Children learn about Advent and Christmas through the activities collected in this volume. Includes entertaining word finds, crossword puzzles, color-by-number puzzles, and crack-the-code puzzles on reproducible sheets. Consumable.

Jennifer Galvin's activity books continue to grow in popularity. This latest one branches out to include holidays that would be found in parochial school calendars. My Catholic School Holiday Activity Book incorporates both secular and religious holidays. Fun and entertaining word finds, crossword puzzles, color-by-number puzzles, crack-the-code puzzles, and so on, will all enable children to learn the religion behind certain holidays and just have fun on others. Parents, parochial school teachers, and CCD and Sunday school teachers will all find this useful and will be happy to add this volume to their collection. Some of the holidays included are Columbus Day, St. Francis of Assisi, Election Day, the First Day of Winter, Thanksgiving, President's Day, Martin Luther King, Jr., Day, Mother's Day, and the Crowning of Mary. +

Fun-filled activity book for kids ages 4 to 7 shows how to make an Advent wreath, help Mary and Joseph find their way to Bethlehem, and count the gifts the Magi bring to the Christ Child. Filled with mazes, crossword puzzles, connect-the-dots, and word searches. A great way for kids and their parents to focus on the true meaning of the Advent and Christmas seasons. An invaluable resource for families and Christian formation teams alike. "A gold mine of Advent-related activities for children." —The Living Church

Following the success of their bestselling devotional Lent: One Day at a Time for Catholic Teens, youth ministry experts Katie Prejean McGrady and Tommy McGrady offer devotions for Advent and Christmas that help teens make sense of the things that matter most in their lives such as relationships, their future, and coping with stress. Realistic and easy to use, each daily devotion starts with a brief Bible quote that connects with a topic important to teens such as insecurity, pressure, trust, fitting in, finding hope, and choosing joy. A brief reflection helps teens consider the day’s topic through their faith. The McGradys sometimes offer comfort, hope, or reasons for joy in these reflections, while on other days they issue a challenge or two. Unlike many other seasonal prayer books, each day offers exercises and activities such as naming areas of teen’s lives where they want to be more hopeful or to trust God more. The result is a closer relationship with God. Each single-page, weekday devotion can be as brief as five minutes or as long as thirty if a teen chooses to do a bit extra with a feature called “Feel Ambitious?” This activity invites them to read, reflect, and respond to a longer scripture passage that connects to the day’s theme. Saturdays and Sundays offer additional challenges to reflect on the previous week and to look ahead to the next.

What does the Bible really say about the birth of Jesus? How did the celebration of Christmas become associated with things like Santa Claus and decorated trees? In The True Meaning of Christmas: The Birth of Jesus and the Origins of the Season, biblical scholar Michael Patrick Barber offers an inspiring look at the Bible's accounts of Jesus' birth and the development of the Christmas season. Along the way, he answers numerous questions, including: How is the Christmas story related to ancient Jewish expectations?Why is Jesus said to be laid in a "manger"?Who are the Magi?What is the mysterious Christmas star?How did December 25th become the date of Christmas?How did Saint Nicholas become "Santa Claus"? As Dr. Barber will show, to find our way "home" at Christmas, we need to first return to Christmas's home in the story of the Bible. Only by carefully reflecting on the stories of Jesus' birth can we hope to celebrate Christmas in the way it is meant to be celebrated and discover the real joy it promises!

For many families, the four weeks leading up to Christmas can be a time of great stress, unrealized dreams, a commercial blur, and a financial burden. Susan Hines-Brigger, the mother of four children, knows well that the days counting down to Christmas can easily become for parents and grandparents a nightmare of whiny behavior, crowded to-do lists, and a less-than-spiritual experience. That’s why this mother who has seen and heard it all in her own home during Advent created this resource with prayers and activities: She wants to put Christ back into the family holiday celebration and help families--even hers--become holier. Using A Catholic Family Advent on a daily basis will give Catholic families time together to pray, reflect on Scripture, and do a simple activity together. This daily source of inspiration can be used in the family setting as prayer before or after meals, as morning and evening prayer, or as family time in front of the Advent wreath or Christmas crèche.