How to Simplify Christmas Shopping

I’m a frugalista every day, everywhere. But particularly in gift giving occasions. This may sound parsimonious, but I only spend $10 to $15 per birthday or Christmas gift for extended family. For the kids and spouse, I spend more, but even then, I stay in a budget. If I get the gift on sale (and I usually do) the value of the gift may be more. But the price tag, I keep low.

I do this for several reasons. First, it’s too easy to overspend. By pinch pennies in every purchase, I stay financially solvent. I cut on non-essentials so I’ll have enough for essentials. I prioritize needs before luxuries, and then choosing which luxuries to splurge on (for example, last Christmas we didn’t exchange gifts, but took the family to New Orleans to see our eldest daughter). On a deeper spiritual level, simple Christmas are more Catholic. It gets us in line with advent principles. For more, read  How to Simplify Christmas Shopping

Catholic Christmas Traditions Around the World

My husband and I base our 23 year marriage on family, parenting, education and tradition. We practice attachment parenting and home-schooled our children. As a Catholic family, holiday traditions revolve around Advent and Christmas. Here are some of those traditions. Read more

Epiphany Party Activities, Crafts, Games

Epiphany isn't technically part of Advent. It's a high point of the Christmas Octave--the eight days following Christmas. It's also the culmintation of the 12 days of Christmas, called Twelfth Night in many cultures. Epiphany commemorates the visit of the wisemen to the manger in Bethlehem where Jesus was born. The holiday is the major gift-giving occasion, more than Christmas, in some countries. It's also called Three Kings' Day, in honor of the Magi's visit. Here's an epiphany party planner with games, crafts, lesson plans, recipes and Bible activities. Read more

Ways parents can develop awareness of poverty, teach generosity

If I had a buck for every time I heard someone say "kids today are so insensitive and selfish," I'd be rich. If kids lack sensitivity, it's because we parents have failed to teach empathy. Kids need to learn empathy, especially with those in need. Disparity between "have" and "have not" are greatest during the holidays. Lavish feasts rub shoulders with hunger; excessive gift-giving coincides with poverty; kids' Christmas "gimmes" coexist with homelessness and despair. Here are ways to develop awareness of world poverty and teach generosity at Christmas.  read more

Free Printable Christmas Bible Story Coloring Pages for Advent

Psst--I've got a secret! Jesus is coming soon! Dec. 2, 2012 began the Catholic church new year and Advent. Yes, I know, Jesus was born some 2K years ago. But we Catholics and Orthodox Christians (and many other protestant Christian denominations) relive that most blessed event annually. We commemorate the birthday with a special season called Advent (that means "beginning" or "coming."). We believe that we need to open our hearts to Jesus and let him be born again there. We celebrate with generosity and good deeds. We practice virtues of prayer, fasting and almsgiving. We look for Jesus in everyone we meet. We live out Our Lord's command to "love one another as I have love you." To help kids get closer to Jesus and his Holy Family, here are free Christian Christmas printables. Use these to count down to the feast of Christmas. Let kids follow the penitential season advent and the Octave of Christmas and epiphany by coloring one page each night. 

Our Lady of Guadalupe Advent Activities for Kids

Dec. 12 marks the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe in the Catholic Church. It dates to back to 1531 when Catholics believe the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to an Aztec peasant named Juan Diego (now Bl. Juan Diego) at a hill called Tepeyac in Mexico City. Here are activities to help parents teach children about this Catholic holiday and its part in Mexican heritage. Activities include historical lesson plans, information on miracles attributed to Our Lady's image, plus crafts, recipes, games and activities to explore. read more

Free Printable Thanksgiving Activities and Lesson Plans

As a former homeschool family, we celebrated the Thanksgiving holiday as a natural lead-in to Advent. Thanksgiving activities connect well with Advent virtues of prayer, fasting and almsgiving. I recently came across a website that is one of the most comprehensive and helpful internet resources that I've seen in five years writing online. If you need free printable Thanksgiving lesson plans, crafts, activities, recipes, games and resources, read on... read on

Free Printable 'Stone Soup' Crafts, Games, Activities, Lessons

The legend of "Stone Soup" is timeless. With it's focus on sharing and generosity, itt's the perfect Advent book. "Stone Soup" has been retold many times, notably by Marcia Brown, Ann McGovern and Jon J. Muth. Stone Soup is sacred text in preschool and elementary classrooms. If you are teaching Stone Soup, here are free printable activities. As an educator and homeschooler, I've used "Stone Soup" over the years. read more

Student volunteer service credit opportunities: Tips for parents

 Volunteering is a buzzword in educational circles. It's also an important component of Catholic advent activities. To raise student awareness, groups like United Way coordinate student volunteer programs. Home schoolers and families can take advantage of this program to help kids gain volunteer experience. Many schools require kids to perform a set number of community service credits to graduate. Elementary and middle schools are getting in on the act, too. If your student needs earn community service credits here are some suggestions.  read more

Simple life parenting: Teaching kids how to slow down

Whenever I ask fellow parents how they are, the first answer is always "busy." Parents are under a lot of pressure from work, family, school and community. It's easy to get so caught up in our busy lives that we forget to live. We disconnect from spouses and kids because we're stuck in a too-fast lifestyle. We complain that kids are too busy, but they learn from our example. As we begin thinking about Advent, here are ways parents teach kids, by example, how to slow down.  Advent slow-down tips