New Christmas Books for the Feast of St. Nicholas {and a St. Nicholas Giveaway!}

"The giver of every good and perfect gift has called upon us to mimic God's giving, by grace, through faith, and this is not of ourselves." - St. Nicholas of Myra

The feast of St. Nicholas is just three weeks from today! On December 6th our children always wake up to find that the letters they wrote to the Holy Child and/or St. Nicholas have been taken and their (sometimes new/replaced) slippers have been filled with little treats, oranges, chocolate gold coins, candy canes, and often times a note from St. Nicholas.

Our children (and teens!) have also always received a new Christmas book as well, which has helped us build an amazing collection over the last twenty years. It will be so great to pass each of their collections down to them when they eventually start families of their own.

The darling wooden St. Nicholas toys in the above pictures are from Marzipantz and Ostheimer Wooden Toys.  The kids haven't seen these yet, but they will be added to our collection this year.

Note: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Here is the list of books I picked out for our children this year:
(I didn't get books for our college boys, but 'm hoping to mail them a St. Nicholas care package too!) 

For Twinkle Toes: 

The Twelve Days of Christmas Cats

"First published in 1998, The Twelve Days of Christmas Cats is a beloved picture book with full color illustrations by Don Daily. The traditional twelve days of Christmas poem is creatively transformed, with each spread featuring one of the twelve cats with its resepective adorable artwork. Siamese, leopards, persians, calico cats and kittens playfully ring in Christmas cheer as they dance across the pages of this heartwarming classic."

For Chiquita:

Red & Lulu

"Red and Lulu make their nest in a particularly beautiful evergreen tree. It shades them in the hot months and keeps them cozy in the cold months, and once a year the people who live nearby string lights on their tree and sing a special song: O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree. But one day, something unthinkable happens, and Red and Lulu are separated. It will take a miracle for them to find each other again. Luckily, it’s just the season for miracles. . . . From Matt Tavares comes a heart-tugging story combining the cheer of Christmas, the magic of New York City, and the real meaning of the holiday season: how important it is to be surrounded by love."

I had such a hard time deciding which book to give to Chiquita and which one to give to Rose...
This one goes so well with Rose's little collection of wooden birds (the tooth fairy brings her a sweet little bird every time she loses a tooth!) but her older sister will love it too!

For Snuggles: 

Once Upon A Silent Night

"Once Upon a Silent Night is a beautifully illustrated book for children ages 4 to 8 about the creation of the famous song. After the mice in a small Austrian town destroy the church organ, the parish priest and the choir director compose a song to fill the silent church on Christmas Eve. The townspeople and the mice celebrate Christmas with a new tune that reflects the humble birth of the Savior and inspires joy in the hearts of his people."

For Rose: 

Ricka, Flicka and Dicka and Their New Skates

(Updated Edition with Paperdolls)

"Early one Christmas morning in Sweden, Flicka, Ricka, and Dicka opened their eyes. Soon they would have their Christmas gifts! For the first time in over thirty years, this classic holiday tale returns, in a deluxe hardcover edition. Longtime fans of the series will delight in revisiting the story, and new readers will find fun and excitement as the girls must save their friend Bertie after an ice-skating disaster."

For Bud: 

Santa’s Priority: Keeping Christ in Christmas

"As Christmas becomes more and more commercialized, it is easy to get lost in the shopping and decorating; the parties and the lights; the presents and the food. In this charming and beautifully illustrated story, Santa himself comes to town and reminds everyone of the TRUE meaning of Christmas. Show your children—and remind yourself—that without Jesus, there is not Christmas. Santa’s Priority is an instant Christmas classic, that your family will read together for years to come."

This seven, soon-to-be-eight year old, needs an extra reminder on what Christmas is all about! ;)

For Grace: 

The Tree That's Meant To Be

"A small, crookled fir tree is left all alone after the others near it in the forest are chosen by families as Christmas to bring home. But when the forest animals gather around the lonely little tree to cheer it up and celebrate the season, it finds the warmth of the holidays in the heart of a cold, snowy forest."

For Lily: 

Guess Who's in the Manger? A Christmas Story

"Told from the perspective of a barn owl, Guess Who's in the Manger is a beautiful Christmas story sure to delight children four to seven years old--and their parents as well. Guess Who's in the Manger is perfect for reading aloud (what child doesn't enjoy the gentle "hoo" of an owl, reflected here in the sound of "who's in the manger?"). Written by Vicki Howie, author of Once Upon a Silent Night, this Christmas story is sure to delight."

Bonus Books for the Family: 

I also picked up these three new books this year too! They'll either be given to the children on the first day of Advent or in their Epiphany Book Stacks. 

Advent A-Z: 26 Days of Hand Lettering with the Saints 

(My girls are going to love this!) 

The Best Advent Ever (The Adventures of Nick & Sam, Book 3)

(I picked up my copy from Sacred Heart Books and Gifts! Keep this small Catholic family owned business in mind for Christmas book shopping - all their items are automatically 15% off!) 

Sisters of the Last Straw Book #5: The Case of the Christmas Tree Capers

(Be sure to check out the other books in the series!)

The Great O Antiphons, The Golden Nights

Ever since our oldest children were very little, we have been implementing an old monastic custom in our home by providing special treats, representing each of the "O Antiphons" on the days leading up to Christmas. The O Antiphon prayers begin on December 17th and end on the 23rd, which is the last Vespers of Advent, since the evening prayer on the 24th is the Vigil of Christmas.

The Benedictine monks arranged these antiphons with a definite purpose. If one starts with the last title and takes the first letter of each one - Emmanuel, Rex, Oriens, Clavis, Radix, Adonai, Sapientia - the Latin words ero cras are formed, meaning, “Tomorrow, I will come.” Therefore, the Lord Jesus, whose coming we have prepared for in Advent and whom we have addressed in these seven Messianic titles, now speaks to us, “Tomorrow, I will come.” So the “O Antiphons” not only bring intensity to our Advent preparation, but bring it to a joyful conclusion.

Each night, following our family rosary, we pray the O Antiphon for the day, sing O Come, O Come, Emmanuel, which was inspired by this ancient tradition, and then give the children a special treat.

Advent Hymns from We Sing and Chant

The "treats" have varied from year to year. Some years it has been little gifts or activities for the family, some years it is all food related, and some years it is a mix of both, depending on our schedule and budget. It doesn't need to cost much or even anything at all! Be creative!

Sometimes the treats are a bit of a stretch, but my goal is try and find gifts that will either help increase our faith (Catechism books, holy family, saints, prayer, etc) or encourage family time (games, puzzles, going to look at Christmas lights, etc). You can find some of our past O Antiphon treats by scrolling through the archives and visiting Catholic Cuisine.

Our family loves this tradition. It is such a fun way to teach the children about these beautiful prayers of the church and also increase their excitement as Christmas gets closer.

Here are more details on our O Antiphon House and Blocks

Below I've listed the treats I choose for this year, as well as additional ideas (food, activities and gifts - or simply decorate chocolate coins) for each of the O Antiphons.

Once again I am hosting an O ANTIPHON GIVEAWAY! One lucky visitor here at Shower of Roses will receive a gift package including seven Cookie Stamps, one to represent each of the seven O Antiphons! Be sure to scroll to the bottom of this post for the details and to enter.

.: December 17th :.

O Wisdom that comest out of the mouth of the Most High, that reachest from one end to another, and orderest all things mightily and sweetly, come to teach us the way of prudence!

O Sapientia (O Wisdom) - SaintCards + Holy Helpers & Doctors of the Church

Since the symbol for wisdom is a book, I usually choose a new Catholic book for our family. Last year it was two books in The Wonder Series: The Wonder Story and The Wonder Days. The year before it was An Alphabet of the Altar which had just been reprinted by St. Augustine Academy Press. This year I'll be giving them SaintCards + Holy Helpers & Doctors of the Church. I think we'll all enjoy playing this and learning more about the saints!

Additional Ideas: 

• Bible Cookies or Bible Candies
• Brain Food (Dark Chocolate, Deviled Eggs, etc - I'm hoping to tuck some of the Theo Christmas Bars into stockings this Christmas.)
• Play a Trivia Game (Christmas Trivia, Catholic Trivia, Cranium) 
• Play Memory with Catholic Words Memory Match, Saint Memory, or Catholic Quiz games (Scattergories-Catholic Edition is fun with the older kids too!)
• Bookmarks or Holy Cards
• Family Prayer Book, Catechism, or other Book (The Christmas Book, The Catechism in Pictures with review here, Jesus Make Me Worthy, My Catholic Faith, A Catholic Child's Picture Dictionary, Around the Year: Once Upon a Time Saints, etc... The possibilities are endless.) 
• Books including The Wonder Story and The Wonder Days from St. Augustine Academy Press. 

.: December 18th :.

O Adonai, and Ruler of the house of Israel, Who didst appear unto Moses in the burning bush, and gavest him the law in Sinai, come to redeem us with an outstretched arm!

O Adonai (O Lord) - Gingerbread House Kit from Trader Joe's

In the past we would emphasize the word "house" in this Antiphon, and have made our Gingerbread Houses or Gingerbread Cookies on this night.  Now that we have two birthdays this week (and two birthday cakes to bake and decorate!) we usually wait until Christmas Eve, or sometime during the 12 Days of Christmas to decorated Gingerbread Houses but I'm hoping we can fit it in this year!

Additional Ideas: 

• Ten Commandment Cookies
• Cookies made with this Gingerbread House Cookie Cutter or this cute 3-D Mini Gingerbread House Cookie Cutter made by Sweet Creations, emphasizing the word "house" 
• Pull out the Smore's Maker or light a bonfire and Roast Marshmallows, in reference to "Moses in the burning bush"
• Decorate Gingerbread Houses (my girls surprised me with this pan one year)
• Notre Dame 3-D Church Puzzle, Forest Nativity Shaped Puzzle (shaped like house), or this Stained Glass Holy Night
• Father Leopold Lego Set or Architecture Blocks would also tie in nicely 
• Discuss the various names for Our Lady, including House of Gold! The Virgin Mary Around the World or any of the Marian dolls (Our Lady of Fatima, Our Lady of Czestochowa, Our Lady of China, Our Lady of Vailankanni, etc) would be perfect. 

.: December 19th :.

O Root of Jesse, which standest for an ensign of the people, at Whom the kings shall shut their mouths, Whom the Gentiles shall seek, come to deliver us, do not tarry.

O Radix Jesse (O Root of Jesse) - 2018 Family Ornament to add to the Christmas Tree

Additional Ideas:

• Root Beer Floats or Carrot Cake
• Roasted Root Vegetable, Hearty Healing Beef Stew or Hamburger Stew (pictured)... Yum! 
• Purchase a Christmas Poinsettia (In the past we have also incorporated other Poinsettias: 12 Red Glitter Poinsettia Ornaments, Miracle of the Poinsettia, The Miracle of the First Poinsettia and Poinsettia Cupcakes)
• Play some sort of Gardening or Nature Game as a Family (perhaps Wildcraft! An Herbal Adventure Game, Gathering a Garden, or The Sneaky Snacky Squirrel Game!)
• A new "Family" Ornament
• Old Fashioned Root Beer Drops
• Bonus: You could even have a Jesse Tea! 
• Shepherd Puzzle Set made by Naturally Catholic

From Jesse, the shepherd, to Jesus, the Good Shepherd... Shepherds tie in nicely this year!

This year, in addition to the new family ornament, our children will be unwrapping this cute Shepherd and Angel playlet from Shining Light Dolls. 

.: December 20th :.

O Key of David, and Sceptre of the house of Israel, that openeth and no man shutteth, and shutteth and no man openeth, come to liberate the prisoner from the prison, and them that sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death.

O Clavis David (O Key of David) - Fishing for Bible Characters

We'll have another family game night, along with some sparkling drinks!

Additional Ideas:

• Key Lime Pie
• Special drink with dinner. Since this is initially a monastic tradition, and on this night, the monk in charge of the wine cellar would provide a special bottle of wine.
• Surprise the family with tickets ("key") to something local - Christmas play, the Nutcracker, etc. One year I took our older children to see A Christmas Carol at the theatre. 
• Key Puzzle/Brainteaser
• Tiny Saints Key Hooks (One year I purchased a couple key hook rails to use to hang our Rosaries. You can see them in our old home in this post.)
• Advent At Ephesus, Caroling at Ephesus, or this Music of Midnight Mass!
• Incorporate Music "keys" with Catholic Songs for Children CD, Sheet Music Book and St. Cecelia Doll

.: December 21st :.

O Dayspring, Brightness of the everlasting light, Son of justice, come to give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death!

Christmas Morning 2017

O Oriens (O Dayspring) - New Christmas Pajamas

I decided to go a different direction all together this year... I'm going to surprise the kids with their Christmas Eve pajamas a few days early. I've found that there is just too much going on Christmas Eve (especially since we love to attend the midnight mass) to wait until then. Last year I gave them to them all on the feast of St. Nicholas, but this year I didn't have them all in time. I think they will be perfect to go along with this O Antiphon. We'll also try and go out to see Christmas lights, as usual, weather permitting.

Additional Ideas:

• O Dayspring Ice Cream
• Non-Alcoholic Mimosas or Texas Sunrise with Breakfast
• Decorate a Christmas Candle (We use a tiny wax baby Jesus I purchased years ago along with Stockmar Gold Decorating Beeswax.)
• Our favorite tradition for this O Antiphon is to pile in the car after dinner with hot cocoa and drive around to look at all the Christmas lights. We have also added these to our tree: Kurt Adler 10-Light Candle with Gold Dish Light Set 
• Candles from The Cloister Shoppe
• Our Lady of Fatima: The Graphic Novel and Coloring Book (miracle of the sun)
• Grimm's CASA SOLE Stacking Blocks (The set we have isn't currently available. Other options can be found online and over at Etsy including: Sun Block Wood Toy Stacker and these) 

.: December 22nd :.

O King of the Gentiles, yea, and desire thereof! O Corner-stone, that makest of two one, come to save man, whom Thou hast made out of the dust of the earth!

O Rex Gentium (O King of the Gentiles) - Three Kings Playset from Shining Light Dolls

Additional Ideas:

• Crown Cake, Cupcakes or Cookies
• Bake Cookies using the Wise Men Cookie Stamp from Rycraft, Inc 
• Assemble a Three Kings Puzzle and this beautiful Stained Glass Nativity Puzzle
• Listen to King of the Golden City CD
• One year I picked out one of the beautiful sets of Three Kings Gifts - we pull it out every Christmas! 
• Rex Gentium Nail Polish
• Twas the Evening of Christmas Picture Book - Our daughter received this one year on the feast of St. Nicholas. It's such a lovely book! 

.: December 23rd :.

O Emmanuel, our King and our Law-giver, Longing of the Gentiles, yea, and salvation thereof, come to save us, O Lord our God!

O Emmanuel (O With Us is God) - The Holy Family Nativity Playset from Shining Light Dolls

Some year's I've given our children a new nativity set on this day... This year I'm splitting it up, giving them the shepherd/angel one night, the three kings another, and finishing it with Mary & Joseph. I love that it comes with two Mary dolls - one expecting and one holding Baby Jesus!

Additional Ideas:

• Make a Chocolate Nativity Scene for Christmas 
• Decorate Nativity Cookies to give as gifts or Cookie Cutters Tell the Christmas Story 
• 500-Piece Stained Glass Jigsaw Puzzle or Holy Family Puzzle
• Decorate Chocolate Christmas Coins using this FREE Printable
• Children's Nativity Set -  you can find some of our favorites in this post and more of our collection here (scroll down a bit)
• Christmas picture books, coloring books including the beautiful Eucharistic Adoration: With Saints And Symbols Of The Eucharist coloring book, or the Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring: Christmas with The Dominican Sisters of Mary.
• Song of the Stars: A Christmas Story Board Book
• Midnight Mass Puzzle 

.: O ANTIPHONS GIVEAWAY :. 

Here are the cookie stamps I picked out to go along with each of the O Antiphons.
The winner will recieve one of each!

Wisdom: #460 – Triune God
House: #214 – Home Sweet Home
Root of Jesse: #520 – Willow Tree
Key of David: #543 – Key to My Heart
Dayspring: #291 – Moravian Star
King: #448 – Norwegian Wedding Crown
Emmanuel: #368 – Nativity

Sponsored by Rycraft Cookie Stamps

(7 cookie stamps with recipe booklet @ $12.99 ea = $90.93 value)

Enter the Giveaway using the Rafflecopter Box below: 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Scroll through all the past "O Antiphon" posts here.

If you are looking for gift ideas, you can find my lists of Christmas Gift Ideas & Stocking Stuffers here (2015), here (2016), here (2017), and here (2018).  

Stamped Shortbread Cookies (AIP, Paleo, Vegan)

My girls made sure I had treats for the feasts of St. Nick and St. Lucy too. It IS possible to make gluten-free, grain-free, egg-free, dairy-free, sugar-free shortbread cookies! This is the second year they have made them for me and they are such a nice little treat along with a cup of tea. 

Stamped Shortbread Cookies

(Paleo, AIP, Vegan)

Ingredients:

• ½ c Coconut Flour
• 2 tbsp. Arrowroot Flour
• Pinch of Sea Salt
• ½ c melted Palm Shortening
• 2 tbsp. Maple Syrup
• ½ tsp alcohol-free Vanilla Extract
• 4 tbsp. Water

Instructions:

1. Set oven to 325 degrees.
2. In a medium bowl sift together the coconut flour, arrowroot flour, and pinch of salt.
3. Make a well in the center and add the melted palm oil, maple syrup, and vanilla. Stir thoroughly. Add the water and continue to stir until you have a nice dough. The mixture will continue to thicken after the water is added. 
4. Roll into one-inch balls, and place on uncreased cookie sheet. 
5. Stamp with cookie stamp. (Tips for using stamps can be found here.)
6. Bake at 325 for 15 minutes, until lightly golden on edges. 
7. Allow the cookies to cool for 10-15 minutes before removing from the baking sheet. 
8. Enjoy! 

We have quite a few Rycraft Cookie Stamps including the cookie stamps featured in this post:

Saint Nicholas • Bishop's Mitre • God Jul • Dala Horse • Lucia Crown • Lucia

If you have a favorite AIP cookie recipe, please share! 

New Christmas Books for the Feast of St. Nicholas {and a St. Nicholas Giveaway!}

The feast of St. Nicholas is just a few weeks away! On December 6th our children always wake up to find that the letters they wrote to the Holy Child and/or St. Nicholas have been taken and their (sometimes new/replaced) slippers have been filled with little treats, oranges, chocolate gold coins, candy canes, and often times a note from St. Nicholas. Our children (and teens!) have always received a new Christmas book as well, which has helped us build an amazing collection over the years!

“A children's story that can only be enjoyed by children is not a good children's story in the slightest.” - C.S. Lewis

I picked out some of this years books months ago, before life started getting really crazy with our out-of-state move, and last week I went hunting for bookstores near our new home to find a few last books to finish the list. I haven't wrapped them up yet but plan to once again use the brown paper, red ribbon and little St. Nicholas labels.

You are welcome to download my St. Nicholas labels over at Dropbox with either Black or Green text. 

Here is the list of books my husband and I picked out for our children this year:

Note: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

For Captain:

A Charlie Brown Christmas: Deluxe Edition

"Celebrate Christmas with Charlie Brown and the rest of the Peanuts gang in this gorgeous deluxe storybook retelling of the beloved Christmas special! Christmas is almost here, which means ice-skating, Christmas carols, and sparkly lights everywhere—even on Snoopy’s doghouse! Everyone is enjoying the holiday celebrations except Charlie Brown. Can the Peanuts gang help Charlie Brown discover the true meaning of Christmas? Find out in this beautiful deluxe storybook with a cloth cover, lush foil stamping, and incredible illustrations! This makes the perfect holiday gift for fans of Peanuts and the classic Christmas special."

Our eldest son has always loved Charlie Brown! This book will be a fun addition to his collection. 

For Ranger: 

The Village of Lights

"On a snowy hilltop in the north of England lives a lonely old farmer. Every night, he watches the lights flickering cheerily in his village--until World War II brings darkness to his country. As Christmas approaches and the village is threatened by enemy bombers, the old farmer devises a plan to bring hope and light back to his friends and remind all of the peace the Christmas season brings."

I had a hard time deciding which of the boys to give this story to... They will all love it! 

(Originally I thought I'd give this one to our 11 year old and the LEGO Ornament book to Ranger...

but Sean voted for the opposite.) 

For Twinkle Toes: 

The Queen and the First Christmas Tree: Queen Charlotte's Gift to England

"Queen Charlotte brought her family's festive holiday yule bough from Germany to England. While planning a Christmas Day party in 1800 at Windsor Castle for over 100 children, she realized a single bough isn't enough. So she brought in the whole tree instead, making it the first known Christmas Tree in England. This story tells a little known fact about a favorite holiday tradition."

For Chiquita:

Silent Night: The wonderful story of the beloved Christmas Carol

"A warm and wonderful story of the creation of the timeless hymn, Silent Night, and its creator Joseph Mohr. Silent Night celebrates the 200th anniversary of the beloved hymn, and shares the story behind the creation of one of the world's most recognizable tunes. "

Our older two girls have both joined the choir at our new parish and I know they will especially love reading this story about the hymn Silent Night.

For Snuggles: 

LEGO Christmas Ornaments Book, Volume 2: 16 Designs to Spread Holiday Cheer

"Building instructions for 16 clever Christmas ornaments that can be built from standard LEGO parts that fans are likely to have in their collection. These small and uncomplicated ornaments are quick to build and a joy to display. "



**I might end up just giving this to all the kids and giving Snuggles the brand new book by Susan Peek, Saint Rudolph and the Reindeer. 

For Rose: 

Christmas Farm

"When Wilma decides her garden needs a new beginning, she gathers string, scissors, shovels, sixty-two dozen balsam seedlings, and Parker, her five-year-old neighbor. Year after year, Wilma and Parker nurture their trees, keeping careful count of how many they plant, how many perish, and how many grow to become fine, full Christmas trees. A cozy, holiday read-aloud and a lyrical way to usher in the month of December."

For Bud: 

The Little Drummer Boy

"This classic Christmas story about a shy boy who plays his trusted drum for the newborn king will charm children and parents alike. A brand new story from Bernadette Watts, never before published."

For Grace: 

The Nutcracker: A BabyLit Dancing Primer

"With this colorfully illustrated board book version of the classic Christmas-time ballet, Jennifer Adams and Alison Oliver present a new holiday favorite, The Nutcracker: A BabyLit® Dancing Primer. This board book features soldiers marching, mice prancing, snowflakes swirling, dolls bending, and buffoons skipping as a way to introduce basic movement terms to babies and toddlers."

Bonus - For Sean and I: 

Drinking with Saint Nick: Christmas Cocktails for Sinners and Saints

Michael Foley, author of Drinking with the Saints, presents cocktail recipes and wine, beer, and cider recommendations that will keep hearths warm and parties joyful throughout the holidays. With stories about the history of St. Nicholas and other saints, as well as an advent calendar leading up to Christmas, this gift book is a must for anyone who starts stringing lights and playing Christmas music the day after Thanksgiving. Let the Christmas games begin!


Bonus - Family Read Aloud: 

Seven for St. Nicholas

I found this book on Ebay a few years ago (back before Grace was born when we still had seven children) and keep forgetting to pull it out for the feast of St. Nicholas. It's about seven children in New Amsterdam who worry that St. Nicholas will not be able to find them in the New World. I'm hoping, as we get settled into our new home, that I'll be able to find the time to read it aloud this December. I'm looking forward to it! 

The darling wooden St. Nicholas toys in the above two pictures are from Naturally Catholic and Almond Rod Toys.