Faith-Based Gift Guide (For Plan-Aheaders)

Friday, October 16, 2015

It's October. I just saw some serious Christmas displays at the mall. In October. And yet, here I am thinking about Christmas presents already...

But hear me out - a lot of etsy shops need you to order in October so they can get their items handmade in time for Christmas. And a lot of people (like me!) like to shop for gifts ahead of time so that the shopping is done by Advent. Plus there's always St. Nicholas Day to think about if you like doing gifts then, instead... And All Saints' Day, too!

So if you're a planner like me, and you want to get all your Christmas shopping done NOW and support some really lovely ladies in their work while you're at it, I've got ideas for you!

TOYS

Blessing Blocks

Have you seen these beautiful toys? At AlmondRod Toys, Lindsey makes beautiful blocks with saints, Nativity scenes, Stations of the Cross, and she'll even do custom-work for you! My kids adore these and I love to look at them, too! They're fun to stack and have been holding up really well for us, plus they're reasonably priced!



Lindsey's offering a free Pope Francis block on orders of $30 or more - all you have to do is pray for the Pope and let her know in the "notes" section of your order!

Saintly Silver

Have you seen these adorable plush saint dolls? Saintly Silver is hugely popular, so if you want these in time for Christmas you pretty much have to order now - we actually don't have any because any time there's an occasion I want them for, it's already too late to get one in time... But you're more proactive than I am, I'm sure!


Peg Dolls

Either organize a swap yourself, or check etsy for TONS of options! My kids love playing with them at other people's houses, although I still haven't gotten any for them myself... St. Luke's Brush makes beautifully detailed saints.



Saint Anne Studio might be my favorite, and she makes reasonably-priced saint doll kits, also (the peg dolls are pricey but SO beautiful).

There's also a shop where you can buy a kit to paint your own!

Shining Light Dolls

Have you seen these adorable dolls? Each of our children is getting one for St. Nicholas Day this year, and they just came out with a whole bunch more (like St. Joseph, St. Francis, St. Martin de Porres)! Sturdy, chewable, and cute!





BOOKS & MEDIA




Michele's new rosary book for children, Mary Holds My Hand just came out and looks like such a perfect way to introduce your child to the rosary! And it would be a great gift along with with Rosaries Aren't {Just} For Teething, a book of reflections on the mysteries of the rosary by some of your favorite bloggers!

Michele's giving away a copy of her children's book *and* the rosary meditation book she edited for adults! Enter at the bottom of the post.

Holy Heroes



Holy Heroes creates and sells dramatized audio stories about the lives of the saints. They're exciting, not too long, and a great substitute for screen time! I've written up a full review, and we love their products - coloring and activity books, matching games, even free items sometimes!

Other Books

We've got a few book series that we come back to time and again - Can You Find Saints and Can You Find Jesus are basically Where's Waldo for Catholics. Packed with pictures, fun for kids to look at, and fun for adults also! Once Upon a Time Saints and the other books in the series are all nice short stories of saints that engage adults and children alike. For longer books, we like the Encounter the Saints series and the Vision Series for lives of the saints.


ARTWORK & HANDMADE

Hatch Prints



Katrina's watercolor & hand-lettered prints are so lovely and inspiring - she makes me want to pick up a paintbrush and try my hand at watercolors! But for now I'll just be satisfied with the two prints of hers I have in my house :) She's got prints and greeting cards, all of which would make great gifts.

Use code ABLOGFORMYMOM15 for 15% off your order for the rest of October! And check below for a giveaway item.

Rakstar Designs



I always love seeing what Rakhi is making - her creativity is boundless and she's got necklaces, rosary hangers, and prints in her shop. And she's got a little one on the way!

Use code IAMLOVED for 20% off your order of $15 or more through November 2, and check below for a giveaway item!

Annery Handmade



Annie's knit rosary roses would be the perfect tactile accompaniment to your prayer with young children, and her knit & infinity scarves would make great gifts!

Use code SHIPOCT15 for free shipping through October 31!

Flor Larios Art

We love our Flor Larios wood blocks that hang on the wall (or *will* hang on the wall once we get around to it now that we've moved...), and the kids had such fun picking their own out last year - there's a huge selection of items in her shop, and tons of different prints!



Handmaid Embroidery

Cristina just opened her shop today! Her ornaments are so lovely and I'm really excited to see what else she comes out with!



Lucky you! One person is going to win a whole bunch of prizes, either to keep or to gift to some lucky friends and family members! Here's what's up for grabs:

1 Manger Ornament from Handmaid Embroidery
1 Necklace of your choice from Rakstar Designs
1 8x10 print of your choice from Hatch Prints AND
1 5x7 print of your choice from Hatch Prints
1 paperback copy of Rosaries Aren't {Just} For Teething AND
1 paperback copy of Mary Holds My Hand

I hope you win, I really do - this is an amazing prize package!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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