Getting Ready

I'm very excited about our little give-away in the previous post. You still have some time to enter as I won't be closing the comments until noon EST today. Please join in.

We are getting down to the wire. Do you think of Saturday night as New Year's Eve? I do.  Why not have a celebratory evening and ring in the new liturgical year with a bubbly beverage and noisemakers?

I have a few last minute links for you all to check out and help you plan your Advent. The winter isssue of the beautiful Simple Gifts Magazine is now available and the publisher, my friend Nissa Gadbois has generously shared a link with us to her St. Lucia Day article. It's a pdf file and the photos are lovely.  It may make you need to  have the whole  magazine!

The always creative  Charlotte at Waltzing Matilda has posted a wonderful idea for a  No Flame Advent Wreath . What a wonderful idea! NOt only can the children safely handle the wreath but as Charlotte suggests it would make an inspired gift to someone in a hospital, nursing home or assisted living situation. I thought that was a stroke of brilliance.

Jess at Star Cottage has a unique idea for Jesse Tree ornaments.  I loved it.

Karen Edmisten has done a really helpful series on her blog "A No Panic Advent" is the theme and so far there are six posts;
Part One, The Jesus Stocking
Part Two, Note Some Dates
Part Three, O Night Divine (It seemed silly to leave this out and silly to leave it in, Karen just tells you to check out this website, since you are here you can skip this one.)
Part Four, Files
Part Five, The Jesse Tree
Part Six, Don't Sweat a Little Secularity ( I love this one).

Another blog to keep firmly in your favorites  is Catholic Cuisine. The ladies over there work very hard to bring some "flavor" to your liturgical celebrations and it is really worth the time to check it out every day and see what is going on there.

And lastly (for today) but certainly not least is our friend from down under Annie. She has a post Preparing for Advent that is beautifully photographed and is filled with ideas you will want to make part of your Advent.

I hope this all keeps you happily clicking away today.

Have a blessed day!

Comments

[Candace]

I just want to thank you so much for the beautiful blog, beautiful links and ideas. Truly, this will be my favorite spot to stop by on the web over the coming weeks. I love Advent and Christmas already, so this blog just adds to the beauty by giving me encouraging reads and wonderful ideas!! Thanks for the time and effort you put into this!!

Candace

[Karen Edmisten]

Thanks for the mention, Mary Ellen! I laughed out loud about the "leave it in, leave it out" one. :-) I was going to come over here anyway and tell you to please feel free to repost anything that you like!

[Nissa]

Thank you so much for including my article with these other marvelous links! I'm so inspired!