December Newsletter. Michelle Shields. Upcoming Events. Dear Parents,

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1 December Newsletter Dear Parents, Upcoming Events 8:30 am Kindergarten Christmas Program 7:00 pm Band Concert 8:45 am Preschool Christmas Program 6:30 pm First Reconciliation 7:00 pm Grades 1-6 Vocal OGHS 12/13 School Reconciliation 12/17 Grace SkyForce 12/18 Grace Notes Tour 11:30 am Dress Down Day Early Dismissal 1/3/19 School Resumes ` 6:30 pm SFO Meeting Waiting requires patience and perseverance. In our busy world, we have little time to practice these virtues as technology has provided us with so many conveniences. We can order items online and have them delivered to our house within days or sometimes even hours. We can go through a drive thru or zap a snack in the microwave and fill our hunger within minutes. We can even binge an entire season (or more) of our favorite show on Netflix without waiting an entire week to see what happens. While all of these advances make our lives easier or at least more convenient, it makes delayed gratification a foreign concept to us. Advent is a time of anticipation that requires us to slow down and focus on the important aspects of our lives. Each week we light another candle on the Advent wreath to mark the passage of time. The liturgical season cannot be fast forwarded; we cannot skip through the weeks like we do commercials with a press of a button on our Tivo remote. We have to be patient and persevere as we prepare our hearts to be filled with God s love. Through prayer, the reception of the Sacraments, and doing service for those in need, our spiritual hunger will be satisfied in a much more gratifying way than a quick trip to McDonalds. The children are eagerly counting down the days to Christmas and are looking forward to the many gifts they will receive. This year, the Kindergarten program is A Bunch of Gifts for Christmas. As the children sing the songs and act out the Nativity scene, they reflect on all the gifts God has provided us, with the best present being His Presence. What a beautiful reminder of the Reason for the Season! As we celebrate the birth of Christ, we also anticipate His Second Coming. Since we do not know the day nor the hour, it will require us to be patient as we persevere through the challenges we face every day. While the gratification of the coming Kingdom of God may be delayed, it will definitely be worth the wait! I pray you all have a faith filled Advent, a very Merry Christmas, and the most happy of New Years! Michelle Shields

2 Winter Weather In the event school is cancelled, delayed, or released early, you will receive a phone call via School Messenger. Please have contingency plans for students in case of emergency closings. The decision to keep students home during inclement weather is always the discretion of the parents. If school is cancelled, before/after care is also cancelled. If school starts 1 hour late, before care will begin 1 hour later (8:00 am). If school starts 2 hours late, before care and morning only preschool are cancelled. Afternoon preschool will continue and students may arrive at the 2 hour late start time (9:55 am). If school is released early, after care is cancelled. Students should wear coats, hats and gloves everyday as we go outside for recess unless the wind chill is below zero. Boots and snow pants are required when snow is on the ground, but are a good idea with cold weather too! Uniform Policy According to the student handbook for shoes/socks: Neutral color tennis shoes are recommended; clogs and fashion boots are not permitted. Socks (black, white, or navy) must be worn with all types of shoes/sandals with back straps. White, black and navy tights, socks, or leggings may be worn with skirts. To clarify, ankle boots that are more shoe like and stop at the ankle/hem of pant will be allowed. Boots that are mid-calf or higher will not be permitted. A good rule of thumb: pants should not be tucked into shoes. So if the boots appear as shoes with the pants over the top of them, they will be allowed. Safety In creating a safe environment, we perform various safety drills every year to practice the proper protocol in case of an emergency. So far this year we have had 2 fire drills and were able to vacate the building in record time! While fire continues to be one of the biggest dangers for schools, we unfortunately live in a world where we have to take precautions against other threats as well. In December, we will practice a lockdown or intruder drill with the help of local law enforcement. The teachers will explain the process to the students ahead of time so they know there is no immediate threat and we are only practicing. Police officers will then ensure the building is secure before we return to our normal routine. In the spring, we will hold two more fire drills, and one tornado drill. These are all mandatory drills to ensure the safety of your children. Caption describing picture or graphic. While we do our best to keep your child safe, we ask you to help us by not driving on the Church parking lot from 7:30 am-3:30 pm. When cars are parked for pick up on the east side of the orange chains, students are forced to walk in between cars to get to their ride, creating a dangerous situation as cars pull in and out. We know it is sometimes inconvenient to park on the street, but the time you save driving onto the lot is not worth a child s life. Thank you for your cooperation.

3 From the Music Department Vocal Music CONGRATULATIONS to Brody Aday, Venettia Anel, Lucy Baloun, Sarah Henkhaus, Cole Humke, Sarah Jamous, and Sachi Santos for being selected to sing at the Elementary Honor Choir Festival in Brookings on February 7 th! 1 st -6 th grade Christmas Program on Wednesday, December 12 th, 7:00 pm at the O Gorman High School Performing Arts Center. Doors will open at 6: 40 pm. Students should be lined up by 6:50 pm. Grace Notes will be singing the National Anthem at the Skyforce game on Monday, December 17. Adult tickets are $12. Use the code ANTHEM to reserve the free student ticket for those singing. To purchase tickets, go to Or call Kyle at to reserve tickets. On Tuesday, December 18 th, Grace Notes will tour the city, performing Christmas songs for various groups. Grace Notes will be singing at the Christmas Eve Mass on Monday, December 24 th at 4:00 pm. Orchestra The Orchestra is growing this year and we have several performances to share our music with the St. Mary community! Mark your calendars for one of our upcoming Orchestra performances. Please note Orchestra students will have two rehearsals in January to prepare for our Informance concert. Orchestra Christmas Concert on Thursday, December 20, 2:30 pm at St. Mary in the Gym. Elementary Orchestra Rehearsal on Monday, January 7, 3:30-4:30 pm at St. Mary in the Gym. Elementary Orchestra Rehearsal on Monday, January 14, 3:30-4:30 pm at St. Mary in the Gym. Elementary Orchestra Informance on Tuesday, January 15, 7:00 pm at OGHS in the PAC. Band Band Christmas Concert on Monday, December 3, 7:00 pm at St. Mary in the Gym. December Virtue of the Month Service ~ using our gifts to assist others. Please join us in the Church for Mass every Wednesday at 8:30 am, followed by Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, and for Rosary every Monday at 8:10 am.

4 Geography Bee The Championship Round of the Geography Bee will be 2:00 pm on Friday, January 11 th in the MPR. This event will determine who represents our school at the State Bee if they also pass the online test. The State tournament will be held next spring. 6 th Grade Finalists Nora Boetel Avery Bohms Zac Chhin Julia Eggert James Heiman Tommy Tobin 5 th Grade Finalists Amy Heiman Isaac Tobin 4 th Grade Finalists Sean Hicks Sarah Jamous Advent Service Project We are so grateful for the Sisters in our Diocese who have made Catholic education for our children possible. And how fortunate we are at St. Mary School to have the only Sister still teaching in the SFCS system?! Thank you, Sr. Carmella for your presence, spiritual direction, and sense of humor! To thank all of the Benedictine Sisters, we are asking families to provide them with Christmas gifts. Stop by the trees located outside of the gym to pick up an ornament with gift ideas. Then drop the wrapped gifts with the ornament attached in the office before December 12 th. The students are also making the cards and pictures to send to Avera Prince of Peace! Congratulations to the Angelos family on the birth of Lyla Gianna! Thank you to Mr. Humke and the 6 th graders for leading us in a Patriotic Rosary.. to Mrs. Temple and the Orchestra for their performance at our SFO meeting..to our 4 th graders for planning the All Saints Day Mass and to the 2 nd graders for planning the Thanksgiving Mass! Both were beautiful celebrations! Also thank you to the parents who helped with the Food Drive for Feeding South Dakota! Over 600 lbs. of food was donated!. to Molly Christianson and Errin Frankman for organizing Donut Day and for all the volunteers who helped serve! It was sweet to see so many families gathered that morning! And over $500 was donated to the Bishop Dudley House from your free will offering!. To Michelle Bruns and Marcia Schmitz who organized the Advent Service Project and to all the parents who made the ornaments! Prayers. For our 2 nd graders as they prepare for their first reception of the Sacrament of Reconciliation. the Arend family on the passing of Dave s grandmother. the Frankman family on the passing of Patrick s aunt. the Scoular family on the passing of Libby s grandmother. SFO News The next General SFO Meeting will be Monday, January 7 6:30 pm in the MPR. Our guest speaker is Wade Charron, OGJH Principal, who will be presenting on building resilience in children. Thank you to everyone who came to our last meeting to celebrate our Fall Festival success. If you were unable to attend, please find the minutes from the meeting on the website. Included is the discussion on uniform skirts for the SFCS system.

5 ATTENDANCE MATTERS The SFCS system is continuing efforts to increase school attendance. For the school year, a new policy is in place to track and report attendance and tardy issues. Letters are being sent at 5, 9, and 12 days of absence or tardiness. Please consider the following points as you plan your vacations for the next school year. A copy of the school calendar is available on the SFCS website. Why is school attendance important? By not coming to school, students diminish the value of their education, and the benefit of regular classroom instruction is lost. Student may not develop the responsibility, self-discipline & effective work skills that are taught in the classroom. If students fall behind and are continuously struggling to catch up, this may diminish their confidence and attitude toward learning. Students who attend school on a regular basis, are likely to perform better on standardized tests. Not coming to school and being truant results in higher crime rates and lower future earning potential. State law requires the attendance of all children between the ages of 6 and 18. What can parents do to help their children get to school? Know that school attendance is a parent and student responsibility. Do not allow your child to persuade you into making an excuse for him/her. Keep a school calendar on the refrigerator at home so that you know when your child does and does not have school. Make sure your child arrives at school on time daily. School begins promptly at 7:55am Understand that while Preschool has options for 1-5 half and/or full days, grades K-6 are contracted as 5 full days. Curriculum is established based on this time frame. If possible, drop your child off at school and pick them up afterwards. Provide an alternate plan of transportation for getting your child to school on time. Set a regular bedtime schedule. Provide your child with plenty of time to get ready for school. Schedule medical, dental, and other appointments before and after school hours, when possible. If your child must be out of school part of the day, allow him or her to miss only that time necessary for the appointment. Schedule family vacations during school vacations. Try to stay involved in the school by attending meetings, field trips, etc. when possible. Make sure your child understands that you do not approve of being late or absent. Talk to your child about issues that may be making them late for school. Keep in touch with who your child s friends are and their interests. Make a contract with the child to improve their attendance rate. Help your child to understand the attendance policy of the Sioux Falls Catholic Schools and the state attendance law of South Dakota. Contact the school to ask for help/suggestions. Don t give up, reward good behavior and take it one day at a time.

6 December Birthdays 1 Mrs. Krier 17 Alex Muller 3 Natalie Wiswall 18 Jase Muller 5 Joe Drake 19 Willow Kneip Jack Stukel 21 Tristan Rojas 6 Elsa Meyer Venettia Anel Patrick Barnett 22 Hazel Hillman Mrs. Temple Nolan Wendte Mrs. Eisenberg 23 Manny Kortan 7 Max Gertsen 24 Ella Beuckens 8 Mrs. Finnegan Lydia Elmen 9 Mrs. Prostrollo Ava Guzzetta 10 Bria Bailey Juliana Guzzetta Elli Diaz-Freed 26 Keira McManus 12 Molly Stoll 27 Charlotte Eich 13 Avery Kennelly 28 Finn Steffen Ella Adamiak 30 Reid Oakland Mrs. Hoffmann Alex Jaspers 14 Emma Wilkens 31 Anna Baloun 15 Ari Huber Catherine Broders

7 DEC DOUBLE YOUR DONATION$! Did you know that many companies will double employee donations to nonprofits? SFCS is the beneficiary of thousands of dollars each year because of donors who secure matching gifts through their employers. Check with your company to find out if they offer matching gifts. Here are some of the companies that currently match gifts to SFCS: American Express Funds Anne McGilvray & Co Aramark Bank of America Bard Davol, Inc Cambia CNA Surety Delta Air Lines Foundation First National Bank of Sioux Falls Land O Lakes Foundation Los Alamos National Security Midcontinent Foundation Monsanto Fund New York Life Foundation Sammons Financial Group, Inc Starbucks The GE Foundation The Medtronic Foundation Thrivent Gift Multiplier US Bank Verizon Foundation Wells Fargo Educational Matching Gift Program Questions? Contact Susanne Gale, Director of Development, MAGAZINE & MORE! Magazines make great Christmas gifts for that hard to buy someone! Did you know that Great American Fundraising has hundreds of gift items to choose from besides magazines! They have tumblers, gift wrap, holiday wreaths and more! Every purchase benefits SFCS! Go to: and use code: or search for your elementary school. NEW! EASY WAY TO SIGN UP FOR ECARDS ON YOUR PHONE! Just in time for the holidays, an easier way to get ecards on your mobile device! With over 270 ecard options to choose from, you can get a lot more... and give a lot more back! 1. giftcards@sfcss.org to request the SFCS enrollment code and instructions. 2. Go to ShopWithScrip.com to register. 3. Choose the option to Link Your Bank Account. 4. Go to MyScripWallet.com; Log in with your shopwithscript username and password; Choose ecards and support SFCS at no extra cost to you! For more information or to learn about our online option, go to or call SUPPORT THE KNIGHTS THIS CHRISTMAS SEASON! Check out the Knight Locker for all of your Holiday shopping needs. The Knight Locker has items for toddlers, youth and adults along with some unique stocking stuffers. CHRISTMAS SALE! 25% OFF YOUR PURCHASE (excludes gym uniforms and gift cards) Sales starts on Friday December 7 th 8am-4pm Saturday, December 8th during and after the Children s Play from 2-5 pm Last day for the Christmas sale is Monday, December 10 th from 8-6:30pm Regular Store Hours: M-F, 8AM-4PM PRESIDENT CURRICULUM ADMISSIONS BUSINESS OFFICE DEVELOPMENT HUMAN RESOURCES ALUMNI FOUNDATION

8 DECEMBER 2018 ELEMENTARY LUNCH MENU CHICKEN PATTY ON BUN CRISS CUT SWEET POTATO FRY APPLESAUCE MOSTACCIOLI CASSEROLE GARLIC TOAST COOKED BROCCOLI PEACHES CHEESEBURGER ON BUN BAKED BEANS BABY CARROT PKG PEARS MINI CORN DOGS SMILE POTATOES PINEAPPPLE TIDBITS FRENCH TOAST STICKS YOGURT POTATO WEDGES MANDARIN ORANGES CHICKEN NUGGETS COOKED CARROTS APPLESAUCE WALKING TACO SHREDDED LETTUCE BLACK BEANS PEACHES FRENCH BREAD PIZZA W/DIPPING SAUCE FRESH BROCCOLI PEARS *PULLED PORK SANDWICH TATOR TOTS PINEAPPPLE TIDBITS PANCAKES STRING CHEESE BREAKFAST CUBES MANDARIN ORANGES ROUND PEPPERONI PIZZA COOKED CARROTS APPLESAUCE HOT HAM & CHEESE ON PRETZEL BUN COOKED BROCCOLI PEACHES HOT DOG ON BUN BAKED BEANS BABY CARROT PKG PEARS CHRISTMAS CHICKEN NUGGETS MASHED POTATOES W/GRAVY CELERY STICKS KIWI/STRAWBERRY FRUIT SLUSHIE NO LUNCH EARLY DISMISSAL *CONTAINS PORK BECAUSE OF EMERGENCY SITUATIONS MENU IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE.

9 DECEMBER 2018 ELEMENTARY GLUTEN FREE LUNCH MENU GRILLED CHICKEN ON BUN CRISS CUT SWEET POTATO FRY APPLESAUCE PASTA W/SAUCE SLICE OF BREAD COOKED BROCCOLI PEACHES CHEESEBURGER ON BUN BAKED BEANS BABY CARROT PKG PEARS MINI CORN DOGS SMILE POTATOES PINEAPPLE TIDBITS FRENCH TOAST STICKS YOGURT SMILE POTATOES MANDARIN ORANGES CHICKEN NUGGETS COOKED CARROTS APPLESAUCE WALKING TACO SHREDDED LETTUCE BLACK BEANS PEACHES HAMBURGER ON BUN FRESH BROCCOLI PEARS *PULLED PORK SANDWICH TATOR TOTS PINEAPPPLE TIDBITS PANCAKES STRING CHEESE SMILE POTATOES MANDARIN ORANGES GRILLED CHICKEN ON BUN COOKED CARROTS APPLESAUCE HOT HAM & CHEESE ON BUN COOKED BROCCOLI PEACHES HOT DOG ON BUN BAKED BEANS BABY CARROT PKG PEARS CHICKEN NUGGETS MASHED POTATOES W/GRAVY CELERY STICKS KIWI/STRAWBERRY FRUIT SLUSHIE NO LUNCH EARLY DISMISSAL *CONTAINS PORK BECAUSE OF EMERGENCY SITUATIONS MENU IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE.

10 Sioux Falls Catholic Schools Family Advent Calendar Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Make and bless an 2 Advent wreath. Light the first purple candle each night this week. 3 Come up with a short prayer that you can say together as a family each morning during Advent. Set up the Nativity 4 scene but leave out the Holy Family. In honor of 5 St. Francis Xavier, patron of Catholic Missions, pray today for all who bring the Gospel to people overseas. 6To honor St. Nicholas, fill an old shoe with treats and leave it outside someone s door. 7Take turns playing Name that Christmas hymn. Winner gets to pick dessert. 8In honor of Mary s conception free from Original Sin (Immaculate Conception), attend Mass and pray a family Rosary tonight. 9Light two purple candles in the Advent wreath each night this week. Sing O Come, O Come Emmanuel. Put up the 10 Christmas tree. Decorate it a little each night until it s ready for Christmas. Find time this week 11 to visit Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament in your church -- even if it s just for a few minutes. Place a rose in a 12 vase today in honor of the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Commit to going 13 the whole day only speaking kindly to one another. Make hot chocolate 14 and watch a Christmas movie together. Family Movie Night! Decorate sugar 15 cookies with symbols that remind you of Jesus birth. Share them with loved ones. Light two purple 16 candles and the pink one for joy. See which of you can sing loudest at Mass today. As a family, vote 17 on a local charity to pray for each night this week. Bonus: Make a small donation if you can. Help children make 18 an examination of conscience, then go to Confession together. Go out for a treat after to celebrate. Place the Mary and 19 Joseph figures of your Nativity set across the room from the rest of the scene. Move them slowly across the room each day this week. At dinner tonight, 20have everyone take turns sharing a favorite Christmas memory. Christmas is a 21 stressful time of year for parishes. Send thank-you notes to the rectory staff, showing appreciation for what they do. Write letters to 22 Jesus telling him that you look forward to his coming. Light all four 23 candles in the wreath tonight. Reread today s Gospel Reading, Luke 1: Place Mary, 24 Joseph, and the empty manger in the Nativity scene. Rejoice! Place 25 the Baby in the manger and read the story of Jesus birth in Luke 2:1-20. In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be enrolled. This was the first enrollment, when Quirinius was governor of Syria. So all went to be enrolled, each to his own town. And Joseph too went up from Galilee from the town of Nazareth to Judea, to the city of David that is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. While they were there, the time came for her to have her child, and she gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn (Luke 2:1-7). Copyright 2018 Success Publishing & Media, LLC

11 Helping our children grow in their Catholic faith. December 2018 Sioux Falls Catholic Schools Find the true meaning of Christmas in L-O-V-E St. Dominic of Silos St. Dominic was a Benedictine monk, born around 1000AD in Navarre, Spain. He was exiled because of a conflict with the local ruler. Recognized for his leadership abilities, St. Dominic was made abbot of St. Sebastian s monastery at Silos. He s also known for having freed hundreds of prisoners from the Moors. St. Dominic, the founder of the Dominicans, was named after him by his mother, Joan of Aza, after praying to St. Dominic for a son. The Wait We spend Advent waiting for something wonderful to happen. While impatient to get to that something wonderful, we can forget that the wait can be wonderful, too. Help children take it one week at a time. Wait, hope, prepare, and rejoice at the miracle of Christ's birth. A Catholic difference Catholics are never alone in our efforts. We are members of the Church, the body of Christ, and together we make a difference. Children of all ages enjoy gifts on Christmas morning, but Catholic parents know that there is more to Christmas than presents. It is a celebration of hope fulfilled. God promised he would send us a Savior so we could live in Heaven with him forever. He sent his own Son. Help children to experience the true meaning of Christmas by celebrating with L-O-V-E: L Lower your outside activities. More than the gifts you give, children will cherish the Christmas memories you make. Limit the number of invitations you accept, and set aside the extra time as family time. O Offer anticipation. Instead of focusing on gifts and lists, anticipate The Church calls families the domestic church or little churches because it is the first place where young, baptized Christians learn about Faith. We learn how to love God and become part of the the Savior s arrival by marking the days on an Advent calendar you make together. Light an Advent wreath. Decorate your Nativity scene gradually. V Visit. In addition to weekend Mass, make trips to church so children can visit Jesus. Take Christmas cards you have received and pray for the people who sent them. E Extend love. An effective way to experience love at the holidays is to give it. Act with love, especially when dealing with family. Extending patience and kindness during the holiday season can be a challenge and a true act of love. For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son... (John 3:16). Why do Catholics refer to the family the domestic church? Church through our families. Our parents had us baptized in the Church, taught us to pray, took us to Mass, and passed on the Faith (Catechism of the Catholic Church, #1656). What the Church does helps us encounter God and his love the family does on a smaller scale. Copyright 2018 Success Publishing & Media, LLC

12 Faith doesn t require understanding Throughout history, God has given people mysterious messages that defy reason but require faith. When Gabriel told Mary that she would give birth to the Son of God (Luke 1:26-38), she couldn t help but wonder how that could happen. The angel s explanation hardly clarified things. Instead of asking more, she simply said, Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. Be it done to me according to your word (Luke 1:38. Children are used to trusting adults and know December 2018 Page 2 that faith doesn t require understanding. In the same way, we don t have to understand what God wants from us to know that it is for the best. Very little in the angel s message was logical but Mary didn t pretend to get it. She said, Yes, because she had complete faith in God. This month is the perfect time to talk with children about Mary s example of faith. When we are worried or uncertain, we can do what Mary did because good things always happen to people who say, Yes, to God. Luke 2:41-52, Jesus in the world In this reading, the Holy Family went to Jerusalem when Jesus was twelve years old. This was an important moment in Jesus life. In the Jewish faith, a boy becomes a man around the age of twelve and is recognized in a special ceremony called a Bar Mitzvah. On this occasion, Jesus stayed behind to learn from the teachers, who were amazed by his questions. When his parents discovered him days later, they were shocked. How could he just wander off without telling them? Jesus calmly explained that he was about his Father s business. Dec. 2 First Sunday of Advent. Today begins a new liturgical year in the Church. During the season of Advent, we anticipate Christ s birth and look forward to his coming on the last day. Dec. 8 Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary (1854). A Holy Day of Obligation which commemorates that Mary was conceived in St. Anne s womb without original sin. Attending Mass together is a wonderful way to celebrate. This was the first recorded time Jesus referred to his identity as God s Son. Yet he knew his duties to his heavenly Father would be fulfilled in time. Meanwhile, he returned obediently to Nazareth and fulfilled his obligations to his earthly parents. What can a parent do? Christians live in neighborhoods, schools, and communities. We are subject to legitimate earthly authority. We can grow in holiness wherever God has placed us. Find ways to teach children to be holy while still living in the world. Dec. 9 St. Juan Diego (1548). St. Juan Diego was visited by the Blessed Mother at Tepeyac Hill in Mexico. She asked that a chapel be built for her, and sent him with roses to the bishop as a sign. When the roses were emptied from his cloak before the bishop, it retained the image of the Blessed Mother. Dec St. Olympias (408). Born to a wealthy family in Constantinople, this holy widow devoted her large fortune to caring for the poor and supporting her friend, St. John Chrysostom, in his work. Growing up, my Christmases were a blur of waiting for the day and being let down when it ended. I braced myself for my children to experience the same when our pastor explained that the Catholic Church celebrates Christmas for twelve whole days. Christmas, he explained, is just the beginning. So we lit our Advent wreath and decorated slowly. We played Advent music songs that spoke of our hope that God would be faithful to his promises. Christmas Day began with joyful carols at Mass and receiving Jesus in the Eucharist the best Gift of all. The next twelve days were spent visiting family and friends, enjoying our favorite Christmas music, watching Christmas movies, and eating cookies. Someone asked why our daughter said, Merry Christmas on New Year s Day. I explained that for Catholics, Jesus birth was such a joyous occasion, the Church set aside twelve days to celebrate it. To help parents raise faithful Catholic children Success Publishing & Media, LLC Publishers of Growing in Faith and Partners in Faith (540) (540) fax (Unless noted Bible quotes and references are from the Revised Standard Version and the New American Bible.) Copyright 2018 Success Publishing & Media, LLC