IDEAS SHARED AT THE HOME FAITH MEETING,
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 13^TH, 2005...

It was an excellent meeting! If anyone is interested in borrowing the video shown, FAMILY SPIRITUALITY, please call me at the MFF office to make arrangements to pick it up.  It is NOT in the Maroon Library.

BOOKS OF INTEREST:
Before and After Christmas (Activities and Ideas for Advent/Christmas)
   by Debbie Trafton O'Neal
Prepare Him Room-Advent for busy Christians  by Mary E. Latela

CRAFTS:
 Holiday box - any box will do.  The best would be one that can stack cards upright...
            Need: box/ wrapping paper, stickers, index cards, scissors, glue
            Directions:  Decorate box and label hand made dividers to suit your family's activities
                                   during Christmas.  Example: Service projects, pictures, crafts,
                                   family outings.
Prayer box - decorate shoebox or any container. Have family put requests for prayers in the
                        box. in the evening at dinner time or whenever you are together,  open box,
                        pull out a name and pray for that person.
New Year's Eve.End of year mementos
                 Need: 12 pocket accordion folder/box card organizer, index cards,
                              black permanent marker, glue, felt, color markers to decorate,
                              tabs (one for each month of the year)
                 Directions: decorate box and label each month on a separate divider.  For each
                                       family activity, record that on one of the index cards and place behind
                                       the month when the activity took place.  On New Year's Eve set up a time
                                       for a family remembering night and pull out the cards for each month
                                       and recall all the wonderful things the family did throughout
                                       the year...end with a prayer of thanksgiving

Family Journal:
            Need: any composition book, materials to cover the book, add Family Journal to the
                         title, different colored markers
            Directions: Assign each member of the family a different color marker which will be
                                  that person's color all year long.  Date each entry.  At specific times during
                                  the week, each family member could write a thought or feeling or idea in the
                                  journal.  It will become a living treasure.  Be creative.
St. Nicholas Day.Dec. 6^th
            Need:  a book about this saint who is the forerunner of Santa Claus.. candy and small
                          gifts.
            Directions: before going to bed on Dec. 5^th, invite children to put their shoes outside
                                  their bedroom door in the hopes that St. Nicholas will come during the
                                  night and bring a gift or two. Make sure the children are aware of  how this
                                  custom came to be celebrated. Read about St. Nicholas to your children.

Advent Wreath
            Need: evergreens, 4candles (3 purple or dark blue and 1 pink), Advent prayers that can
                         be found in the missalette at church and in the Advent prayer helper called
                         THE MAGNIFICAT that will be available this coming weekend.

Christmas Tree Blessing
            Access the web site for various blessings. One is also listed in the MAGNIFICAT prayer
            book available in the gathering space of church.

Message on Answering Machine
            Need: family creativity..together come up with a message that you/your children can
                         put on your answering machine for Advent, for Christmas and for After
                         Christmas indicating that you are a family celebrating the season, e.g.,
                         Christmas:  You have reached the ________- Family who wishes you blessings
                         and peace during this Christmas time...  Remember that Jesus is the Reason
                          for the Season!

START YOUR OWN TRADITIONS!
       Many web sites are available.. Try (I think this is correct)
                                     www.catholicmoms.com


Happy Advent, Merry Christmas, Peace in the New Year.

All rights reserved St. Brendan Roman Catholic Church 2000