Association Of Catholic Bloggers

I really like to shop from local and small businesses. There is something about knowing the person who made what you are buying that is so gratifying.  Every year I try to highlight a few of my favorite businesses to introduce you to their products and give my favorite vendors a bit of free publicity. This year I am focusing on Catholic vendors. The wonder of the internet is that "local" takes on a new meaning.  I can purchase items from across the country or around the world and still build up a relationship with the vendor. Many have become special friends, as well.  So please indulge me as I present my picks for this year! Find out more on Veils and Vocations !

Looking for ways to keep Christ in the gifts you purchase for your children and others this Christmas - here are 7 ideas for Catholic gift ideas that your kids will love! 1. For the babies.... This has to be the most adorable little gift for a Catholic baby that I have ever seen.  I so wish we had one of these when my children were small. This Baby Rosary, Plush Bright Colored Single Decade with EVA Teething Cross Purple  is just perfect for snuggling your little one and praying the rosary!  What a great gift for a baby shower as well! My little guy started pretending to celebrate Mass when he was under 2 years old.  Again, I sure wish this was around then.  This plush My Mass Kit  is a perfect way to teach the littlest ones in your family about the Mass - best of all - the children can bring them to Mass without disturbing anyone.   Head on over to Saints 365 and check out the remaining 6 faith-filled, fun-filled gift ideas for kids and give the children in your life a

Just in time for Christmas, here are some awesome book suggestions for nearly everyone on your list. For Married or Engaged Couples For Better... Forever!: A Catholic Guide to Lifelong Marriage, by Greg Popcak . This modern Catholic classic has been offering helpful advice to couples for more than a decade. Give a gift that helps love grow all year long. Click here for  my review . For Moms and Dads Growing Up in God's Image, by Carolyn J. Smith.   One of the biggest struggles parents face is teaching their kids a healthy outlook on sexuality. You can start laying the groundwork when your kids are very young by teaching them respect for their bodies. Then, it's much easier to talk to them as they get older. Learn how in this helpful book. Click here for  my review and link to buy . Catholic Family Fun, by Sarah A. Reinhard.   The family fun can last all year round if you use the ideas in this clever book. Imagine always having something wholesome to do that will

As television commercials and store circulars clamor for you time and money this Christmas season, you may be feeling—like so many others—a yearning to get back to basics. To reclaim Christmas and its meaning. One way to do just that is to make a commitment to give gifts that matter—gifts from the heart. A perfect gift to consider for friends, teachers, co-workers, and family this year is a Christmas basket. A Christmas basket is something that you create with the recipient in mind which means you can make a dozen of them and they will all be a bit different, or you can consider ways in which all your friends and family are similar and make the same basket for a dozen different people. Here are some easy tips to get you going for the perfect Christmas basket: ü Make a list of the people for whom you typically shop so that you know how many baskets to purchase. Your baskets can be any size and kind of container (sewing basket, garbage can, pet bed, hat box, utility buck