The Liturgical Year Calendar: Christmas Cycle
New Christmas Books for the Feast of St. Nicholas {and a St. Nicholas Giveaway!}
The feast of St. Nicholas is coming up fast! On December 6th our children always wake up to find that the letters they wrote to the Holy Child and/or St. Nicholas have been taken and their (sometimes new/replaced) slippers have been filled with little treats, oranges, chocolate gold coins, candy canes, and often times a note from St. Nicholas.
St. Nick might also bring her this special surprise that I received as a “free gift with purchase” one year and have been saving to give her at some point.
“No gift is too small for Jesus when it is given with humility and love.
Joel is seven years old and is the son of the Kings’ stableman. With his Dad, he is traveling with the Magi as they follow the star to Bethlehem, to meet the newborn King. All of them are bringing very special gifts, such as gold, frankincense, and myrrh. But Joel is the only one in the caravan who isn’t carrying a gift for the new King. Since he knows how to whittle wood, Joel decides to carve a little camel for the baby. Soon he discovers that his humble gift is more special than all the others.”
.: For Grace – Age 4 :.
The Gifts of the Animals: A Christmas Tale
The gentle beasts of sky and earth
prepare their stable for Christ’s birth.
With a beautiful narrative by author and poet Carole Gerber and stunning and intricate art by renowned Japanese artist Yumi Shimokawara comes one of the most anticipated Christmas gift books ever published. The Gift of the Animals shares the miraculous offerings the humble animals in the manger gave to the baby Jesus.
The birds on the roof of the lowly shed
prepare a pillow for His head,
with feathers pulled from downy breasts . . .
mice carry them to where He’ll rest.
“Come!” drummed a woodpecker one cold, wintry day. “A baby is coming. There’s work to be done!”
One by one, from field and forest, the animals make their way to a barn. The cow has sweet-smelling hay to offer the baby. The bluebird has the gift of song. And a lamb has soft, cozy wool. But the shy little fox has nothing to offer . . . or so he thinks. With its gentle text and warm, expressive illustrations, this irresistible take on the Nativity story invites even the youngest child to discover the truest gifts of the Christmas season: the ones that come from the heart.
Once again this year I will be hosting FOUR Advent and Christmas themed giveaways! Here is the first giveaway in preparation for the feast of St. Nicholas:
Prize #1 – Set of Five Cookie Stamps with Recipe Booklet
Includes:
Saint Rudolph and the Reindeer
The Forgotten Christmas Saint: Saint Anastasia
Animals of God Volume 1
Saint Cloud of Gaul: The Prince Who Traded Kingdoms
sponsored by author Susan Peek (value $50.00)
And here is the link to my original St. Nicholas Chocolate Coins and the updated version I created a couple years ago!
For additional Christmas book suggestions you can find some of our lists in the archives:
Saint Nicholas & the Nine Gold Coins {Beautiful book!}
Christmas Mosaic: A Review & Featured Book List
35 Favorite Christmas Picture Books for Children
Feasts & Seasons :: Advent & Christmas Collection
New Christmas Books for the Feast of St. Nicholas:
2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020
Stacks of Books on Christmas Morning or Epiphany:
2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017
Celebrating Martinmas
“Martin was a fine soldier. He learned to throw the javelin straight and true, to ride and use his sword expertly. Although he hated to shed blood, he was a brave warrior in battle. After three years, the young Hungarian was made leader of the calvary.
The Roman army marched into Gaul, today called France, and captured the city of Paris. Martin’s division was sent from place to place to enforce the law. One day the troops were assigned to Amiens. It was bitter cold. As the infantry entered the city gates, they passed a miserable half-naked beggar crouched in the shelter of the wall.
“Pity a poor beggar!” he pleaded. “In God’s name, help me!” The old man held out his cup to the soldiers, but they thought only of the food and fires in the inns of Amiens and passed him without a glance.
When all the infantrymen had passed through the gates, Martin came riding up on a fine horse. He was wearing armor, and over it a warm red cloak. The young officer’s purse was empty, but he could not pass the pauper. He drew his cloak from his shoulders, and parted it in the middle with his sword. Half he wrapped around the beggar, the other half he fastened again to his collar.
That night Martin had a dream. He saw Christ, seated on His throne in heaven, wearing the other half of his mantle. The same voice that begged mercy outside the gates of Amiens filled his dark tent: “Inasmuch as you have done it to the least of these, you have done it unto me.”
In the morning, with the dream still in his thoughts, Martin went to be baptized.”
Some of us are still fighting colds, so we weren’t able to make it to Mass, but we woke up to snow falling for the first time this winter and had a cozy day at home. Happy Martinmas! 🕯
St. Joan of Arc’s 2021 All Saints Party
Last Sunday evening, October 31st, our parish hosted it’s Annual All Saints & Octoberfest Party. The schedule was similar to last year’s complete with singing the Litany of the Saints in the church, delicious food, saintly games including the All Saints Guessing Jars we made to bring, Saint-O-Lantern and Saint Costume contests, silent auction/fundraisers, and bonfire.
You can find our Saint-O-Lantern’s from this year here and Saint Costumes here. It was a very cold and windy evening, and we desperately need a larger hall with how fast our parish community is growing, but it was a successful and fun celebration. Hope you enjoy the pictures!
Saint-O-Lanterns
This past Saturday we carved our annual Saint-O-Lanterns! We almost didn’t do it this year (we missed getting to the pumpkin patch before they closed for the season and I hadn’t purchase any pumpkins) but on Friday night I went out grocery shopping and was able to get some carving pumpkins at Trader Joe’s. I’m glad we made the effort. It’s always messy and stressful so much fun!
Celebrating the Saints :: Our 2021 Costumes
Celebrating the Saints Costumes – St. Martin of Tours, St. Margaret of Scotland, St. Germaine Cousin, St. Elizabeth of Hungary, St. Kateri Tekakwitha, St. Olaf
Almighty and everlasting God, Who hast enabled us to honor in one solemn feast the merits of all Thy Saints: we beseech Thee, that, with so many praying for us, Thou wouldst pour forth on us the abundance of Thy mercy for which we long.
St. Kateri Tekakwitha
St. Martin of Tours
St. Margaret of Scotland
St. Olaf
St. Germaine Cousin
St. Elizabeth of Hungary
Scroll through more of our Celebrating the Saints Costumes here.
Happy Feast of All Saints!
Saints Around the World
In honor of the saints who we glorify this All Saints Day, Saints Around the World, written by Meg Hunter-Kilmer and illustrated by Lindsey Sanders, is a beautiful blend of saints, known worldwide, and stories of whom I hadn’t heard of. These gripping tales of martyrs, kings and queens, laymen and laywomen, warriors, and the religious, show both their virtues and their flaws, which they used to get even closer to Christ. This book helps children understand that not a single saint was born a saint and it keeps them from saying, “There’s no way I can be like him!” but inspires them to say, “this person was so much like me! I’m going to be just like him when I’m older.”
All ye Holy Angels and Saints, Pray for Us!
All Saints Guessing Jars {2021 Edition}
I have so much fun trying to connect saints with treats each year! A few days ago my eleven year old daughter and I went to the store to see what we could find to use for this years jars.
I was also so excited and relieved to finally find wide mouth jars after multiple online orders were cancelled and unsuccessfully searching many local stores! It’s so much more fun for the children to actually get to keep the treats in the jar instead of getting them dumped into a ziplock to take home.
“According to her apochryphal tradition, she was a resident of Caesarea, Cappadocia, who when she refused to sacrifice to the gods during Emperor Diocletian’s persecution of the Christians, was tortured by the governor and ordered executed. On the way to the place of execution, she met a young lawyer, Theophilus, who mockingly asked her to send him fruits from “the garden” she had joyously announced she would soon be in. When she knelt for her execution, she prayed, and an angel with a basket of three roses and three apples, which she sent to Theophilus, telling him she would meet him in the garden. Theophilus was converted to Christianity and later was martyred.” – Source
“Saint Ulphia of Amiens is a Christian saint, venerated particularly at Amiens. She was said to be a young girl living on the banks of the Noye in the who became a hermit at what would become Saint-Acheul, near Amiens in the Kingdom of the Franks, under the spiritual direction of Saint Domitius (Domice). At the end of her life, she formed and directed a community of religious women at Amiens.
Legend states that Ulphe placed the frogs in the area around her hermitage (which was built in a swampy area) under interdict as a result of their loud croaking, which kept her awake at nights. Thus, in her iconography, she is depicted as a young nun seated in prayer on a rock with a frog in the pool near her.
A 19th century hagiographer noted that the frogs in the area around the oratory of Saint Ulphe were, indeed, very quiet. However, if these frogs were taken elsewhere, they became boisterous once again.”
York Peppermint Patties work perfectly for St. Margaret Clitherow, the “Pearl of York, as well as for St. William of York!
My children LOVE KitKats and Reese’s… so I picked St. Katharine and St. Thérèse whose names could be nicknamed KitKat and Reese! 😉
St. Thérèse of Lisieux: Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups
Aren’t these Kodiak Bear Bites great! I included three saints with their bear stories last year, but two more to add this year.
St. Francis of Paola, Blessing the Fish: Goldfish Cookies or Crackers
This year the Alphabet Cookies are getting linked to St. Francis de Sales, patron of writers & journalists. If the kids look closely while counting they will see “PRAY” spelled out around the bottom and top of the jar. 😉
Another random fact I learned this year: In the Maltese language, the Milky Way galaxy is called It-Triq ta’ Sant’Anna, literally “The Way of St. Anne”.
St. Anne: MilkyWay Minis
St. Luigi Scrosoppi, Patron of Footballers: Sport Balls *How many soccer balls are in the jar? 😉
St. Francis de Sales, Patron of Writers & Journalists: Alphabet Cookies
Once again I also made additional guess pages to go along with each of the jars.
PSA: Order Your Advent Candles Now
Advent begins at the end of next month and it’s time to order Advent Candles for your Wreath!
- Tumbler Jar Candles – The Cloister Shoppe makes amazing Jar Candles. In the past I’ve ordered extras of the Three Wisemen Candle (perfect for Epiphany!) to give as gifts.
- Christmas Tree Creche Candle – I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to actually burn this beautiful candle!
- Beeswax Candles – You can’t go wrong with any of these! I replace our Advent Candles with Beeswax Candles for the Christmas season.
- St. Nick’s Goat Milk Soap – I first featured this in my Seven Fun Finds for Advent back in 2014. This year they have it available in red! Love it!
- Peppermint Foot Creme – Love, love, love this stuff!
St. Joan of Arc’s Annual All Saints Party
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| Note: Dates above from last year’s party! |
I never did get around to sharing the pictures from last year’s party so I went through them last night to choose some to share. My camera’s battery died towards the end of the evening, and then my cell phone, but I did manage to get some more photos towards the end after a friend loaned me his portable charger. This year I’ll make sure to charge those batteries before we leave home! 😉
Last year Fr. Rapoport took over coordinating the party! (Thank you, Father!!! It’s hard enough for some of us moms of large families just to get our children in costumes and to the party!) Father decided to incorporate some Octoberfest themes as well as a Silent Auction to fundraise for our Church Building Fund and it was a huge success. The Young Adults group baked pretzels, served food/drinks, sold apple cider, and took care of the set-up and tear-down. The Youth Group teens were in charge of running all the games once they arrived with their families. It worked out really well asking each family to donate a package of brats or hotdogs, candy, and drinks to help with the food and the parish is doing the same this year.
Schedule for the Evening:
- 5:00 pm Meal Prayer/Food/Games
- 6:30pm Litany/Hymns/All Saints Costume Contest
- 7:00pm Pumpkin Carving Contest
- 7:30pm All Saints Guessing Jars Contest Announcements
- 8:00pm Silent Auction Winner Announcements/Bonfire
- 9:00pm Cleanup
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| St. Helena, St. Teresa of Avila, St. Maximilian Kolbe, St. Anges + Lamb, St. Rose of Lima, St, Michael the Archangel |
Our St. Agnes ended up winning the costume contest for girls 16 and up (it helped to have a live baby “lamb”) and our St. Teresa of Avila took the prize for girls ages 11-15!
The three parish priests choose the three winners from all the anonymously carved pumpkins. It’s been so long that I can’t remember who won… I’m pretty sure St. Joseph and and the Marian carvings took the wins this year, but I could be wrong.
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