December 2012 Issue The St. Augustine Monthly 1

g{x fàA Tâzâáà|Çx `ÉÇà{Äç

Y Ü É Å à { x c Ü | Ç v | Ñ t Ä Ë á W x á ~ ‹

St. Augustine School † Founded in 1857 † www.staug-md.org

Come to Learn. Go to Serve † December 2012

When the children arrive in school on Monday, we will have begun a new liturgical year. A new year is an opportunity to reflect on the past year and make plans for improvement. It is very fortuitous that we are also only a few days into the new trimester and by now the children have received their progress reports. The progress reports contain quite a bit of information about each child’s learning. Parents are advised to review the reports carefully with their children, affirming the children’s successes, including good effort and conduct. In addition, parents can help their children set some goals for further growth and success during the second trimester. As I met with many of the students yesterday to review their progress reports, I was so pleased to share their excitement when they achieved their goals. I expressed how proud of them I am and assured them that their parents would be also. I also encouraged those who were not as successful and urged them to ask their parents to help them with studying.

This Monday we will also begin our school celebration of Advent. Our halls and classrooms will be adorned with advent wreaths and messages of preparing our hearts for the coming of Christ. On December 25 we commemorate the coming of Christ into history and the human experience. In the coming days we will be reminded that Christ will come again at the end of time. But most importantly these weeks of Advent are an opportunity to recognize that Christ comes to us every day to help, to comfort, to guide, to nudge, to heal, and to call us into a greater communion with Him. Christ comes to us so that we might be the absolute best we can be for others and for ourselves. This message is at the core of everything we do and teach at St. Augustine School. It is such a blessing to have the opportunity to form our children into people who know and await the coming of Christ. It is so important that our children experience the opportunity to give to others. This year our school will be supporting the Toys for Tots campaign. I implore you to help your child use some of his or her time and money to provide a new, unwrapped toy for a child in need. These toys will be picked up from the school on Monday, December 10. Other service activities include making gifts or cards for family members and patients in hospitals and nursing homes, making or sharing treats with buddies, and providing needed supplies for our animal friends at the Howard CountyAnimal Shelter.

In addition to preparing our hearts for Christ by serving others, the children in grades 2-8 will have the opportunity to receive the sacrament of Reconciliation. The Christmas story told in words and song by our third and fifth grade students will inspire us. Sweet treats will be shared on the Feast of St. Nicholas and our community will join together to have dinner with Santa. We will all get in the spirit of this holy season at the school Christmas concert and pageant. On the last day of school before the great celebration of the Birth of Our Savior we will gather at Mass to reflect on our readiness for Christmas. That day will also include our first Jingle Bell Dash and lots of class parties. I pray that in the midst of all this activity none of us loses sight of the reason for this celebration. I wish all of you a very blessed and joyful Advent and Christmas. May the presence of Christ bring your family peace and all good things.

~`ÜáA ctàÜ|v|t fv{Ütàé? cÜ|Çv|ÑtÄ

2 The St. Augustine Monthly December 2012 Issue

A t t e n t i o n 8 t h G r a d e P a r e n t s … H i g h S c h o o l E n t r a n c e Te s t

On Saturday, December 1 and 8, all 8th grade students who wish to attend any Catholic high school in the Archdiocese of Baltimore must report to the high school that is their first choice to take the entrance test. Registration for the test is at 8:30 a.m. and the test begins promptly at 9:00 a.m. A $30 fee (cash) is due at registration. Applications to the schools of your choice must be made directly to those schools. Please pay careful attention to their individual deadlines. All members of the St. Augustine School community are asked to pray for the success of our 8th grade students on this very important exam.

2 0 1 2 A n n u a l F u n d … A L e g a c y o f E x c e l l e n c e . A F u t u r e o f P r o m i s e

The 2012 Annual Fund is in full swing! Thank you to everyone who has already given generously. Our goals are to have 100% participation from our school families and raise $25,000. It is important to note that the Annual Fund decreases each child’s

tuition by nearly $100. Funds in excess of our goal will be used to purchase unbudgeted items on the teachers’ wish lists. Remember, each class that reaches 100% participation by December 21st will received a free dress pass, and the first class to reach 100% participation will receive a special surprise. We are very pleased to report that we have 100% participation from our faculty. As you know the cost of tuition alone does not cover all of the many expenses with operating the school and educating our students. Contributions of all sizes will help us reach our 100% participation goal. For your convenience, credit card gifts are accepted online. Thank you for your support!

C o n g r a t u l a t i o n s , M a t h M a s t e r s ! Congratulations to the following students who achieved “Math Master” status in the month of November:

3rd Grade: Somtochukwu Anuonyemere, Chad Bangs, Caleb Bonar, Charlie Borsh, Regan Breeding-Johnson, Scott Dunphy, Molly Fountain, Nick Greaves, Justin Gutierrez, Kelise Harding, Sarah johnson, Hannah Leppado, Cydney Lisk, Jayden Scerati, and Andrew Striedl. 4th Grade: Katie Borsh, Samiah Calhoun, Maria Fair, Jacob Hackman, Kat Munter, James Thompson, and Megan Triplett 5th Grade: Savannah Black, Meghan Brandt, Robbie Dunham, Emmanuel Morales, and Peter Pittman

B o x t o p s U p d a t e

Thanks to everyone participating during the November Turkey Bucks Contest. We are marching towards our $2,000 goal thanks to all of

you! Will update you on totals when the November Contest is over.

CHRISTMAS STOCKING GIVE-AWAY. Cut and paste box tops on the Christmas Stocking Give-Away Collection Sheet (10 box tops) available on the school website or send them in a bag with your name and grade. Your name will be entered into the raffle for a Christmas stocking filled with goodies and surprises. The more box tops you send, the more chances to win!! CONTEST RUNS until Dec 17th. The drawing will be held on the 19th.

.

S a n t a C l a u s i s C o m i n g t o S A S !

The Home and School Association is sponsoring an all you can eat pasta Christmas dinner with Santa on Friday, December 7 from 5-8 PM in the hall. In addition to a delicious Italian buffet dinner, the event will feature

December 2012 Issue The St. Augustine Monthly 3

pictures with Santa, children’s games, cake walk, Santa’s workshop with children’s crafts, gift shop (children only), silent auction, 50/50 raffle and fun for the entire family! Dinner cost is $10 for adults and $7 for children. This is one holiday event you don’t want to miss!

D o n ’ t F o r g e t t o Vo t e ! !

Now through December 12, 2012 at 11:59pm EDT, adults and children 13 and older can visit www.PowerABrightFuture.com

to vote once a day for St. Augustine School to win a $50,000 grant from Clorox

Neighbors, friends, and family can also vote for their favorite school right from their phones via text message (Message and Data Rates May Apply). Please text our school code (2607pbf ) to 95248*.

We need ALL of our families to support SAS in this competition. Please remember to e-mail and/or text your vote EVERY DAY until December 12th and ask family, friends, and co-workers to do the same. Please help us spread the word.

S A S S t u d e n t s R e c e i v e A c a d e m i c H o n o r s We are very pleased and proud to announce that the following students received the Principal’s Award for the 1st trimester:

Grade 6: Josephine Borsh, Emily Dagirmanjian, Joseph Johnson, Katrina Manabat, Monica Mercurio, Spencer Nichols, Adam Quick, Kylie Riddle, Sydney Roy, Julianne Schallmo, Samantha Sheldon, Kristen Zaranski Grade 7: Nicole Beautz, Jonathon Brandt, Abigail Bulla, John Dutan, Olivia Gretz, Rachel Hall, Delaney Hill, Zachary Hillock, Julia Hoffman, Edward Madera, Kathleen Miller, Adam Mills, Ryan O’Boyle,

Obiajulu Oranuba, Gregory Peterson, Jessica Schneck, Chloe Shoemaker, Sean Shorkey-Chacon, Jesse Whitehead Grade 8: Emily Dunham, Hope Dunphy, Isabel Gabin, Samuel Goodman, Dennis Munter, Anastasia Noon, Rachel Sheubrooks, Julia Stanitski

We are also very pleased to announce that the following students made honor roll for the 1st trimester:

Grade 6: Hannah Bangs, Matthew Bennett, Katelyn Carroll, Idris Mansaray, Samuel Shoemaker, Thomas Skrynecki, Jennifer Taylor, Hannah Whiting Grade 7: Noah Bahur, Michael Casimir, Cameron Haislip, Julia Leishear, Mary Marc, Sarah O’Boyle, John Peyla, Ashley Wyn Grade 8: Xinyu Biao, Ryan Bibeau, Samuel Borsh, Gabriel Brunal, Jennifer Davis, Anasia Hamlett, Matthew Lamm, Natalie Lybrook, Taylor Novotny, Jason Schneck, Julia Wooldridge.

C h r i s t m a s E v e n t s This year the Christmas pageant will take place on Thursday, December 20. Students in our PK- grade 5 and grade 7 are preparing for the pageant in music class. The Christmas band

concert will precede the pageant, beginning promptly at 7PM. Families are urged to stay for the pageant which promises to be a brief and beautiful prelude to our celebration of Christmas.

H e l p S A S W h i l e D o i n g Yo u r H o l i d a y S h o p p i n g As the holiday season gets underway, support our school by reminding friends & family members to shop through SchoolStore.com when buying gifts online. Not only is online shopping convenient, buying through SchoolStore.com will earn our school money at no extra cost to you!

4 The St. Augustine Monthly December 2012 Issue

K i d ' s C o l l e g e a t S A S Congratulations to the following students who achieved the highest score in their class in Kid's College (KC) for the first trimester. KC is an online learning

resource that students use in the computer lab to improve their skills in reading, math, and science. Students are also encouraged to access KC at home. These students worked very hard, often spending hours of their free time at home, to practice their skills using KC.

Grade 3: Somtochukwu Anuonyemere

Grade 4: Megan Triplett

Grade 5: Nna Oranuba

Grade 6: Idris Mansaray

Grade 7: Eddie Madera

Grade 8: Jenny Davis

To access Kid's College at home, please follow the instructions on Mrs. Mobley's Blog which is located at http://www.mrsmobleyscomputerclass.blogspot.com/.

W i n t e r W e a t h e r i s i n t h e A i r As winter approaches, please remember that we follow the Howard County Public School System for delays, early dismissals and closings due to inclement weather. To receive automatic e-mail alerts of delays and closing, please register at www.Schoolsout.com. This information will also be posted on the SAS website.

Fresh air and exercise is very important to our students’ success. Therefore, we will go outdoors even in cold weather. Please be sure your child is dressed in warm clothes, including hats and gloves.

M a s s o f T h a n k s g i v i n g

All parents are invited to attend the St. Augustine School Mass of Thanksgiving to celebrate our achievement in being named a National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence. The celebrant for this liturgy will be Archbishop William E. Lori, head of the archdiocese of Baltimore. At the end of Mass Howard County Council Member Calvin Ball will present our school with a commendation from the county. After Mass Archbishop Lori will visit the classrooms and speak briefly to the children.

Wa l k t o B e t h l e h e m You’re invited to Walk to Bethlehem this Christmas season — a free indoor/outdoor theatrical Christmas adventure for the whole family. This event will

take place on November 30, December 1 & 2, 2012 from 5-8 pm at Glen Mar Church, 4701 New Cut Road, Ellicott City, entrance off MD Rt. 103 across from Brampton Parkway. Meet Roman soldiers, shepherds and angels as you journey through the Christmas story. You’ll see live animals and an authentic biblical marketplace. Sing carols and get into the holiday spirit!

R a c h e l ’s F r i e n d s C l u b Rachel’s Friends Club, under the direction of Mr. Miller and Mrs. Mobley, hosted a welcome breakfast treat for our new students this past week. One of the objectives of Rachel’s Friends is to reach out to new students with hospitality and welcome. The Rachel’s Friends Club which will begin afterschool meetings this coming week will continue to ensure that all students are included and made to feel they are important part of our school community. Students in grades 5-8 are eligible to be a part of Rachel’s Friends. It is not too late to join the club.

December 2012 SUNDAY  MONDAY  TUESDAY  WEDNESDAY  THURSDAY  FRIDAY  SATURDAY 

              High School Placement Test   pm ‐ Advent by 

Candlelight              

       : pm  ‐ Advent Play       

   pm – Blue Ribbon Mass of Thanksgiving with  Archbishop Lori 

 High School Placement Test 

          5:30 pm – Dinner with Santa  

 

   Toys for Tots Donations Due 

  th grade field trip to embassies  

  :   Faculty Mtg.     am – Reconciliation, 

Grades  ‐  

    

        am – Senior Lunch 

   

   pm ‐ Christmas Pageant and Band Concert 

 NO PM HOWARD COUNTY BUS  9:15 am – School Mass  10:30 am – Jingle Bell Dash  12:25 pm – Early Dismissal 

 

                SCHOOL CLOSED   SCHOOL CLOSED   SCHOOL CLOSED    SCHOOL CLOSED    SCHOOL CLOSED    

   SCHOOL CLOSED           

 

 

PARTICIPATE IN THE CHRISTMAS CAKE CONTEST 

HAVE FUN AND WIN PRIZES! 

 

 

General Rules/Details: 

Students in Grades 3 to 8 are eligible to enter the contest. 

Cakes must be brought into the school hall Friday, December 7th by 8:45am. 

Cakes must be brought in on a disposable cake platter and wrapped in Saran wrap. 

Label only the bottom (underside) of the cake board/platter with your name and grade. 

All cakes must have a Christmas holiday or religious theme. 

Gingerbread houses are acceptable. 

Prizes will be awarded to the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners in each grade. 

Cakes will be used as prizes during the Cake Walk, later that night at the Christmas Dinner with Santa. 

  Questions regarding the cake contest? 

Please contact Jennifer Ross (443) 829 – 5045 / Jenny072000@aol.com   

GOOD LUCK AND HAPPY BAKING! 

St. Augustine School2012 Christmas  Cake Contest Grades 3 – 8 

Friday, December 7 

Christmas Dinner with Santa Friday, December 7, 2012 

5:30pm – 9:00pm   

  

Santa will soon be arriving!!!  

Many volunteers are needed for this event! Check out the volunteer page @ www.SignUpGenius.com/go/20F0D4DA8A62FA46‐dinner/2109384 

OR Contact: Jennifer Ross @ (443) 829 – 5045  Jenny072000@aol.com /  Nicole Colantuno @ (301) 943 – 3154 ncolantuno@msn.com  

 ALL VOLUNTEERS WILL BE ENTERED TO WIN ‘BREAD FOR A YEAR’ FROM PANERA BREAD! 

 Why stand in line at the mall when your children can have their photo taken with Santa while you enjoy a delicious pasta 

buffet?    

Santa will arrive at 5:45 PM and read ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas to the children at 6PM.  Photos with Santa will begin immediately following the story – $5 per photo – Printed on site while you wait! 

 Children’s Games – Photos with Santa – Cake Decorating Contest – Cake Walk –  

50/50 Raffle (to support our SAS Cheerleaders) – Pasta Dinner – Baltimore Ravens Raffle Basket (including 2 tickets for the Ravens vs. Giants) –  

Silent Auctions for: Class Pottery Project –  Wine Tasting – “Date Night” – and More! NEW THIS YEAR – A PHOTO BOOTH! 

 ALL YOU CAN EAT PASTA & SALAD BUFFET 

Adults ‐ $10 Children age 9+ ‐ $8 

Children age 8 and Under ‐ $5  

All Games, Photo Booth, and Photos with Santa will take TICKETS ONLY (no cash) ORDER TICKETS IN ADVANCE AND SAVE 

Tickets are $1 at the door   Pre Order: 12 tickets for $10 

Order Form Attached – Pick up your tickets at the door  

 

Christmas Dinner with Santa Friday, December 7, 2012 

5:30pm – 9:00pm  

Advanced Order Form for Tickets and Dinner   

TICKETS All games and Activities including Photo Booth and Photos with Santa will take tickets  

  

Family Name: _______________________________ Grade: ____________________________________  No. of Tickets: _______________________________ Amount Enclosed: __________________________ 

*12 tickets for $10.00 if purchased in advanced      

DINNER All you can eat Pasta & Salad Buffet  

Adults $10, Children age 9 & over $8, Children age 8 & under $5  

Family Name: _______________________________ Grade: ____________________________________  No. of Adults: _______________________________  No. Children age 9 & Over: ____________________________  No. Children age 8 & Under:____________________________  Amount Enclosed: __________________________ 

    

PLEASE SEND ORDER FORM AND PAYMENT IN AN ENVELOPE MARKED  “ATTENTION: JENNIFER ROSS/DINNER WITH SANTA TICKETS” 

(CHECKS MADE PAYABLE TO ST. AUGUSTINE HSA) ORDERS MUST BE RECEIVED BY FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2012 

 Tickets will be held at the door under the Family Name 

Additional tickets and Dinner will be available for purchase at the door  

St. Augustine School ♦ Come to Learn. Go to Serve. ♦www.staug-md.org ♦November 30, 2012

St. Augustine School

Friday Flier

Saturday, December 1 High School Placement Test for 8th graders Cheerleading Practice, 8:30AM - 10:30AM Monday, December 3 Band rehearsal in the Burke Wing, 3:30 - 4:30 PM Cheerleading Practice, 4:45 - 6:15 PM Tuesday, December 4 Quiz Bowl Practice, 12:15 - 12:55 PM Advent Play, 2:35 - 3:15 PM Middle School Math Team Practice in the science lab, 3:30-4:15 PM Piano Lab Session 1, 3:30 - 4:00 PM Piano Lab Session 2, 4:05 - 4:35 PM Wednesday, December 5 Chamber Singers Rehearsal, 3:30 - 4:30 PM Development Committee Mtg, 3:45 PM Annual Fund Phonathon, 6-8 :30 PM Thursday, December 6 Quiz Bowl Practice, 12:15 – 12:55 PM Rachel’s Friends Meeting in the 6th grade classroom, 3:35 - 4:00 PM - for students in Gr. 5-8 Friday, December 7 Blue Ribbon Thanksgiving Mass Celebrated by Archbishop Lori, 1PM Dinner with Santa in the school hall, 5:30 – 9 PM

ONLINE LUNCH ORDERING CLARIFICATION: Your order must be placed by midnight the Wednesday before in order for your child to receive lunch the following week. If you missed ordering for the first week, you can still order by midnight 12/5 for the rest of December. Like all online purchases, once you hit "Submit," your order is final. If paying offline, your payment must be sent to the office by Thursday, 10:00AM. If we do not receive your payment, your order will not be processed, and you child will not be served lunch. You will receive an email confirming your order once your check has been processed. We're working on getting a link from the SAS

homepage to https://saslunch.org. You will be notified by a message from SAS Front Desk when January ordering is available. MIDDLE SCHOOL MATHCOUNTS TEAM: The Middle School MathCounts team will meet on Tuesday, Dec. 4th, from 3:30 to 4:15pm in the science lab. This opportunity is open to any middle school student who is interested in extending his or her math and problem solving skills to a level beyond what is taught in a usual class.

Advent, the season of hope, is one of the most exciting times of the year for Catholics. Not only does the first Sunday of Advent start a new liturgical year in the Catholic Church (this is year B), it heralds the fulfillment of God’s amazing promise of a savior. Advent helps us to anticipate the real gifts of Christmas – justice, peace, and freedom. Here are some ways to celebrate this special time as a family.

Light an Advent Wreath. The wreath is an ancient symbol of victory, in this case paying tribute to Christ’s victory over sin. The three purple candles represent penance, sorrow,

and longing expectation. The rose candle that is lit the third week of

Advent represents hope and the coming joy.

Light one candle each night during the first week, two candles the second week, etc. Say a few prayers and read a passage from the gospel according to St. Luke to tell the scriptural story of the nativity.

If hectic holiday schedules keep you from gathering as a family each night, be flexible about when you light the wreath. Try breakfast time, after school, or whenever you are all in one place at the same time.

Decorate with prayers. Make an Advent prayer chain. Each night before going to bed, hand everyone a strip of colored paper. Pause a few moments for prayer and then ask each one to write on the strip of paper the name of a person or an intention for which he or she just prayed. Staple, tape, or glue the strips together to form a chain that grows throughout Advent.

Clean house. Spruce up for your Christmas guest. Gather each member of the family together and clean your home. Dust, vacuum, scrub, and shine with everyone working together. Play holiday music or sing Christmas carols to get into the spirit. ake the family home shine for the visitor to come.

Celebrate St. Nicholas. The feast of St. Nicholas is on Dec. 6th. In memory of this saint’s generosity, children put out their shoes the night before St. Nicholas Day in the hope that the kind bishop — with his miter, staff, and bag of gifts — will pay a visit. On St. Nicholas Day, perform a special act of kindness in secret for someone else.

Make a “Mary Candle.” Take a white candle and tie a blue ribbon around it. Decorate it with symbols of Mary, such as a rose or lily of the valley, or pictures of her that you glue or etch into the candle. Light the candle on December 8th, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception. On this great feast, remember that Mary’s “yes” to God enabled our Lord’s coming at Christmas. (Never leave a burning candle unattended.)

Put on a tilma. To remember St. Juan Diego on December 9th or Our Lady of Guadalupe

on December 12th, make a tilma (cloak) to hang in your home. Use a brown grocery bag or piece of brown craft paper and draw a picture of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Make it as bright and pretty as you can. Hang it on the wall to commemorate St. Juan Diego’s tilma

that hangs n the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City with its miraculous image.

Advent for families

Waiting in joyful hope

© Copyright 2012 by Success Publishing & Media, LLC (800)366-3114 www.partnersinfaith.com

Take a journey. One day each week, add a piece or two to your family Nativity scene. Start Mary and Joseph across the room. Add straw or grass to the manger to make it comfortable for the baby. The angels and shepherds go last, building momentum for the birth on Christmas.

Give the best gifts to Jesus. Encourage children to perform a good deed for someone else every day. It can be as simple as doing a

chore without being asked, smiling at someone who needs cheering, or being nice to someone who is hard to get along with. Make a list of these good deeds and present them as gifts

to the newborn King on Christmas Day.

Confess and celebrate. To make more room for love in your hearts at Christmas, go to Confession as a family. Celebrate God’s forgiveness afterwards with an ice cream or cookie treat.

Give special praise to God. Say, pray, or sing the Divine Praises together:

Blessed be God. Blessed be His Holy Name. Blessed be Jesus Christ, true God and true man. Blessed be the name of Jesus. Blessed be His Most Sacred Heart. Blessed be Jesus in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar. Blessed be the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete. Blessed be the great Mother of God, Mary most holy. Blessed be her holy and Immaculate Conception.Blessed be her glorious Assumption. Blessed be the name of Mary, Virgin and Mother. Blessed be Saint Joseph, her most chaste spouse. Blessed be God in His angels and in His Saints. May the heart of Jesus, in the Most Blessed Sacrament, be praised, adored, and loved with grateful affection, at every moment, in all the tabernacles of the world, even to the end of time. Amen.

Bless the tree. Blessing the family Christmas tree helps children remember that the tree has

origins in our faith. One involves St. Boniface. In the eighth century

he gave the balsam fir tree to the Druids to replace the oak tree, the symbol of their pagan god. He used the tree and its

triangular shape to teach them about the Holy Trinity and told them the story of the Nativity. Many were converted to Christianity as a result.

Welcome strangers. Someone in your neighborhood, apartment building, or parish may be grateful to share your table. Be ready to add an extra chair.

Light a Christ candle. Any large white candle can be used for the Christ candle. Decorate it with glitter, holly, etc. Light it on Christmas Eve to show that the Light of the World has arrived. Then continue to light the Christ candle throughout the year at Sunday dinner to remind your family that we still wait for Christ to come again. (Never leave a burning candle unattended.)

Make peace. This is a time to make peace with one another and take real steps to forgive or ask for

forgiveness. Try to avoid quarreling and pray for an extra measure of patience.

Pray the wait. Take a moment after Mass on Sunday to pray together and prepare each heart to receive Christ this Christmas.

Watch for wonder and surprise. Nothing could be more surprising than the messages Mary and her cousin, Elizabeth, got from the angel. Surprise each other with thoughtful acts every day and talk about the ways God surprises us, too.

No matter how you wait with your family, remember this: The Messiah is already among us. His presence is affirmed through our good works when we share from our riches or our poverty.

“The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shined.

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government will be upon his shoulder, and his name will be called “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:1-2, 6).

Partners in Faith Special Advent Edition 2012

© Copyright 2012 by Success Publishing & Media, LLC (800)366-3114 www.partnersinfaith.com

2 3 4 5 6 7 8

9 10 11 12 13 14 15

16 17 18 19 20 21 22

23 24 25 26 27 28 29

30

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

Make and bless an Advent

wreath. Light the first violet candle each

night this week.

Family Advent Calendar

Light two violet candles in the Advent wreath each night this week.

Sing “O Come, O Come Emmanuel.”

Light two violet candles and the rose one for joy.

See which of you can sing loudest at Mass today.

Light all four candles in the

wreath tonight. Reread today’s Gospel reading, Luke 1:39-45.

Celebrate the feast

of the Holy Family by sharing a

special family meal today.

Put a lamp or electric candle in a window to

welcome the Christ child. Light it each night until

Christmas Day.

Set the Mary and Joseph figures of your Nativity set across the room from

the rest of the scene.

Ask a family

member you have hurt in the past

year for forgiveness. Offer it to one who has hurt you.

Send a thank-you

note to your priests or other

ministers who enriched your seasonal celebration.

Set up your family Nativity scene, but leave

out the Holy Family.

Pick roses in honor of the feast of Our Lady of

Guadalupe.

Gather friends and neighbors and go caroling

at a nursing home or homeless shelter.

Put the Baby in the manger and read the story of Jesus’ birth Luke 2:1-

20. (see below)

Read about the angel’s visit to Mary in Luke

1:26-38. Talk about ways we

can also say “yes “ to God.

Pick a Christmas card you’ve received this week

and pray for the person who sent it.

Make a surprise phone call to a friend or relative

who needs cheering.

In honor of the feast of St. Stephen, patron of soldiers, pray for the

safety of all those in the armed forces today.

Show love on St. Nicholas Day by filling an old shoe

with treats and leaving it outside someone’s door.

In honor of St. Lucy,

take a drive or walk around your home

to look at the Christmas lights.

Decorate a “Jesus Candle” with

symbols of Jesus. Light it at Christmas

dinner.

In remembrance of the Holy Family’s flight to Egypt, pray for all

people forced to flee their homeland.

Clean out your closets of unwanted clothes or toys in good condition. Donate them to a shelter or other

charity.

Make cookies to bring to a nearby hospice or nursing

home.

Place Mary and Joseph in the Nativity scene.

Add grass or straw to the manger to get it ready for

the Baby.

Give each family

member a chance to

say “thank you” for a blessing received this year.

In honor of Mary’s

Immaculate Conception,

attend Mass and pray a family Rosary tonight.

Put up and decorate your family Christmas tree. Make some hot chocolate

and admire your work.

Attend Confession as a family and go out for ice cream afterward to

celebrate the sweetness of God’s forgiveness!

Together, write your Christmas cards. Let older kids address the envelopes

and younger ones seal them.

© Copyright 2012 by Success Publishing & Media, LLC (800)366-3114 www.partnersinfaith.com

“… For (un)to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11)

“In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that the whole world should be enrolled. This was the first enrollment, when Quirinius was governor of Syria. So all went to be enrolled, each to his own town. And Joseph too went up from Galilee from the town of Nazareth to Judea, to the city of David that is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. While they were there, the time came for her to have her child, and she gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn” (Luke 2:1-7).

Resolve as a family to pray for at least 15

minutes every night during the coming

year.

31

Rejoice!