Easter Basket Giveaway
/Are you, like me, looking for the perfect little treasures to tuck inside Easter baskets?Then, are you looking ahead to First Communion and Confirmation gifts? Ah, springtime in a Catholic home--our gift and devotional needs are just as predictable in the Easter season as they are in December. And that's a good thing! The liturgical calendar blesses us with an awareness of the sacred year 'round.
Usually, I wander around my local Catholic gift and book shop the week before Holy Week. Sadly, that shop is gone this year. So, my wandering will probably be of the digital kind. We are blessed by shops like Catholic Child, where we can readily find just what we're looking for. Please allow me to introduce you:
Greetings, from our Catholic family to yours! We invite you to visit us at catholicchild.com and browse our collections of books, games, movies & audios, toys, music and Sacramental gifts. We hope you’ll stop by to see all the wonderful resources we offer to help your Catholic child learn about, live and love his or her faith. There’s something for everyone, from board-book toting tots, to college-bound young adults!
Clicking around, I see some great ideas for Easter baskets.
This pretty, smooth comfort cross will be a tactile pleasure for a young child, but will also be a lovely gift for a student away from home.
My children are all very adept at taping scapulars and medals before competitions in order to be able to continue to wear them while they play. A medal or scapular tucked inside a taped wrist makes it past referree inspection every time! These medals are particularly well suited to young athletes.
Brazilian saints bracelets are all the rage and have been for a few years now. They don't last forever, though. I'm looking to replenish a few and some of my children will love bright ones like these.
I spent some happy moments this morning looking around the "bookstore" and discovered my favorite big books of saints' stories: The Kids' Book of Saints and The Kids' Book of Heroes. Those books are used weekly Along the Alphabet Path.
With an eye towards Marian consecration, I made note of a beautiful girl's Miraculous Medal and this lovely 4-way medal.
My favorite First Communion gift, particularly for May celebrations is a two volume set of pictures books, tied with a big, white tulle bow. The books of choice are delightful picture books written by Josephine Nobisso.
The Weight of a Mass was inspired by a true story that took place in Luxemborg. An old woman enters a bakery and begs a crust of stale bread. The baker refuses and she asks if she can offer Mass for him. He jeeringly writes "One Mass" on a scrap of paper and then tries--and fails-- to counterblalance it on his scale with an assortment of baked goods. No matter how many times we read this book, my children love it.
Take it to the Queen is a stunning tapestry of allegory, original fable, and lush illustration which honors the Blessed Mother. In the story, once favored villagers transgress against their king, then seek the intercession of the queen, who is a native of their own village. The book has won multiple awards and thrilled fans of Nobisso's earlier works. It is quite possibly her finest work. The book is a joy to share with others and truly meets the qualifications of a fine picture book: it is a story loved by every generation.
~Giveaway~
What about you? What are your favorite gifts to give during this time of year? Have a few minutes to poke around at Catholic Child? If you tell me what you'd give, you'll be entered to win a $30 gift certificate to use towards whatever gift you'd like.
The winner is Katherine who said...
I'd love to buy the smooth comfort cross for my three daughters... Two have been complaining of nightmares and the third still wishes we could lay down with her to get her asleep but we are usually busy with her two younger sisters. How wonderfully comforting it would be if they could hold onto the cross when we can't suffice! Thanks for the chance!
