Category: Christmas

2025 Guide to the Christmas Octave @FranciscanMom

Praying the Liturgy of the Hours in the 2025 Christmas Octave

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“What page are we on?”

With so many different breviary editions out there, I can’t answer that question in this space. But I can tell you what headings to find, so you can put your ribbons and bookmarks in the right places before you start praying. It looks a little complicated—and this week really IS—but when you set everything up ahead of time, it will make your prayer time easier.

Start by downloading my free Christmas Antiphons bookmark. Keep that on Sunday, Week I in the Ordinary, and keep another ribbon or bookmark on Morning Prayer for Christmas. You’ll need that several times in the coming week.

Want some basic information on the Liturgy of the Hours? Get my booklet, The Handy Little Guide to the Liturgy of the Hours (available in print or for Kindle).

December 26: Feast of Saint Stephen, the First Martyr

Morning Prayer:

Look for “December 26: Stephen, First Martyr” in the Proper of Saints (toward the back of your breviary). Use the antiphons provided there; the psalms come from Sunday, Week I in the Ordinary. After the psalms and canticle, everything is in the Proper of Saints.

Evening Prayer:

Everything comes from Evening Prayer II for Christmas Day.

 

December 27: Feast of Saint John, Apostle and Evangelist

Morning Prayer:

Look for “December 27: John, Apostle and Evangelist” in the Proper of Saints (toward the back of your breviary). Use the antiphons provided there; the psalms come from Sunday, Week I in the Ordinary. After the psalms and canticle, everything is in the Proper of Saints.

Evening Prayer:

Everything comes from Evening Prayer I for the Feast of the Holy Family. See the next section for info.

 

Feast of the Holy Family

This is a movable feast that is usually celebrated the Sunday between Christmas and New Year’s Day—unless Christmas is on a Sunday. In 2025, we celebrate this feast beginning the evening of December 27 with Evening Prayer I.

Saturday evening, December 27:

Look for “Holy Family” in the Proper of Seasons (the section in the front of the breviary) and find Evening Prayer I. Use the antiphons provided there; the psalms come from the Common of the Blessed Virgin Mary (toward the back of your breviary). After the psalms and canticle, everything is in the Proper of Seasons.

Sunday, December 28, Morning Prayer:

Look for “Holy Family” in the Proper of Seasons and find Morning Prayer. Use the antiphons provided there; the psalms come from Sunday, Week I in the Ordinary. After the psalms and canticle, everything is in the Proper of Seasons.

Sunday, December 28, Evening Prayer:

Look for “Holy Family” in the Proper of Seasons and find Evening Prayer II. Use the antiphons provided there; the psalms come from the Common of the Blessed Virgin Mary (toward the back of your breviary). After the psalms and canticle, everything is in the Proper of Seasons.

 

Monday, December 29: 5th Day in the Octave of Christmas and Commemoration of Thomas Beckett, Bishop and Martyr

Morning Prayer:

Return to Morning Prayer for Christmas Day for the psalms, canticle, and their antiphons. After those, look in the Proper of Seasons under “December 29.” For the Commemoration of Thomas Beckett, the antiphon for the Gospel Canticle and the final prayer come from the Proper of Saints.

Evening Prayer:

Psalms and canticles and their antiphons come from Evening Prayer II for Christmas Day. After the psalms and canticle, everything is found in the Proper of Seasons under “December 29” with the exception of the antiphon for the Gospel Canticle and the final prayer: those come from the Proper of Saints.

 

Tuesday, December 30: 6th Day in the Octave of Christmas

Morning Prayer:

Return to Morning Prayer for Christmas Day for the psalms, canticle, and their antiphons. After those, look in the Proper of Seasons under “December 30.”

Evening Prayer:

Psalms and canticles and their antiphons come from Evening Prayer II for Christmas Day. After the psalms and canticle, everything is found in the Proper of Seasons under “December 30.”

 

Wednesday, December 31: 7th Day in the Octave of Christmas

Morning Prayer:

Return to Morning Prayer for Christmas Day for the psalms, canticle, and their antiphons. After those, look in the Proper of Seasons under “December 31.”

Evening Prayer:

Everything comes from Evening Prayer I for the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God. See that section below.

 

Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God

Wednesday, December 31, Evening Prayer:

Look for Look for “January 1” in the Proper of Seasons and pray Evening Prayer I. Use the antiphons provided there; the psalms come from the Common of the Blessed Virgin Mary (toward the back of your breviary). After the psalms and canticle, everything is in the Proper of Seasons.

Thursday, January 1, Morning Prayer:

Look for “January 1” in the Proper of Seasons and find Morning Prayer. Use the antiphons provided there; the psalms come from Sunday, Week I in the Ordinary. After the psalms and canticle, everything is in the Proper of Seasons.

Thursday, January 1, Evening Prayer:

Look for Look for “January 1” in the Proper of Seasons and pray Evening Prayer II. Use the antiphons provided there; the psalms come from the Common of the Blessed Virgin Mary (toward the back of your breviary). After the psalms and canticle, everything is in the Proper of Seasons.

 

 

Copyright 2025 Barb Szyszkiewicz
Photo copyright 2025 Barb Szyszkiewicz, all rights reserved.

Amazon affiliate links included.

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A Quick Guide to Morning and Evening Prayer for Christmas Week

franciscanmomLeave a comment

“What page are we on?”

With so many different breviary editions out there, I can’t answer that question in this space. But I can tell you what headings to find, so you can put your ribbons and bookmarks in the right places before you start praying. It looks a little complicated—and this week really IS—but when you set everything up ahead of time, it will make your prayer time easier.

Want some basic information on the Liturgy of the Hours? Get my booklet, The Handy Little Guide to the Liturgy of the Hours (available in print or for Kindle).

Christmas Eve, December 24

Morning Prayer:

Look for “December 24” in the Proper of Seasons section (the front) of your breviary. The antiphons and reading, responsory, and everything following come from there.

The psalms will come from Saturday morning, Week III in the Ordinary section (middle) of your breviary.

Evening Prayer:

Look for “December 25” in the Proper of Seasons and pray Evening Prayer I for Christmas. Everything is contained on those pages.

 

Christmas Day, December 25

Morning Prayer:

Look for “Christmas” in the Proper of Seasons and find Morning Prayer. Also bookmark Sunday, Week I in the Ordinary for the psalms. Everything else is there in the Proper of Seasons.

Make it easy on yourself by downloading my free Christmas Antiphons bookmark. Keep that on Sunday, Week I in the Ordinary, and keep another ribbon or bookmark on Morning Prayer for Christmas. You’ll need that several times in the coming week.

 

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Evening Prayer:

Look in the Proper of Seasons under “Christmas” and find Evening Prayer II. Everything is there.

 

December 26: Feast of Saint Stephen, the First Martyr

Morning Prayer:

Look for “December 26: Stephen, First Martyr” in the Proper of Saints (toward the back of your breviary). Use the antiphons provided there; the psalms come from Sunday, Week I in the Ordinary. After the psalms and canticle, everything is in the Proper of Saints.

Evening Prayer:

Psalms and canticles and their antiphons come from Evening Prayer II for Christmas Day. After the psalms and canticle, everything is found in the Proper of Seasons under “December 26.”

 

December 27: Feast of Saint John, Apostle and Evangelist

Morning Prayer:

Look for “December 27: John, Apostle and Evangelist” in the Proper of Saints (toward the back of your breviary). Use the antiphons provided there; the psalms come from Sunday, Week I in the Ordinary. After the psalms and canticle, everything is in the Proper of Saints.

Evening Prayer:

Psalms and canticles and their antiphons come from Evening Prayer II for Christmas Day. After the psalms and canticle, everything is found in the Proper of Seasons under “December 27.”

 

December 28: Feast of the Holy Innocents

Morning Prayer:

Look for “December 28: Holy Innocents” in the Proper of Saints (toward the back of your breviary). Use the antiphons provided there; the psalms come from Sunday, Week I in the Ordinary. After the psalms and canticle, everything is in the Proper of Saints.

Evening Prayer:

Psalms and canticles and their antiphons come from Evening Prayer II for Christmas Day. After the psalms and canticle, everything is found in the Proper of Seasons under “December 28.”

 

December 29: Commemoration of Thomas Beckett, Bishop and Martyr

Morning Prayer:

Return to Morning Prayer for Christmas Day for the psalms, canticle, and their antiphons. After those, look in the Proper of Seasons under “December 29.” For the Commemoration of Thomas Beckett, the antiphon for the Gospel Canticle and the final prayer come from the Proper of Saints.

Evening Prayer:

Psalms and canticles and their antiphons come from Evening Prayer II for Christmas Day. After the psalms and canticle, everything is found in the Proper of Seasons under “December 29” with the exception of the antiphon for the Gospel Canticle and the final prayer: those come from the Proper of Saints.

 

Saturday, December 30

Morning Prayer:

Return to Morning Prayer for Christmas Day for the psalms, canticle, and their antiphons. After those, everything is found in the Proper of Seasons under “December 30.”

 

Feast of the Holy Family

This is a movable feast that is usually celebrated the Sunday between Christmas and New Year’s Day—unless Christmas is on a Sunday. In 2023, we celebrate this feast beginning the evening of December 30 with Evening Prayer I.

Saturday evening, December 30:

Look for “Holy Family” in the Proper of Seasons and find Evening Prayer I. Use the antiphons provided there; the psalms come from the Common of the Blessed Virgin Mary (toward the back of your breviary). After the psalms and canticle, everything is in the Proper of Seasons.

Sunday, December 31, Morning Prayer:

Look for “Holy Family” in the Proper of Seasons and find Morning Prayer. Use the antiphons provided there; the psalms come from Sunday, Week I in the Ordinary. After the psalms and canticle, everything is in the Proper of Seasons.

 

Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God

Sunday, December 31, Evening Prayer:

Look for Look for “January 1” in the Proper of Seasons and pray Evening Prayer I. Use the antiphons provided there; the psalms come from the Common of the Blessed Virgin Mary (toward the back of your breviary). After the psalms and canticle, everything is in the Proper of Seasons.

Monday, January 1, Morning Prayer:

Look for “January 1” in the Proper of Seasons and find Morning Prayer. Use the antiphons provided there; the psalms come from Sunday, Week I in the Ordinary. After the psalms and canticle, everything is in the Proper of Seasons.

Monday, January 1, Evening Prayer:

Look for Look for “January 1” in the Proper of Seasons and pray Evening Prayer II. Use the antiphons provided there; the psalms come from the Common of the Blessed Virgin Mary (toward the back of your breviary). After the psalms and canticle, everything is in the Proper of Seasons.

 

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Copyright 2023 Barb Szyszkiewicz
Photos copyright 2023 Barb Szyszkiewicz, all rights reserved.

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7 Quick Takes: Un-Christmas-ing Edition

franciscanmom1 Comment

Today in the USA we celebrate the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. With that, the Christmas season comes to an end.

(One) It’s time … to take down the Christmas tree.

This is me, with a big case of the “I don’t wannas.” I put the tree up, strung all the lights, and decorated it all by myself this year. (Normally I do the lights, because nobody else in the house is willing to bother with a Christmas-light total that has a comma in the number, and the kids decorate. Empty-nest problems.)

I’m back at work, but my husband is still using his banked “use or lose” vacation time and my college student has another week of winter break. I think this task needs to be delegated this year.

 

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(Two) And put it in the body bag.

The bag for this Christmas tree is 5 feet tall, and so wide it barely fits through the exterior doors of the house. We keep our tree in the shed. This year I’m going to be smart about it. It’s easier to carry the 5 pieces of the tree down the stairs, out the back door, and through the porch to the backyard and THEN put them in the body bag than it is to bag everything up in the living room and wrestle it outside without damaging anything.

 

(Three) On the up side, I’ll get my living room back.

As a creature of habit, it does drive me crazy that I have to move my Reading Chair every year to make room for the Christmas tree. I look forward to putting that chair back by the window, with its lamp nearby, the way it belongs.

 

(Four) My reputation precedes me.

Overheard after Mass yesterday, when the usher came over to hand bulletins to the musicians:

Singer: Oh, Mass tomorrow is for my mom, but I can’t be there because I have an appointment.

Music director: Barb will be there! She’ll pray for your mom!

Join me in praying for the repose of the soul for Mrs. B, would you?

 

(Five) Regarding Mass intentions

Do you pay attention to the list of Mass intentions in your parish bulletin? It’s not just there for the people who go to daily Mass. You can pray for the repose of those souls whether you attend daily Mass or not. Consider adding that prayer after a meal, just like we used to do after lunch in the Catholic grade school I attended:

We give Thee thanks for all Thy benefits, Almighty God, who lives and reigns, world without end. Amen. May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

 

(Six) Tonight, swap out the breviary!

Don’t forget to move the holy cards! If you pray the Liturgy of the Hours using the 4-volume breviary, tonight after Evening Prayer you’ll need to bring out the Ordinary Time I volume and put away Advent/Christmas.

My husband likes Ordinary Time I because it means summer is coming. I’m not ready to think that far ahead (after 7 weeks we’re switching again, into the Lent/Easter volume) but his particular liturgical year revolves around the opening of the pool, conveniently timed right around Holy Saturday if it doesn’t rain that day.

 

(Seven) Book News

There’s a great sale right now on The Handy Little Guide to Prayer: it’s more than 50% off on Amazon right now! There’s no better time to order a copy for yourself or your friends.

 

 

If you’ve read this Handy Little Guide, would you kindly do me a favor and leave an Amazon review? One sentence is plenty; those reviews help other Amazon customers who are thinking about what book to purchase AND they help get the book in front of other readers in Amazon’s recommendations section. Thanks!

In other book news, my next book comes out in less than three months! You can preorder The Handy Little Guide to the Liturgy of the Hours now (and if the price drops before the release date, you’ll get it at the lower price). Did take 6 leave you puzzled? This new book will explain it all.

 

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Copyright 2023 Barb Szyszkiewicz
Photos copyright 2023 Barb Szyszkiewicz, all rights reserved.
Amazon links included; I make a small profit when you use these affiliate links, at no additional cost to you.

In the Christmas Basket: A New Picture Book by Raymond Arroyo

franciscanmom1 Comment

I am of the mind that you can never have too many Christmas storybooks for your children to enjoy. When my children were younger, we had a large basket of Advent- and Christmas-themed picture books, which we would bring out on the First Sunday of Advent, along with our Advent wreath and the empty stable from our Nativity scene. The kids looked forward to rereading their favorite stories, and sometimes I’d surprise them and slip a new one into the basket.

Raymond Arroyo’s new picture book from Sophia Institute Press is a wonderful addition to your collection of Christmas storybooks. The Spider Who Saved Christmas: A Legend, beautifully and vividly illustrated by Randy Gallegos, begins with the Holy Family on the run from King Herod, during the Slaughter of the Innocents.

Entering a cave to hide from Herod’s soldiers, Mary and Joseph notice a large spider protecting a sac of eggs. Joseph, fully on alert and wanting to protect Mary and Baby Jesus from all threats, slashes at the spider’s web with his staff, but Mary stops him, noting, “All are here for a reason. Let it be.”

As the family rests in the darkness of the cave, the distant wails of the slaughtered innocents and their bereaved mothers are heard. The spider, who wants to repair the web Joseph damaged with his staff, realizes that she needs to protect a Child not her own — so she calls forth her dozens of older children to help spin a thick web at the entrance to the cave, so that Herod’s soldiers will be tricked into thinking that no one is hiding inside.

Readers familiar with Charlotte’s Web will enjoy another story in which a friendly spider selflessly takes risks to save someone else. Unlike most stories that feature “saves Christmas” in their title, The Spider Who Saved Christmas isn’t about removing obstacles that threaten to prevent Santa’s delivery of gifts to children. Instead, it’s about a lowly creature willingly accepting a dangerous mission to save the Son of God.

The Spider Who Saved Christmas is based on an ancient Eastern European legend which tells the origin of the tinsel we often use to decorate Christmas trees.

Not only does this book tell a wonderful story, it’s an excellent catechetical tool for the Feast of the Holy Innocents.

Copyright 2020 Barb Szyszkiewicz
This article contains Amazon affiliate links; your purchases through these links benefit the author.
A review copy of this book was received from the publisher. Opinions are my own.

Christmas Reads for the Whole Family

franciscanmom6 Comments

I read Christmas books like some people watch Hallmark movies — and my friends know it. Christmas reads are the most common recommendations I receive from fellow readers. I’m good with that.

When my children were little, I used to keep the Christmas storybooks separate from the other picture books we had for them. At the beginning of Advent, I’d bring out the Christmas book basket so they could enjoy those old favorites.

Consider this my virtual book basket — filled with Catholic Christmas reads for readers (and pre-readers) of all ages.

Board Book

joseph guardian of the holy family

Joseph, Guardian of the Holy Family by Marlyn Evangelina Monge, fsp; illustrated by Mary Rojas (Pauline Kids). Nearly all of this board book is focused on the nativity story, so I’m calling it a Christmas book. The illustrations are adorable, and the story emphasizes Joseph’s love for God, Mary, and Jesus, and his desire to know and follow God’s will. (Review copy received from publisher.)

Picture Books

molly mcbride christmas
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Molly McBride and the Christmas Pageant by Jean Schoonover-Egolf. Who can’t relate to spunky Molly’s Christmas-play dilemma: She was so sure she’d get to play Mary in the pageant! But when she doesn’t get the role she wants, she doesn’t want to be in the show at all. A gentle teacher reminds Molly that Mary followed God’s plan, even when it wasn’t her plan. This story about obedience is effective without being didactic or heavy-handed, and the illustrations definitely evoke the mood of the story.

Guess Who's in the Manger

Guess Who’s in the Manger? A Christmas Story by Vicki Howie; illustrated by Julia Seal (Pauline Kids). The Christmas story told (in rhyme) from the perspective of a barn owl, high in the rafters of the stable? What’s not to love? Little ones who love to show off their skills at imitating animal noises will be fans of this book, which calls for this very ability. I wish this were a board book, because it really does appeal to the very young. (Review copy received from publisher.)

santas priority

Santa’s Priority by Tom Peterson (TAN Books). Don’t let the word “Santa” in the title throw you off. This is definitely a Catholic Christmas book, not a secular holiday story. Santa is shown stopping along his way, because the first thing we should do on Christmas is “come home to Mass and celebrate the holy Christian season.” A short rhyming read that would be a good book to enjoy together before Christmas Mass. (Review copy received from publisher.)

Bible Storybooks

While not technically “Christmas books,” both of these include the Christmas story. Bibles and Bible storybooks are wonderful gifts any time of year.

my bible gods word for me

My Bible: God’s Word for Me by Mary Martha Moss, fsp; illustrated by Augusta Currelli (Pauline Kids). Catholic Bible storybooks aren’t very easy to find. I was thrilled to see this one published this year! This gift-quality book includes a presentation page, a prayer section at the end with familiar Catholic prayers and instructions on how to pray the Rosary, and four pages of colorful maps of the Holy Land. In the introduction, the author notes that this book “will show you God’s amazing plan for the world — and for you!” Each story ends with a one-line prayer, and the stories are perfect bedtime-story length. (Review copy received from publisher.)

god gave us the bible

God Gave Us the Bible: 45 Favorite Stories for Little Ones by Lisa Tawn Bergren; art by David Hohn (WaterBrook). This book intersperses Bible stories with commentary by a family of bears and their animal friends. The Bible stories and commentary are set apart by different styles of art and varying typefaces. (Review copy received from publisher.)

Chapter Book

sisters of the last straw 5

The Case of the Christmas Tree Capers (Sisters of the Last Straw #5) by Karen Kelly Boyce (TAN Books). I’m a longtime fan of the Sisters of the Last Straw and this latest book in the series does not disappoint. It features all those favorite characters, the Sisters who each have a very human flaw and who are working — together and separately — to overcome their failings, plus the sour Mr. Lemon and the helpful farmer down the road. In this story, the Sisters open a Christmas tree lot to raise money to buy gifts for poor children in the parish. When the trees start disappearing, a few at a time each night, the Sisters set off on a mission to catch the thief, with sweet (and hilarious) results. For readers 7 and up, but would make a great read-aloud with younger children. (Review copy received from publisher.)

Story Collections

christmas around the fire

Christmas Around the Fire: Stories, Essays, & Poems for the Season of Christ’s Birth edited by Ryan N.S. Topping (TAN Books). This keepsake book is designed to be read aloud (as the title indicates, by the fire — or maybe, as we liked to do when our children were little, by the light of the Christmas tree). I remember some of the stories in this book from my own childhood (“The Selfish Giant,” “The Other Wise Man,” and the excerpt from “A Christmas Carol”) and was pleased to see them included with a medieval mystery play on the Annunciation, an essay from Pope Benedict XVI (“Advent Calls Us to Silence” — read this one first!), and poetry by Gerard Manley Hopkins and Christina Rosetti. The hardcover volume is cloth-bound with gold printing on the cover and a gold ribbon bookmark, and will be a lovely treasure for your family library. (It’s available as an ebook as well, but you’d definitely miss out on the heirloom-quality presentation if you go that route.) (Review copy received from publisher.)

gifts ctb

Gifts: Visible & Invisible by Susan Peek, Katy Huth Jones, Carolyn Astfalk, Theresa Linden, Leslea Wahl, Cynthia T. Toney, T.M. Gaouette, Corinna Turner, Cathy Gilmore. No cartoon characters “saving Christmas” by making sure presents happen, or mistletoe moments with less substance than a snowflake here. These eight stories entertain and edify the young-adult reader and satisfy that Christmas craving for something more, which can only be fulfilled by Jesus. Each story stands alone, but many are connected to other work by the authors from Catholic Teen Books. (Review copy received from publisher.)

For You or a Friend

Christmas List book cover

The Christmas List by Hillary Ibarra. Nothing lifts the spirits like a Christmas novella, and this one by Hillary Ibarra is one of the best I’ve read. It’s the beautifully told tale, inspired by true events in the author’s life, of a hardworking couple who cannot afford groceries for their family, let alone a festive Christmas meal or gifts for the children. A badly-timed job loss has left the parents stressed, but they make every effort to make Christmas special for their family — and they learn that God does, indeed, care about them. Appropriate for teens and adults.

Christmas Reads

This post contains Amazon affiliate links. I was given free review copies of these books where noted, but no other compensation. Opinions expressed here are mine alone.

Copyright 2019 Barb Szyszkiewicz

Sweet Little Saints for Christmas in July

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Little Drops of Water Christmas in July
Image courtesy of Little Drops of Water. All rights reserved.

It’s Christmas in July this week, and there’s no better way to celebrate than taking a peek at the cutest little Nativity scene! Little Drops of Water, a family business based in Portugal, created their line of saint figurines when Anna Amaral, now a teenager, asked her father to help make child-friendly toys that celebrate the saints. The company recently introduced special Christmas products, including its Nativity scene — and they’ll have a Santa coming soon.

Little Drops of Water Nativity
Image courtesy of Little Drops of Water. All rights reserved.

This is the Nativity I wished we’d had when our children were small. We eventually got a Playmobil Nativity set, but that is not appropriate for toddlers, with all the tiny parts! But a Nativity like this — it looks like wood, but it’s made of high-quality resin — is basically indestructible and child-friendly. This would be perfect to bring out each Advent so the children can help prepare for Jesus’ birth.

I’m really impressed by the workmanship behind these figurines. I first reviewed Little Drops of Water products in March of 2016, and my collection of figurines is still in great shape — even the Holy Family that sits on the very narrow windowsill above my kitchen sink. It’s taken more than one tumble into the dishwater, but the colors are still bright and there’s not even a chip or a crack. That’s a huge plus when you’re selecting toys for small children.

Saint_Juan_Diego_160044YX_front_600x
Image courtesy of Little Drops of Water. All rights reserved.

Yes, I said “toys.” They’re religious figurines, but they’re made to be held and carried about in little hands or little pockets. Most of these figurines are 3 inches high (statues with crowns, such as Our Lady of Fatima and the Infant of Prague, top out around 4 inches) and they fit well in small hands.

Lady_of_Lourdes_Apparition_160023YX_front
Image courtesy of Little Drops of Water. All rights reserved.

There are two dozen different Mary statues, ranging from the Madonna and Child to regional favorites such as Our Lady of Guadalupe, Our Lady of Fatima, Maria Pomagaj (Slovenia), and Our Lady of Lourdes — and more. In addition, Little Drops of Water offers dozens of saints, from St. Anthony through St. Therese. There’s even Padre Pio, St. Teresa of Calcutta, and the newly-canonized Fatima visionaries, Saints Francisco and Jacinta.

Francisco Jacinta
Image courtesy of Little Drops of Water. All rights reserved.

As Little Drops of Water is based in Portugal, the Fatima connection is strong. In fact, they are the number-one supplier of statuary in both Fatima and Lourdes, and they offer several products related to each. They also create charms, plush toys, and more.

Little Drops of Water offers free coloring pages and craft activities for parents, teachers, and catechists to download and use, and you’re invited to share your creations with them!

Shop at Little Drops of Water using the coupon code BN63EE5EA9Y6 and you’ll receive a 30% discount on your order! They also offer free shipping (always my favorite perk) on orders of $50 or more.

Copyright 2018 Barb Szyszkiewicz
Opinions expressed here are my own. I received a Nativity set and other figurines from the manufacturer for the purposes of this review.

On the (Nativity) Scene

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The figures in my Nativity made a special appearance for today’s Nativity Scene Linkup at CatholicMom.com.

It was always the custom in my husband’s family that one of the children would put the Baby Jesus into the manger, last thing on Christmas Eve. When our children were little, we took it one step further, gradually adding figures into the scene to build anticipation and correspond with liturgical celebrations. All the figures are kept behind the manger (backstage) to await their appearance.

waiting-in-the-wings

Right around now, we’d put the animals into the manger (except the donkey, who was on a journey with Mary and Joseph.)

Early on Christmas Eve, Mary and Joseph and the donkey would make their appearance. Baby Jesus would be placed in the manger, last thing on Christmas Eve.

On Christmas Day, the shepherds would arrive; the kings wait until Epiphany. And the whole scene stays in place at least until the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord–sometimes until Candlemas.

I always wanted a set of figures that had Baby Jesus separate from the manger, so he could be placed in it ceremoniously on Christmas Eve, but these are the figures that came with the stable we could afford 25 years ago when we bought our first Christmas decorations together. I’ve added in a table runner that my mom made for me (which doesn’t fit my table but is perfect here), and four different handmade Christmas trees, all made by special people in our lives.

nativity-scene-2016-4c

I’m joining in at CatholicMom.com for the first-ever Nativity Scene linkup! Join the fun; share a photo of your Nativity scene on your blog or on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter (use hashtag #CMnativity on social media).

Christmas in the Year of Mercy

franciscanmom4 Comments

I prayed Christmas Eve Vespers last night while sitting in a chair at the foot of my mother-in-law’s hospital bed.

All those years we took for granted our health, our loved ones’ health, everyone’s ability to be together and celebrate Christmas. All those years did not prepare us for this one; how Hubs and I would be at the hospital, comforting his mother who no longer knows his name or recognizes him as her son.

He’s back at the hospital with her today instead of hanging out here at home with us, relaxing, enjoying snacks and watching Christmas movies. Or movies someone got for Christmas (not always the same thing).

It just about kills him–as it has been for the past several years–that he can’t fix this. He can’t make Alzheimer’s go away. He can’t bring back his mom’s memory.

He can only sit by and hold her hand and reassure her again and again and again and again that everything is OK, that he is there. He can hold the water bottle and help her drink. He can play her favorite hymns on his iPhone and hold it close to her ear so she can hear familiar music.

He is doing those works of mercy like they’re his job (as the kids would say). They’re not his job, actually. He does them out of love.

Christmas Eve sqLast night he missed his family’s Christmas Eve party for the first time in his life. The kids went; we are thankful that 2 of our kids are old enough to drive so they could enjoy this time with their cousins after visiting Grandma in the hospital.

Today he missed Mass with the family and he’ll miss dinner. We’ll save him some, but it won’t be the same. Honestly, I don’t even care if we eat. We have plenty of snacks and another giant box of Bagel Bites, and the rest of the enormous pan of baked ziti one of his cousins generously sent home with the kids so Hubs and I could have a meal after we got home from the hospital.

It was hard to rejoice, this morning at Mass, knowing that while we sang “Silent Night” Hubs was on his way into that hospital room to spend the day listening to his mom talk (sometimes in Polish), holding her hand, trying to get her to eat something–anything–and having only snacks for himself until he gets kicked out of the room at the end of visiting hours, then driving more than an hour to get back here.

This is our Christmas in this Year of Mercy.

It’s going to be a hard year.

Please pray for Hubs, and his mom, and our family, and all others whose lives are impacted by Alzheimer’s and dementia. May God have mercy on us all.

Related: Erin McCole Cupp’s “Christmas is Not Supposed to Be Like This” is hitting especially hard right now–but is also a great comfort.

Gratitude on a Monday

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And Monday is another day. Not a bad day, not a super day, just a day. I’ll take it.

Before I left the house this morning, I made a list of the Christmas Eve Cousins. In my husband’s family, every child gets a present on Christmas Eve from every family who has children. Thanks to Facebook, I had everyone’s name and age. I left the list on my desk with the intention of texting Middle Sister at lunchtime and asking her to go shopping.

That text message never happened. But I got home to find her (and the list) gone. I ran out to do some grocery shopping for the week, since this is the only night I don’t have a rehearsal or a performance. When I got home, there were bags of toys everywhere.

I am so very grateful that she got this huge chore done–and her cousins, I’m sure, will love the toys she chose for them.

Then, my answer to “what’s for dinner” was “hot dogs and fries.”

And the kids cheered.

I was feeling like a total slacker for not cooking them a proper dinner on the one night this week I don’t have to be somewhere. The kids, though, are happy for the hot dogs.

I like this article I just read at CatholicMom.com:  How to Stop Feeling Like a Failure and Stay Focused This Advent.

Hot dogs and fries are OK. Happy kids, even more so. We can have Advent-wreath battles just as easily with plates of hot dogs in front of us as with chicken piccata.

 

 

Moved to Tears

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The first- and second-grade classes are deep into rehearsals for this year’s Christmas play, a children’s musical with a “true meaning of Christmas theme.”

unplugged ChristmasOne child commented after a rehearsal, “This is a lot like A Charlie Brown Christmas.” Thematically, yes. We don’t have Snoopy, but yes.

There are a few songs they had to learn, plus a few traditional carols. The second-graders do a version of Silent Night complete with hand motions (based on sign language; we learned it from a YouTube video) and it’s impossibly sweet.

We’ve had our funny moments, like yesterday when a first-grade boy walked up to me and confided, “I’m not sure if I’m supposed to be a shepherd or a Wise Old Man.”

But today we ran the whole show for the first time. And as the Nativity tableau was complete, the Wise Men crossed in front of the stage area. I reminded them to walk slowly and hold their hands as if they were praying. Then the first Wise Man–the rough-and-tumble football-playing boy who gets that “make me” look on his face when he’s corrected–reached the place where the manger will be.

And, unprompted, he genuflected. The other two Wise Men did the same.

I can’t even stand it. I’m not going to make it through this show without tissues, and I defy any other adult in the room to manage that feat.

 

Shared in the Catholic Bloggers Network Advent Link-Up!