Free Printable O Antiphons Activities for Advent

In the final week of Advent before Christmas, Catholics reflect on the "O Antiphons." These are the worshipful titles by which we address Jesus. They're also called the Magnificat Antiphons. Here's the holiday schedule:
December 17: O Sapientia (O Wisdom)
December 18: O Adonai (O Lord)
December 19: O Radix Jesse (O Root of Jesse)
December 20: O Clavis David (O Key of David)
December 21: O Oriens (O Dayspring)
December 22: O Rex Gentium (O King of the nations)
December 23: O Emmanuel (O With Us is God)

Here are free printable Advent coloring pages and activities to explore all of advent including the Magnificat Antiphons. Be sure to click the image to the left of this blog post for a printable O Antiphon calendar. There are printable puzzles, crafts, calendars, wreaths, too.  Read more

Free Printable Feast of the Immaculate Conception, Advent Activities for Children

 Dec. 8 marks the Feast of the Immaculate Conception in the Catholic liturgical calendar. Catholics believe that the Blessed Virgin Mary was preserved from original sin so that she could birth the Messiah, Jesus. Catholics honor her on this day. Here are activities for parents and children to celebrate the Feast of the Immaculate Conception and Advent, a Christmas preparatory season during which the feast falls. Use these free printable lessons for family devotions, church activities and school feast day observances.   read more

Last Minute Operation Christmas Child Shoebox Donations

Didn't get your Operation Christmas Child shoebox in before the deadline this year? You can still fill a box online or drop it off to OCC processing centers. Here's a list of places. You can also mail your box to this address: Operation Christmas Child Headquarters, 801 Bamboo, Road, Boone, NC 28607. Don't have time to do a box? Samaritan's Purse has a new online "Build a Box" feature. For $30 (that includes the $7 shipping/handling fee) staff members will pack and ship a box for you. You get to choose what items are included by checking them off from a menu. You can also do this for someone else. You pay the $ and your friend gets to "pack the box" (great for kids, godchildren). Please consider doing one of these as OCC didn't get enough boxes this year. Here's the build a box link to do that. Catholics, remember, Advent is a lesser penitential season, meaning we observe the same virtues we did in Lent: almsgiving, fasting and prayer. A Christmas shoebox donation makes a great almsgiving activity. For my list of best Operation Christmas Child shoebox gifts, click the title link.