Church Year Resource Books
Both Amazon and BookFinder.com are helpful sources.
• = some of our favorites
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Catholic Traditions in Cooking
Our Sunday Visitor, 1993
Recipes and traditions from around the world for the Christmas and Easter cycles as well as many other saints' days and occasions.Purchase from amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca
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Festivals with Children
Floris Books, 1987
Edinburgh, Scotland
Information about Christian festivals with symbols, customs and practical suggestions for families.Purchase from amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca
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• All through the Day, All through the Year: Family Prayers and Celebrations
Augsburg, 2000
A rich collection of rituals, celebrations, and prayer to build traditions for the whole cycle of the church year. Many ideas for families to adapt for their particular situation. Easy to use format, not overwhelming. Excellent resource.Purchase from amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca
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• Table Talks on the Gifts of God
Augsburg Publishing House, 1965, 1974
Thirty-one online conversation starters with bold graphics focus on 1) God's gifts in nature and through the senses; 2) the Good News of worship and the church year; 3) the life cycle, including sacrament. Originally a flip-chart, this resource provides a month's worth (probably more as no family will manage to do each page in daily succession) of ideas to stimulate reflection on God and what really matters.
Here is an opportunity to engage topics otherwise often missed. We used "Table Talks" many times and highly recommend it. Available online -
• Great Days for the Family: How to make birthdays, "big" days, church days, nation days, nature days interesting and exciting
Concordia Publishing House, 1969
Good all-purpose introduction with lots of ideas to help people get started. Family days and national holidays are included in addition to the church year. This was one of my first resources.Purchase from amazon.com
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• Crafts Through the Year
Floris Books, 2000, 2011
Includes everything from The Christmas Book except pentagonal stars; much of The Easter Book, but not all
Beautifully designed craft projects for the four seasons; each season includes ideas for the major Christian feasts and seasonsPurchase from amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca
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Stories of God at Home: A Godly Play Approach
Church Publishing Incorporated, 2018
This book helps bring Godly Play home to encourage children's spiritual development through story telling and wondering together.Purchase from amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca
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Catholic Household Blessings & Prayers
National Conference of Catholic Bishops
United States Catholic Conference, Inc., 1988
Comprehensive traditional collection of blessings for church year days & seasons, daily blessings, blessings for family, special occasions and common prayers.Purchase from amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca
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Prayers from the Heart for the Feasts of the Year
Gracewing Fowler Wright Books
Morehouse Publishing, 1992
Appropriate for adults and children
A collection of short prayers for the year from traditional and other sources.Purchase from amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca
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• Festivals, Family and Food
Anthroposophic Press, 1996
Festival and seasonal resources for songs, games, stories, food, and things to do. Lovely story of the Easter Hare.Purchase from amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca
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Festive Allsorts: Ideas for Celebrating the Christian Year
The National Society with Church House Publishing, 1994
London, United Kingdom
58 days and seasons included, many saints, English saints, too. Each day or season has background, discussion questions and activity ideas.Purchase from amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca
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• Common Prayer for Children and Families
Church Publishing Incorporated, 2019
Prayers for the church year, home, school, camp, mealtimes, the world and much more. Prayers are drawn from many sources, with strong echoes from the Book of Common Prayer. A rich resource for families, whimsical line drawings invite coloring, too.Purchase from amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca
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• Our Colorful Church Year
Don Bosco Publications, 2004
Elementary age children & families
This delightful little book is the best I've found to introduce the liturgical year to children—and adults who need some refreshing. It includes all major festivals and six saints (Nicholas, Barbara, Lucy, Stephen, Valentine, and Martin). The church year is put into the context of the seasons and illustrated with bright, attractive pictures. Roman Catholic, it is approriate for Protestants as well, who may simply skip a section or two. All about celebration, it is a great find!Purchase from amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca
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Clip Art for Seasons & Celebrations of the Church Year
Paulist Press, 1998
Clip art images for all occasions—church year and more, organized by month.Purchase from amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca
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Celebrating: Family Prayer Services
Paulist Press, 1974
Simple liturgies for the church year, some family events and other eventsPurchase from amazon.com, amazon.co.uk
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• A Book of Family Prayer
Seabury Press, 1979
Rich source of information about customs, together with scriptural prayer. Material drawn from many sources presented in a very useful format.Purchase from amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca
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• The Parables of Jesus
FaithWords Hachette Book Group, 2017
New York, New York
All ages
A beautifully produced coloring book with 46 parables, each with a full-page illustration to color, the scripture account, reflection and suggestions for response. Lovely resource, for all ages.Purchase from amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca
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The Catholic Cook Book: Traditional Feast and Fast Day Recipes
Citadel, 1955
Comprehensive cookbook with recipes for all of the church year, including seven for St. Nicholas DayPurchase from amazon.com
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• Sleeping with Bread: Holding What Gives You Life
Paulist Press, 1995
Mahwah, New Jersey
A simple introduction to reflecting each day on what was best and worst about the day (most/least grateful; happiest/saddest moment; or high/low point, etc.). This is the Ignatian Examen, a beautiful way to reflect on the day. This could be done by the whole family, or as part of the bedtime ritual with each child, along with prayer and singing. This simple practice is a rich resource; it isn't about the church year, rather helpful daily ritual for all ages.Purchase from amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca
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To Dance with God: Family Ritual and Community Celebration
Paulist Press, 1986
This classic book has good background for developing Nicholas and other traditions and a nice re-telling of four St. Nicholas legends with suggestions for creating plays. Fine introduction to family tradition and ritual with a wealth of ideas for the feasts and seasons of the Christian year.Purchase from amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca
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Seasonal Saints Cutouts
Nippert & Co. Artworks, 2010
Carlisle, Pennsylvania
Includes Saint Nicholas, Saint Patrick & Saint Valentine
Large (11x17) cards, 2 for each saint
The second card for each saint has information and symbols
The two cards are designed to be cut out (or mounted and cut out for durability) to make a bulletin board display about the saintPurchase from catholicartworks.com
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Faithful Celebrations: Making Time for God in Autumn
Church Publishing Incorporated, 2018
One in a series of four Faithful Celebrations: Making Time for God from Mardi Gras Through Pentecost; . . . in Autumn . . . in Winter; . . . Family and Friends. Information and activity ideas for many different holidays and celebrations with special emphasis on multigenerational experiences. Valuable for families and churches.Purchase from amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca
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• Follow the Year: A Family Celebration of Christian Holidays
Harper & Row, 1985
Purchase from amazon.com, amazon.ca
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Festivals for You to Celebrate: Facts, Activities, and Crafts
Lippincott, 1969
Festivals from around the world, includes directions for making Swiss St Nicholas mitre/headdressesPurchase from amazon.com
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Seeds of Paradise: A garland of holiday projects
Morehouse-Barlow Co., 1982
Projects using plants and flowers related to religious customs: 26 projects with clear instructions and diagrams.Purchase from amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca
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From Thy Bounty: Holiday foods from around the world
Morehouse-Barlow Co., 1982
A collection of recipes for foods associated with a number of church festivals. Includes a brief account of the historic connections between food and religion.Purchase from amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca
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• Festivals of the Christian Year: Make them really special
Lion Publishing, 1996
Attractive, practical craft ideas for 20 Christian festivals, with some basic information about each, full-color photosPurchase from amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca
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• Festivals of the Christian Year: Teacher's Guide
Lion Publishing, 1996
Helpful guide to 20 festivals: background, Christian belief, activities, discussion suggestions, notes for craft projects in main book (above) and follow-up craft and project ideasPurchase from amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca
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• Cooking with the Saints: An Illlustrated Treasury of Authentic Recipes Old and Modern
Ignatius Press, 2001
A beautiful book, coffee-table size, introducing 73 saints with several recipes for each.Purchase from amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca
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High Days and Holidays: Celebrating the Christian Year
Lion Publishing, 1993
Readable introductions to twenty festival days with photographs and line drawings. Good background.Purchase from amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca
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• Celebrating Sunday for Catholic Families
Liturgy Training Publications, Annual publication
Chicago, Illinois
Easy to use weekly guide gives a snippet of the Gospel reading, short reflection, something to talk about on the way to church, something for on the way home, and ideas for Living the Word throughout the week. This annual publication is available in paperback and as a Kindle edition. Covers the whole year, beginning in September. Follows the Roman Catholic Lectionary, but is very close to the Revised Common Lectionary on most Sundays. Useful for any family whose church follows the Common Lectionary.Purchase from Liturgy Training Publications
Purchase from amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca
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• A Continual Feast: A cookbook to celebrate the joys of family and faith throughout the Christian year
Ignatius Press, 1991
Recipes, projects, and customs for the whole year with suggestions for when and why these dishes might be served.Purchase from amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca
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• Handbook of Christian Feasts and Customs: The Year of Our Lord in Liturgy and Folklore
Harcourt, Brace & World, 1958
Classic source on development of the feasts, customs, holy days and holidays of the church year. Pre-Vatican II.Purchase from amazon.com, amazon.co.uk
Basic Books about St. Nicholas
Picture Books for Younger Children (and all ages)
Picture Books for Older Children
Books for Older Children
Saints Books for Adults
Saints Books for Children
Activity & Resource Books
Christmas Books with St. Nicholas
Related Books
Books in Other Languages
Children's Books in Other Languages
Books for the Church Year and more
Church Year General Resource BooksAdvent, Christmas & Epiphany Resource BooksChildren's Books
Lent, Easter & Pentecost Resource BooksChurch Year & Holiday Cycle Books
Advent, Christmas & Epiphany Books
Spring & Easter Books
Story Bibles for Children
Good Children's Books about God and Faith