Each year on the eve of St. Nicholas Day (Dec 5th) our children are usually up late writing their letters to St. Nicholas and the Christ Child ✍️ We adopted this little tradition many years ago inspired by Maria Von Trapp: “... And there is still one very important...
Andreasherzen (St. Andrew’s Hearts)
Each Advent brings the joyous anticipation of Christmas in our home, marked by our delightful traditions of counting down the days with our annual Advent Book Basket, our various Advent Calendars, and the Jesse Tree. In the earlier years, when we were just starting...
Dug up this gem after scrolling back 417 weeks! 🕰️✨ Sharing again for this Advent. This statue of our Blessed Mother has always been one of my favorites and perfect to go along with the Christmas Anticipation Prayer also known as the St. Andrew Novena. So hard to...
- New Christmas Books for the Feast of St. Nicholas - As the holiday season approaches, and we bid farewell to All Saints Day and Martinmas, it's time to shift our focus to the upcoming feast of St. Nicholas. Amidst the hustle and bustle of Thanksgiving preparations,...
Advent begins at the beginning of next month, and the time has come for my annual reminder to prepare for the season and order Advent Candles for your wreath. The dear nuns at The Cloister Shoppe have these beautiful candles ready to ship, and they have a tendency to...
A Christmas Carol Book Review: Last December St. Nicholas gave one of our daughters an illustrated edition of The Christmas Carol. She also received the Charles Dickens Tribute Lego Set (which was a gift with purchase awhile back). I asked this Dicken's lover of ours...
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...
"The Rorate Caeli Mass is a traditional Advent devotion wherein the Mass of the Blessed Virgin Mary for Advent is offered just before dawn... ...The Rorate Mass is lit only by candlelight. Because it is a votive Mass in Mary’s honor, white vestments are worn instead...
Advent Book Basket Is it really Advent already? How is that even possible?!? This month (year!) has flown by... We have had our college kids home all week which has been wonderful! I sure love it when everyone is home and I am already looking forward to having them...
Father in heaven, grant me the grace to appreciate the dignity which you have conferred on me. Let me realize that not even the Angels have been blessed with such a privilege—to share in your creative miracle and bring new Saints to heaven. Make me a good mother to all my children after the example of Mary, the Mother of your Son. Through the intercession of Jesus and Mary I ask your continued blessings on my family. Let us all be dedicated to your service on earth and attain the eternal happiness of your kingdom in heaven. Amen.
