Family Altar Lesson Plans--Eternal Rest Grant Unto Them, Oh Lord

Part of grieving and emotional healing for Catholics is to remember the dead. Here's a healthy way to remember deceased loved ones. Make a family home altar or memorial shrine. Design for a vintage table of memories. Read More

Free Printable Epiphany, Twelfth Night, Three Kings Party Planner

Free Printable Epiphany Party Planner Epiphany, also known as Three Kings Day (in southern countries) and Twelfth Night (in northern countries) is the principal gift giving occasion of Christmas in many countries. Why not celebrate an Epiphany party this year. January 6 is the official date of Epiphany, but you could celebrate Twelfth Night as a back to school party. Activities, games, free printable activities, lessons, crafts and recipes to host an Epiphany party at your church or in your home. Read More

My Christmas Haiku- Ave Marie

Ave Maria
A haiku from one mother to The Mother.
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Advent and Christmas Cookie Recipes with Catholic Teachings Baked In

Our Family's Advent and Christmas Cookie Recipes Advent was our favorite season when our family was homeschooling. We did holiday math, advent writing, Christmas social studies, winter science. Everything about Christmas is a teachable moment. Here are Christmas cookie recipes with a holiday lesson.object lesson Christmas cookies recipes

Catholic Advent and Christmas Literature: Tomie DePaola Stories for the Holidays

Christmas Children's Literature: Have a Tomie DePaola Holiday Tomie DePaola is a one of the world's best loved artists and children's authors. Tomie DePaola admits that he loves Christmas and it shows in the holiday magic he imbues in his stories and art. Here's Tomie DePaola's Christmas collection. Christmas books from Tomie DePaola

Free Printable Advent and Christmas Nativity and Manger Scenes

Free Printable Nativity Scenes, Advent Coloring Pages During Advent we prepare our hearts for the Advent (coming) of Jesus. We set out Advent wreaths, calendars and Nativity sets, also called the creche, manger scene or nacimiento. Here are free printable nativity scenes. free printable nativity sets

Free Printable St. Lucia Day Crafts and Activities

 Advent is the period of preparation for Christmas. Several special feast days fall during Advent: December 6- St. Nicholas, December 12-Our Lady of Guadalupe and December 13- St. Lucia. Here are free printable activities for St Lucia Day. Read More Free Printable St Lucia Day Activities

Feast of St Nicholas Party Games and Activities- December 6

Christmas Holiday Party Planner: St. Nicholas Day Activities Christmas traditions around the world differ from country to country. Every country has special cultural recipes, activities and festivals. St. Nicholas Day is celebrated on December 6; here's a party activity guide for a St. Nicholas Day celebration. St Nicholas Day Party Activities

Free Printable Advent Games

Free Printable Advent Games, Crafts and Activities Advent 2012 began Sunday, December 2. For the four weeks, we will prepare our hearts for the coming (Advent) of Jesus. Here are free printable Advent coloring, puzzles, crafts, calendars, wreaths and activities to celebrate the season. Read More

Free Printable Our Lady of Guadalupe Activities, Lessons

Free Printable Our Lady of Guadalupe Activities and Lessons December 12 marks the feast day of Our Lady of Guadalupe, patron saint of Mexico and the Americas. Our Lady appeared to Bl Juan Diego in 1531. Here are free printable activities to celebrate Our Lady of Guadalupe. Read More

Free Printable Feast of the Immaculate Conception Activities

Free Printable Feast of the Immaculate Conception Activities: Lessons and Crafts
December 8 marks the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. The Immaculate Conception is one of six recognized Holy Days in the liturgical calendar. Here are free printable activities and lessons to celebrate this feast day. Read More

Feast of St. Nicholas Activities- December 6

Global Holiday Hop: Holland and the Feast of St. Nicholas Series of articles highlighting Christmas Traditions from Around the World. The Lesson planner features traditions, recipes, activities, games and more. These articles will provide a great social studies focus. Read More

Free Printable Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe Activities

Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe: Lesson Plans December 12 is the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe in the Roman Catholic liturgical year. Here are some lesson plans ideas to use to help kids understand this important religious and cultural festival. Virgin of Guadalupe activities

Free Printable Angel Crafts, Advent Wreath,

Are you ready for free Advent and Christmas printable crafts like you've never seen before? Then you need to visit The Toymaker right now! This website features free printable Christmas cut and paste crafts, toys, activities and more. Styled with Victorian Dickens England designs and graphics, these printable paper toy crafts are manna for vintage art lovers! Angel retablos, triptych, angel greeting cards, Advent calendar and wreath...These delightful activities are easy enough for children to print, cut, assemble and paste. The images look like they come straight from a Victorian toy shop. I can just imagine Bob Crachit taking Tiny Tim in to see the beautiful toys. free printable Angel crafts, Advent crafts

Free Printable Advent Wreath Craft Activities

Advent is the four-week season before Christmas, celebrated by Catholics, Orthodox and some protestant Christian denominations. Most people think of Advent calendars with candies and treats. But that, like a commercial Christmas, is miles from the real purpose.. Advent is a lesser penitential season, a minor Lent. Christians observe spiritual acts of prayer, fasting and charity. They follow Bible-based Advent calendars and count down to Christmas reflecting on Jesus. One evangelical pastor is pushing protestant churches to celebrate Advent and put Christ back in Christmas, said Time magazine, Dec. 1.

Another practice is the lighting of candles on Advent wreaths. The four candles, three purple or blue, one pink represent expectation of, hope in, joy at and love unending, from the Christ child's birth. The center white one is the Christkindl (Christ candle). Here are free printable Advent wreath crafts children can make to explore those themes. Children might color and make their own Advent wreaths to use as mother and father light the family advent wreath.

Lee Hansen has a simple red and green printable Advent wreath with candles to affix. Catholic Mom, a one-stop resource for family liturgical crafts has free printable Advent wreaths, puzzles, games, Bible lesson plans, mass readings, games and Christmas coloring pages. First-School is another go-to source for Christian crafts. Look here for preschool Advent prinables . There are two sizes of Advent wreaths to print. Free and Fun Christmas has an Advent wreath coloring page to print. Use this for the baby to color in her high chair during prayer time.

Activity Village has a plethora of free printable Advent crafts, including several Advent calendars and wreaths. Use wreaths and calendars together. You might also make a Jesse Tree (here's my article with free printable Jesse Tree ornaments). Each day, children read a scripture passage about the lineage of Jesus. The Jesse Tree is St. Joseph (and Jesus's) family tree. It connects familiar Bible stories and characters to show how Jesus is at the center of it all. Children color ornaments with pictures representing each person (Adam and Eve--apple, Joseph--coat, King David--sheep). These activities give kids' hands-on activities to explore the holy season.

Free Printable Jesse Tree Craft Activity

Free Printable Jesse Tree Advent Devotional Craft History, tradition, devotional use of the Jesse Tree to trace the lineage of Our Lord and prepare for his coming. Craft project instructions. free printable Jesse Tree Craft Activities Use in conjunction with my blog post Free Printable Jesse Tree Ornaments.

Our Lady of Guadalupe: Advent Feast Day Activities

Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe: Lesson Plans, Party Guide
December 12 is the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe in the Roman Catholic liturgical year. Here are some lesson ideas to use, including crafts, devotions, recipes, foods, prayers and activities. Our Lady of Guadalupe activities

Free Printable Paper Chain--Advent Countdown to Christmas

Free Printable Paper Chain Christmas Countdown Craft Easy craft for all ages to help eager children anticipate the Christmas holiday. Makes a good countdown activity to teach kids how to mark time. Christmas paper chain craft

Advent Countdown to Christmas Kids Books

Christmas Countdown Books 25 Books to read and share the joy of Christmas with children, in school, home, home-school or day care. Read one each day of Advent until Christmas or Epiphany. Editor's note: this list has been part of our family's holiday traditions for 21 years. I used these resources before joining the Church in 1993 with my Montessori class also. Holiday Children's literature classics from around the world.
Christmas countdown books

Christmas Around the World Feast of St Nicholas Activities- December 6

Global Holiday Hop: Holland and the Feast of St Nicholas Series of articles highlighting Christmas Traditions from Around the World. The Lesson planner features traditions, recipes, activities, games and more. These articles will provide a great social studies focus. St Nicholas Day activities

Advent Wreath Devotional: History, Prayers and Activities

Advent Wreath Devotional: History, How-tos and Traditions Description of Advent Wreath practices, meaning, history and prayers. Great Catholic homeschool lesson plans and activities. advent wreath activities

Advent Almsgiving Calendar Craft

 Teach children about the joy of giving at Advent and Christmas with a special student made Advent calendar that doubles as an almsgiving and math project. Social studies tie ins as well as giving with this advent craft. Read More Advent Math, Writing Project Craft

Free Printable Day of the Dead Coloring Pages, Dia de los Muertos Activities

Free Printable Day of the Dead Crafts, Lessons and Activities
El Dia de los Muertos, or the Day of the Dead, commemorates the lives of beloved dead. The Day of the Dead coincides with the Catholic All Saints Day and All Souls Day, November 1 and 2. Need free printable activities? free printable day of the dead crafts

Free Printable Jesse Tree Ornaments

Free Printable Jesse Tree Coloring, Ornaments and Activities
root shall spring up from the stump of Jesse's lineage'. This Bible passage foretells the birth of the Messiah. During Advent, symbols are hung on the Jesse Tree to represent the story of Jesus. For free printable Jesse Tree...free printable Jesse tree ornaments

Free Printable Catholic All Saints Activities

Free Printable Catholic Saints and All Saints Day Coloring Pages
November 1 marks the Catholic holy day of All Saint's, making October 31 All Hallow's Eve (or Halloween). Use these free printable activities to explore Catholic saints, holy days and All Saint's Day and Halloween.
free printable all saints day activities

Bible Character Costumes for All Saints Day

No-Sew Bible Character Halloween Costumes Halloween is an ambiguous celebration. Some people love the spooky. Others do trick-or-treat, some harvest festivals; others, All Saint's Day parties. Here are Christian, biblical costumes for any type of Halloween party.
Read on...

Liturgy of the Hours

Summer Solstice and Relaxation Complete guide to praying The Liturgy of the Hours. Use the Rule of St Benedict: Ora et Labora. Find rest, relaxation and spiritual renewal this summer. Requiscat in Pace. meditations on Liturgy of the Hours

How to Share the Faith-Action Speaks Louder Than Words

Witness Your Faith: Actions Speak Louder Than Words
Salvation, faith, the Bible, God. Many different thoughts about these matters of religion. Different dogma, beliefs and ways to witness. Here's my simple little thoughts on sharing God's Love. Read on

Free Printable Holy Week Activities: Coloring, Puzzles, Crafts, Games

Free Printable Holy Week Activities I've been combing the internet for free printable Holy Week activities. Here are links to 100+ free printable coloring pages,word searches, crossword puzzles, cryptograms, games and crafts for Holy Week and Easter. free printable holy week word games

Plants and Flowers for Easter Prayer Garden

Lent and Easter Prayer Garden: Plants, Shrubs, Bushes and Flowers
Plant a prayer garden for Easter or Lent. Choose plants, flowers, shrubs, bushes that bring your mind and senses near to God. List of plants to choose for your garden of devotion. prayer garden plants

Free Printable Veggie Tales Activities for Easter

 If you like to talk to tomatoes...If a squash can make you smile... have I got some great free printable Veggie Tales coloring activities for you! Veggie Tales tell simple Bible lessons in cute cartoon form. Excellent for CCD and Preschool. Games, party decorations, crafts, cut and paste, greeting cards, room accessories and much more! Free Printable Veggie Tales Coloring Activities

Stations of the Cross Prayer Garden

What better place to pray, meditate and draw near to Our Lord than in a garden? Why not create this lovely devotional prayer garden patterned around the Stations of the Cross? Design easy, inexpensive patio blocks and plant flowers around them. You will have a place of serenity, joy, peace and reverence. Perfect for lent, Easter or any time. What a beautiful place to sip your morning tea and say good morning to the Lord! lenten prayer garden

Jesus of Nazareth Movie for Lent

Best Movie for Lent and Easter: Jesus of Nazareth Jesus of Nazareth is Franco Zeffirelli's definitive film about the nativity, teaching, miracles, passion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Loving directed and produced by a Catholic, by the request of the Pope, Jesus of Nazareth, made in 1977, is a miracle of devotion, a proclamation of faith, a beautifully told story and a drama of the very first order. You must view this film for Lent or Easter. Jesus of Nazareth movie

Easter Devotional Jelly Bean Activity

Lent and Easter craft using jelly beans. Devotional object lesson craft. Great way to use leftover jelly beans at Easter time. Inexpensive, educational, green craft. Great learning activity! Easter jelly bean devotions

Stations of the Cross- Art Activities

Stations of the Cross Art Projects using different art media: Clay, watercolors, pastels, carving, mosaics. Perfect green craft for the Lenten and Easter season. stations of the cross art project

Lent Activities-Stations of the Cross- DIY Outdoor Grotto

Here's an easy, interactive lent lesson plan that combines instruction in the Catholic faith with some green recycling activities. Design dioramas from recycled materials around the house. Make a set of dioramas featuring scenes from the Stations of the Cross. Arrange around your yard for an outdoor Via Dolerosa grotto. These make a beautiful devotional garden. Perfect for Catholic school, homeschool or CCD project. outdoor stations of the cross garden

Free Printable St. Patricks Day Activities

March 17 marks the feast day of St. Patrick, patron saint of Ireland. Patrick (or Patricus) was a Roman living in Britain in the 4th century. He was sold as a slave in Ireland and brought Christianity to the Druids living there. He was made bishop and used many symbols to teach the Catholic faith to the Irish. Here are free printable lessons and activities for St. Patrick's Day. Coloring pages, word games, puzzles, crossword, fill-in-the-blank and more. free printable St Patricks Day religious activities

Lent, Holy Week Almsgiving Activities and Lessons

Lenten and Easter Activity that Can Be Adapted for Any School or Group Activity service projects to practice the spiritual exercise of fasting and alms-giving in Lent; great for all students.Prepare personal care kits for needy children in overseas missions. Math, multiplication, division, counting lessons. Social studies lessons. Fine motor skills for small children. Use in schools, homeschool, religious education, CCD, scout troops, social justice committee. Visit this link for information. Lent activities

Free Printable Lent Bible Coloring Pages

Free Printable Lent Coloring Pages It's often difficult to get children to pay attention at devotions time.Help your children pay attention to Lenten Bible reading with free printable coloring pages.Here are dozens of free printable lent coloring pages. Read more

Free Printable Passover Activities

Free Printable Passover Activities Passover, or Pesach, is the highest celebration in the Jewish year. Celebrate Passover with these free printable activities. Party games, puzzles, mazes, word searches, crosswords and lessons. Free printable Passover activities