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December Liturgical Overview

November 30, 2024 by Destinie Winn

December is a very full Liturgical season. We are in the middle/end of the Nativity fast and there are many special feast day traditions we can embrace during this season. I absolutely LOVE Christmas and traditions, but I especially love when these cultural traditions line up with celebrating the saints! Having the meaning behind it not only makes it special but it is enriching the soil in our family’s hearts as we draw nearer to the coming Lord!

In addition to the Nativity of our Lord, we can also celebrate the 12 Days of Christmas! As Orthodox Christians, we have been fasting for the last 40 days, so rather than having the celebrating be only 1 day, we embrace the 12 days of Christmas which is the period of time between Christmas and Theophany! We usually create a family “bucket list” for those days so we really embrace the feast! I’m always searching for more ways to bring Christ into our home in a tangible, and meaningful way. Not every parent is a “crafty” person, so I’ve attempted to gather resources that can accommodate all types of interests that can easily be put together with very little prep work or planning. If you’re reading this, you likely desire to bring Christ into your home as well. Thank God! Together, may we encourage one another to be who God created us to be, and help others along the way. I’m glad you are here! God bless your efforts and good strength as we strive for the Kingdom together.


Here are some simple ways to participate this month:


St Barbara

December 4th

Check out this Blogpost on how to make your own:

Featured
St Barbara Gingerbread Houses
November 30, 2024
St Barbara Gingerbread Houses
November 30, 2024

During the Nativity season, I love to embrace all things Christmas. But I especially love a good Feast Day theme that connects a Christmas activity to a saint! There are many traditions on the feast of St Barbara as she is a beloved saint celebrated throughout the world, but since she is considered the Patron Saint of Architects, builders, and stone masons, we chose to make our Gingerbread houses on her feast day to remember her story!

Read more →
November 30, 2024

St Nicholas Day

December 6th

Make your Own Gift Tags with these printables:

Featured
December Bundle - Feast Day Traditions
December Bundle - Feast Day Traditions
$8.99

This bundle is intended for a single family home. If you would like to bulk print and distribute to your parish or school, please purchase the “bulk print” in my shop.

December is full of wonderful feast day traditions, some of which have become an integral part of our own family culture. It is my joy to pass on these sweet traditions to you that were once passed to me. For each of these saints, I have additional free resources on my blog on how to celebrate their feast. My hope with this bundle is you will have a simple paired down "printable” guide to help you celebrate their feasts!

In this 10 page bundle you will find:

~ St Nicholas Day Guide Printable and Activity Tags (for both Old and New Calendar)

~ St Lucia Day Guide Bundle with new star boy explanation and a printable St Lucia candle crown

~ St Herman of Alaska Spruce Island Cookies recipe

Why do traditions matter? It has become my own little ministry to connect families with little “t'“ traditions that make celebrating fun and memorable. But more than that, these traditions help provide the rich soil needed in our families and in our children that lay a foundation for those seeds to take root and grow. Like the parable of the sower, we have to help cultivate the soil so that it’s not too shallow, or so that it is not easily choked out by the weeds (of the world). Having a rich soil, a firm foundation, we are offering our family what they need for Christ to work within them. So fill your homes with fun traditions, read the lives of the saints, and help your children connect with them so that through their prayers, we can become more like Christ.

Read more →

Check out this Blogpost on St Nicholas Day:

Featured
Giving in Secret - St Nicholas Day Tradition
December 5, 2024
Giving in Secret - St Nicholas Day Tradition
December 5, 2024

Want your children to learn the value of giving in secret? St Nicholas day is a perfect day to teach this important Christian principle. My kids love acting like St Nicholas and giving secretly and running away to make sure they don’t get caught! We gathered up some extra gold coins, and oranges, and put them in a bag and drop them off at the neighbors porch and run away. Think “ding dong ditch” but leaving behind a gift. That alone would be enough to just give in secret without receiving any acknowledgment. But of course, my heart is always for evangelism opportunities, so I created little gift tags to print up and attach so our neighbors can learn more about St Nicholas day! I created a bundle for families like yours to carry on this tradition in your own communities, and included a pretty print out to learn about other St Nicholas Day Traditions!

Read more →
December 5, 2024
St Nicholas Day Traditions
November 29, 2024
St Nicholas Day Traditions
November 29, 2024

In this guide you’ll find simple and easy ideas to celebrate the the Feast of St Nicholas with your kids - emphasis on easy! Activity suggestions, book recommendations, and additional information so you can share his story so together you can grow to love him even more!

Read more →
November 29, 2024

St Spyridon

December 12th

Check out this fast-friendly recipe for loukoumades by Lazy Cat Kitchen

recipe

St Lucia

December 13th

Check out this Blogposts on St Lucia Day:

Featured
Saint Lucia Traditions
December 12, 2024
Saint Lucia Traditions
December 12, 2024

Have you ever heard of St Lucia of Syracuse? She was a young martyr who lived in the 4th century in Italy and is celebrated in many Scandinavian countries on her feast day, December 13th. Each year on her feast day, children dress up in all white, wear a crown of candles and bake St Lucia buns to share with their loved ones and friends. Many churches also host a St Lucia Procession where both boys and girls process while singing a hymn to St Lucia. She is a wonderful saint, especially for children to look to because of her acts of mercy to the poor and her boldness and bravery as she faced persecution and eventually martyrdom for the sake of Christ.

In this guide you will find more about the many Scandinavian traditions surrounding this feast, the story of her life and martyrdom, and additional resources to help you create feast day traditions with your families for years to come! 

Read more →
December 12, 2024
St Lucia Day
December 10, 2023
St Lucia Day
December 10, 2023

Have you ever heard of St Lucia of Syracuse? She was a young martyr who lived in the 4th century in Italy and is celebrated in many Scandinavian countries on her feast day, December 13th. Each year on her feast day, children dress up in all white, wear a crown of candles and bake St Lucia buns to share with their loved ones and friends. Many churches also host a St Lucia Procession where both boys and girls process while singing a hymn to St Lucia. She is a wonderful saint, especially for children to look to because of her acts of mercy to the poor and her boldness and bravery as she faced persecution and eventually martyrdom for the sake of Christ.

In this guide you will find more about the many Scandinavian traditions surrounding this feast, the story of her life and martyrdom, and additional resources to help you create feast day traditions with your families for years to come! 

Read more →
December 10, 2023

St Lucia printables in the shop:

Featured
December Bundle - Feast Day Traditions
December Bundle - Feast Day Traditions
$8.99

This bundle is intended for a single family home. If you would like to bulk print and distribute to your parish or school, please purchase the “bulk print” in my shop.

December is full of wonderful feast day traditions, some of which have become an integral part of our own family culture. It is my joy to pass on these sweet traditions to you that were once passed to me. For each of these saints, I have additional free resources on my blog on how to celebrate their feast. My hope with this bundle is you will have a simple paired down "printable” guide to help you celebrate their feasts!

In this 10 page bundle you will find:

~ St Nicholas Day Guide Printable and Activity Tags (for both Old and New Calendar)

~ St Lucia Day Guide Bundle with new star boy explanation and a printable St Lucia candle crown

~ St Herman of Alaska Spruce Island Cookies recipe

Why do traditions matter? It has become my own little ministry to connect families with little “t'“ traditions that make celebrating fun and memorable. But more than that, these traditions help provide the rich soil needed in our families and in our children that lay a foundation for those seeds to take root and grow. Like the parable of the sower, we have to help cultivate the soil so that it’s not too shallow, or so that it is not easily choked out by the weeds (of the world). Having a rich soil, a firm foundation, we are offering our family what they need for Christ to work within them. So fill your homes with fun traditions, read the lives of the saints, and help your children connect with them so that through their prayers, we can become more like Christ.

Read more →

St Herman

December 13th

Check out this recipe to make your own St Herman of Alaska Spruce Island Cookies:

Recipe


12 Days of Christmas

Check out these blogposts:

Featured
Celebrating the 12 Days of Christmas
December 22, 2024
Celebrating the 12 Days of Christmas
December 22, 2024

The 12 days of Christmas is the period that marks the span between the birth of Christ (Nativity) December 25 and runs up to January 6 Theophany (Epiphany) which is when we celebrate Christ's baptism in the Jordan! These 12 days in between offers the faithful a festal period of great joy!

As Orthodox Christians, we mark the 40 days Advent leading up to the Nativity as a period of fasting, increased prayer, and giving alms and services in order to preparing ourselves spiritually to receive the coming Lord.

After any fast, we feast! Christmas is not a one day event! In fact, we spend this period of time FEASTING in all senses of the word ... celebrating with loved ones, enjoying the all the foods we have abstained from, and joyously celebrating the Lord who is with us 🎉

Read more →
December 22, 2024
New Year's Tradition: Vasilopita
December 29, 2023
New Year's Tradition: Vasilopita
December 29, 2023

Did you know that January 1st is the feast day for St Basil the Great? If you're looking for a way to ring in the civil New Year with our hearts and minds focused on the Lord, look no further than the Vasilopita tradition! ✨ Vasilopita✨ is a sweet bread or cake with a coin baked inside! In this guide you will find more about the many Greek traditions surrounding this feast, the story of his life, and additional resources to help you create feast day traditions with your families for years to come!

Read more →
December 29, 2023
Vasilopita Recipe: FREE DOWNLOAD
December 28, 2023
Vasilopita Recipe: FREE DOWNLOAD
December 28, 2023

Do you know that Jan 1 is the feast day for St Basil? If you're looking for a way to ring in the civil new year, look no further than the Vasilopita tradition! Vasilopita, is a sweet bread or cake with a coin baked inside. DOWNLOAD FREE RECIPE HERE.

Read more →
December 28, 2023
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November 30, 2024 /Destinie Winn
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