them in our home in this post.)
- Advent At Ephesus, Caroling at Ephesus, or this Music of Midnight Mass!
Includes two new songs that had not been heard since the 1960’s:
“The Best Christmas Present of All” and “I Want To Be a Little Missionary.”
.: December 21st :.
O Dayspring, Brightness of the everlasting light, Son of justice, come to give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death!
O Oriens (O Dayspring) – Our Lady of Fatima: The Graphic Novel and Coloring Book
sponsored by The Deo Gratias Co.
I’m not generally a big fan of graphic novels, but I LOVE this new book from The Deo Gratias Co! I’m really looking forward to reading it with the kids and excited to be able to give another copy away to one of my visitors here at Shower of Roses!
Additional Ideas:
- O Dayspring Ice Cream
- Non-Alcoholic Mimosas or Texas Sunrise with Breakfast
- Decorate a Christmas Candle (We use a tiny wax baby Jesus I purchased years ago along with Stockmar Gold Decorating Beeswax.)
- Our favorite tradition for this O Antiphon is to pile in the car after dinner with hot cocoa and drive around to look at all the Christmas lights. We have also added these to our tree: Kurt Adler 10-Light Candle with Gold Dish Light Set
- Candles from The Cloister Shoppe
- Grimm’s CASA SOLE Stacking Blocks (The set we have, pictured, isn’t currently available. Other options can be found online and over at Etsy including: Sun Block Wood Toy Stacker and these)
.: December 22nd :.
O King of the Gentiles, yea, and desire thereof! O Corner-stone, that makest of two one, come to save man, whom Thou hast made out of the dust of the earth!
Additional Ideas:
- Crown Cake, Cupcakes or Cookies
- Bake Cookies using the Wise Men Cookie Stamp from Rycraft, Inc –This is what our family will be doing this year! We’ll probably be painting our finger nails too with the lovely polish above.
- Assemble a Three Kings Puzzle and this beautiful Stained Glass Nativity Puzzle
- Listen to King of the Golden City CD
- One year I picked out one of the beautiful sets of Three Kings Gifts – we pull it out every Christmas!
- Twas the Evening of Christmas Picture Book – Our daughter will receive this on the feast of St. Nicholas. It’s such a lovely book!
.: December 23rd :.
O Emmanuel, our King and our Law-giver, Longing of the Gentiles, yea, and salvation thereof, come to save us, O Lord our God!
O Emmanuel (O With Us is God) – Song of the Stars: A Christmas Story Board Book
sponsored by Shower of Roses
sponsored by Shower of Roses
Additional Ideas:
- Make a Chocolate Nativity Scene for Christmas
- Decorate Nativity Cookies to give as gifts or Cookie Cutters Tell the Christmas Story
- 500-Piece Stained Glass Jigsaw Puzzle or Holy Family Puzzle
- Decorate Chocolate Christmas Coins using this FREE Printable
- Children’s Nativity Set – you can find some of our favorites in this post and more of our collection here (scroll down a bit)
- Christmas picture books, coloring books including the beautiful Eucharistic Adoration: With Saints And Symbols Of The Eucharist coloring book, or this BRAND NEW CD Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring: Christmas with The Dominican Sisters of Mary.
We already own the picture book featured in the giveaway. This year our children will be unwrapping the Midnight Mass puzzle and Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring CD which were both featured in my 2017 Christmas Gift Ideas & Stocking Stuffers post last month.
.: CHRISTMAS EVE :.
This year I have an extra little gift to include for Christmas Eve from author Michele Chronister!
sponsored by Michele Chronister
“Do you like the idea of the Jesse Tree, but don’t have the time? Does your family attend Midnight Mass (or wish you could)? This prayer companion is for you! Featuring the complete text of “The Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ from the Roman Martyrology”, the chant used at the beginning of the Christmas Mass during the Night, this little book will help your child to join the Church in reflecting on the mystery of Christmas.”
The winner of the giveaway will receive a copy of this lovely little book tucked in the package along with the rest of their O Antiphon ornaments and gifts!
.: O ANTIPHONS GIVEAWAY :.
O Antiphon Ornaments (Rustic) sponsored by Jesse Tree Treasures
This giveaway is sponsored by Jesse Tree Treasures, St. Augustine Academy Press, The Deo Gratias Co, Shining Light Dolls, Lisieux Nail Polish, author Michele Chronister, and Shower of Roses. (Combined value of $200+)
Enter the Giveaway using the Rafflecopter Box below:
Scroll through all the past “O Antiphon” posts here.
If you are looking for gift ideas, you can find my lists of Christmas Gift Ideas & Stocking Stuffers here (2015), here (2016) and here (2017).
0 Comments