May 23, 2012Simcha Fisher

Book giveaway!

You know what I like about my life, among other things?  People are always like, “Hey, can I send you a free book?” and I’m always like, “Why, yes, you can!”  I have two copies of this one, and I’m jealously guarding one, but I’m giving away the second one.  It’s called

Feast Days and Holidays: Living and Celebrating Our Catholic Traditions
by Joan Marie Arbogast.

Heck, I’ll just tell you what I wrote for the blurb:  “[F]ull of appealing, substantial and (best of all) doable activities to help kids sanctify celebrations throughout the year.  The language is simple but not condescending, and the prayers and activities are clearly designed with actual children in mind.  Saints, feasts, and holidays are included in this guide to loving and serving God and each other — and enjoying ourselves — while building Catholic traditions.”

This is a large, spiral bound (so it opens up flat), fully-illustrated book from Pauline Books and Media, retail $19.95.  Some of the activities are more interesting than others, but I can see it coming in handy for home schooling parents and others who just need some ideas.  As busy parents know, it’s essential to have a reliable go-to source, and this one has a short explanation of each special day, a short, appropriate prayer, and a recipe, craft, or activity to bring it home.  Good stuff!  I wish I had had it while we were home schooling.

To enter to win this book, just leave a comment on this post.  The contest will close at noon on Friday the 25th, when I will close the comments and then use a random number generator to choose someone’s entry.  One entry per person, please!

162 comments

  1. ooh me! Pick me! I wasn’t raised Catholic and I now have 2 little ones in which to somehow instill some tradition, I need lots of help!

  2. This book sounds amazing! I’m always a day late and a dollar short when it comes to getting activities together for the kids to do that would help build our faith. This sounds like exactly what I need! Thanks so much for sharing!

  3. Pretty please pick me?? Not a cradle Catholic, 3 kids and need all the help I can get! 🙂

  4. I love liturgical year resources (and is it weird that I got excited at the words ‘spiral bound?’)!

  5. I would love this! (Also I’m still feeling uplifted and grateful about your “Can you walk around in it?” post from yesterday, so thanks for that, too.)

  12. I’d love to have the book for my daughter who is just at the beginning of Christian Marriage.

  15. Hi Simcha, I/we would love to have the book you are offering. We certainly would put it to good use, that is if my daughters who alos have large families don’t get their hands on it first!

    Thanks for the chance. God bless you and all your family, Penny Costin

  17. That book sound very cool! I’m not homeschooling (for now), but I think both my kids and I could learn something from it.

  25. I’d sure like to win! I must say to I really enjoy following your blog here and at the Register. Thanks for writing!

  30. Not having an experience, I am very interested in good home schooling sources.

  31. Oh I have seen this before and I would so love it! My kids are still toddlers and I would love.to start incorporating these kinds of activities and traditions into our family life 🙂

  32. I’ve been dying for something like this! Being a noob both at Catholicism and motherhood, I always feel about 28 steps behind in the religious practice department. This would be awesome.

  33. You should help brighten the day of a poor, pregnant woman with swollen ankles that’s too huge to comfortably fit into maternity pants with her first born child. After all, I’ve decided that being nice to pregnant women is the 9th Corporal Work of Mercy, the 8th being giving a pregnant woman the food she is craving.

    Seriously, I’d love to learn more about how my husband and I can integrate Catholic traditions into our own home, as neither of us grew up with a strong Catholic culture.

  37. I’m a recent convert too and shamefully ignorant of sacred tradition — I’m also cheap, and a free book is music to my wallet – I mean – ears!

  39. We didn’t do much in the way of tradition growing up and now that I’m raising little ones of my own, I feel a little overwhelmed at the idea of piecing together Catholic traditions from hither and thither. This book sounds like it would be very helpful!

  40. Sounds great. I’ve been looking for a good resource to help us better live the liturgical year In our home school. I’ll look for this even if I don’t win!

  47. I might keep it if I win. But I might give it to my sister who is just starting out on the homeschooling thing with 3 little ones and a husband who just converted.

  49. We’re expecting our first in September and this would be a great building block for the library!

  52. I admire your skill at finding things you love about your life, which can be difficult. Free books are definitely a thing to love! Thanks for the chance–

  53. We all need a little help along the way when raising children in our Catholic faith. Thanks for the guidance.

  56. As the only Catholics in our 2 families, any help with teaching our children the faith would be wonderful!!

  57. I’m a cradle pagan (not kidding, but I wish I was) turned Catholic mom. Would love another tool in the toolbox.

  63. I’m looking for a book like this!! I never know how to celebrate these things or how to make it kid friendly.

  66. Yes, please. I am a liturgical year tradition junkie. Would love to have some ideas for the little siblings and even perhaps the Catholic Campus Ministry at university where I am Campus Presence coordinator.

  71. I am a Chaldean Catholic without any children, but I do have an adorable nephew so I would love it!

  75. Ooo, pick me! We will be starting our homeschooling journey soon (next year, God -willing) and I’m always on the lookout for fun activities. I am rather creativity-challenged myself, so I will happily borrow from someone else!

  76. I’d love to enter! Of course all I win are fake walmart texts saying I’ve won a gift card, but this is worth a try!

  83. I’m starting to feel that I’m stalking you….but it’s all good. I’ love to put my name in the “hat” for this book. Thank you.

  101. This looks great! I would love to have the book, but if you don’t want overseas entries feel free to remove me. I’ll understand. Really. *sniff*

  104. I bet you host these things just to see how many lurking readers you have! Thanks!

  109. Oooh, add me to the list of convert homeschoolers who could totally use this! Thanks so much!

  116. I really do want this book and since I’ve never won anything in my life except a pair of nasty thick hiking socks, and since my ribcage is hurting because I’m 33 weeks pregnant, I think I deserve it. Ha.

  120. We’re also converts looking for ways to celebrate the faith. This might replace our current favorite- Bad Catholics Guide to Good Living

  122. If I had a nice book to look at for Catholic homeschooling ideas, I might be able to get away from the computer more often and actually do some of those cool projects/ crafts/ etc. with my children. I’d love to be picked!

  128. Oh! I hope I win, I’m getting married in September and hopefully there will be little ones soon!

  134. Please pick me! I teach CCD now and plan to have a large family once I’m married and this would be useful.

  135. If you are recommending it with your busy life with 9, I guess it will work into my busy life with 5, right? 🙂

  138. Aw man, I was going to say pick me so I can give it to my hubs for Father’s day, but he already saw this and posted too (Dan F). Yeah, we’re on our third over here. WELL maybe I’ll just have to get it for him anyway. 😀

  139. In which I try yet again to win something. Would it help if i said pretty please, pick me?

  140. I would love to have this resource! And because I know my very logical pleading makes all the difference in the world to a random number generator, I promise to share with my two sisters-in-law, so that all 7 of our combined kids can benefit 😉

  148. This book would be great for us. I need all the help I can get in teaching the faith to my little ones.

  151. I just recently discovered the articles you write for NCR. They’re quite interesting and informative. Thank you.

  158. I know I am running it up to the wire on this contest, but I would love to win this book!

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