2022-23 December #1: Christmas

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas…Welcome early childhood teachers!

If you’re looking for the Christmas booklet resource guide, you’re in the right place!  

And as always, if you have any questions, suggestions, or anything to share – please email us!

Tiny Treasures

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Christmas is a time when our littles can be caught up in the gifts, Santa and other secular holiday busyness.  It is our job as educators (teachers or parents) to remind them that we celebrate Christmas because it is Jesus’ birthday.  We as adults are also preparing for the second coming!  It’s ok to have fun thinking about Santa, after all he is St. Nick, but I’m sure he would be the first one to say, “There is someone else more important than me!”  Let’s remember to keep Jesus in our hearts and in our teaching this Christmas season.

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One Little Baby…So Many Names!

(Isaiah 9:6)

Isaiah was a prophet.  A prophet is a person who listens to God with their whole heart and tells the people what God wants them to hear.  Ask your littles, “Do you know anyone like this?”  Talk about it with your littles- (could this be a parent, priest, sister or teacher?).

Jesus had only one name, but Isaiah told the people what Jesus would be to everyone.  He wouldn’t only be the Son of God.  He would be Prince of Peace, Mighty God and Wonderful Counselor (to name a few!).

Ask your littles what Jesus is like for them?  Does He feel like a superhero? Is He someone who can make us feel loved? Or help us make good choices?

Growing in the Virtue of Hope

Hope is the theological virtue by which we desire the kingdom of heaven and eternal life as our happiness, placing our trust in Christ’s promises and relying not on our own strength, but on the help of the grace of the Holy Spirit. (CCC 1817)

Our first candle in advent was the candle of Hope.  We continue to hope in God fulfilling His promise in giving us His Son this Christmas and again at the end of time. 

Mary showed her strong virtue of Hope by trusting in God’s plan in saying YES! 

Talk with your littles about how you think Mary felt when she saw the angel?  (Scared, happy, excited).  

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St. Joseph also had the virtue of HOPE!  When the angel came to visit him in his dream, he had to also trust God to carry out His plan. 

Ask your littles-what do you think God’s plan is for you?  Remind them that God asks everyone to carry out a plan – this shows us how much He loves us.

The link to the Away in a Manger video!

St. Nicholas was born during the third century in the village of Patara in modern day Turkey. He had wealthy parents and they raised him to be a devout Christian. Obeying Jesus’ words to “sell what you own and give the money to the poor,” Nicholas used his whole inheritance to assist the needy, the sick, and the suffering. He dedicated his life to serving God and was made Bishop of Myra. He soon became known throughout the land for his generosity to those in need, his dedication to protect children, and his concern for sailors and ships.

One of the many stories circulating around St. Nicholas, tells of a poor man with three daughters. In those days a young woman’s father had to offer prospective husbands a dowry, something of value. The poor man’s daughters, without dowries, were destined to be sold into slavery. Mysteriously, on three different occasions, a bag of gold appeared in their home-providing the dowries for the daughters. The bags of gold, tossed through an open window, are said to have landed in stockings or shoes left before the fire to dry. This led to the custom of children hanging stockings or putting out shoes, awaiting gifts from Saint Nicholas.

In 1823, a popular poem called “A Visit from St. Nicholas”, which we now know as “The Night Before Christmas”, first described St. Nicholas as bringing toys and sweets to children on Christmas Eve.  This began the legend of Santa Claus. (St. Nicholas website).

In our picture, St. Nicholas is holding his bishop’s staff, called a crozier.  Candy canes are symbols of St. Nicholas’ crozier.  He is also wearing his bishop’s hat, called a mitre.  If you look closely, you can see our St. Nicholas holding one of the bags of gold for the poor man’s daughters.

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What will you give to Jesus for His birthday? 

The best present we can give to Jesus is showing kindness and generosity to others.  Talk with your littles about ways they can show Jesus how much they love Him this Christmas season! 

Have a group discussion about little ways to show love.

Our featured word for this booklet to indicate the page numbers is HOPE. We chose this because when we think about Christmas, we think about God’s promise to send us a savior.

St. Nicholas Blessing Prayer:

St. Nicholas, holy patron of children, Bishop of the East, we invite you to come among us and to grant us your holy blessing.  Help us in this busy season not to miss the miracle of the coming Emmanuel in the days of preparation as well as on the feast itself.  Help us not to be blind to the gifts of getting ready. Protect us from insincerity.  May every greeting we send be signed with love, friendship, and prayer.  May our greetings, so written, be fun to open and treasures to keep.  Kind St. Nicholas, protect us from shopper’s fatigue.  Show us how to take delight in the marketplace, now transformed in beauty, lights and music. Save us all from anxiety over what to give so that we may concentrate on how to give.  Stand by the stepladder as we decorate our homes and trees and lives. May our decorations not be mute but rather singing symbols, sacred signs of the evergreen coming of the Lord of Life.  Help us to remember that mistletoe, holly, and all other ornaments of the season, were sacred signs to ancient believers.  But most of all, jolly saint of toys and sweets, help us stay youthful, humorous, playful and dream filled as we prepare together for the coming of Christ with Advent longing.

St. Nicholas, pray for us. Amen.

St. Nicholas Books + Nativity Playset

The Baker’s Dozen: A Saint Nicholas Tale by Aaron Shepard

Van Amsterdam the baker was well known for his honesty as well as for his fine Saint Nicholas cookies. He always gave his customers exactly what they paid for — not more and not less. So, he was not about to give in when a mysterious old woman comes to him on Saint Nicholas Day and insists that a dozen is thirteen! The woman’s curse puts an end to the baker’s business, and he believes it would take Saint Nicholas to help him. But if he receives that help, will it be exactly what he imagined? Find out in this inspiring legend from Dutch colonial New York about the birth of an honored American custom.

The Legend of Saint Nicholas by Anselm Grun

Many stories are told about Saint Nicholas — stories about his generosity and his miracles, stories about the concern he showed for those in poverty. This warm, inviting books tells many of these stories, both familiar and lesser-known. It recounts how he ended a famine by multiplying grain from a merchant ship and how he walked on water to rescue sailors from a terrible storm. And, of course, it tells the story of how Nicholas gave his inheritance to prevent a desperate man from selling his daughters into slavery.

Saintly Heart Nativity Playset

Make the story of Christmas come to life with this one-of-a-kind Nativity Playset! This beautifully crafted and durable nativity is ideal for little hands and sturdy enough for bigger kids. Made from eco-friendly and sustainable wood and paper, this Nativity Playset features a magnetic closing box with a handle that opens to create a colorful backdrop perfect to recreate the Christmas story. It fits neatly on a shelf when it is closed but opens into a beautiful display that you will want to showcase for the holiday season. Featuring 17 bright and unbreakable figures, this Nativity Playset includes The Holy Family, 3 wisemen and their camels, 2 shepherds and their sheep, an ox, a donkey, an angel, and the Christmas star. While exploring the mystery of the Incarnation, your child will strengthen his fine motor skills, dexterity, and creativity. Invite your child to discover the true meaning of Christmas with this interactive Nativity set and bring glory to God through play! 

Included in this set: Jesus, Mary, Joseph, 3 wisemen, 3 camels, 2 shepherds, 1 sheep, 1 ox, 1 donkey, 1 horse, 1 angel, and 1 star

If you are a subscriber for the 2022-23 His Little Way booklets, visit our Subscribers page for access to your digital resources (including a digital version of all booklets)! Can’t remember your password? Email us!

Don’t forget to check out our Teacher’s Guide for more information on how to use your booklets in the classroom!

And in case you need it again… here’s our Prayer Table Starter Guide.