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I’m always trying to figure out how to make it easier for families to observe the Christian Year because we felt so overwhelmed when we first started that journey (which is why we wrote the book we wish we had then). I thought it might be helpful for our family to have resources compiled for the month ahead so that we can plan in advance which special saints days we want to observe and I hope having them all in one place is helpful to you, too!
I made a simple printable November 2014 liturgical calendar you can download for FREE.
And I pinned all of the following resources on a November Liturgical Living pinterest board for your convenience!
As always, remember not to get overwhelmed. You don’t have to observe every saints day! (We certainly don’t at our house.) The liturgical year is a gift. It shouldn’t feel like a burden!
November 1st: All Saints Day
Faith and Little Ones:
- All Saints Scavenger Hunt: Better Than Eden
Book Suggestions:
- Books About Saints in Our Mass Bag: Carrots for Michaelmas
November 2nd: All Souls Day
Celebrating Around the Table:
- Soul Cakes: Carrots for Michaelmas
Food for Thought:
- At the End Charlotte Dies: Catholic All Year
November 3rd: St. Martin de Porres:
Faith and Little Ones:
- Celebrating the Feast of St. Martin de Porres: Two Os Plus More
- St. Martin de Porres Glory Story CD: Holy Heroes
Book suggestions:
St. Martin de Porres: The Rose in the Desert by Gary Schmidt
November 4th: St. Charles Borromeo
Faith and Little Ones:
Coloring Page:
- St. Charles Borromeo: Catholic Playground
November 11th: St. Martin of Tours
Celebrating Around the Table:
- Make Stuffed Butternut Squash (served in halves like St. Martin’s cloak) recipe in Feast! Real Food, Reflections, and Simple Living for the Christian Year)
November 13th: St. Frances Cabrini
Celebrating Around the Table:
- Make Bolognese with Orecchietti: My Catholic Kitchen
November 16th: St. Margaret of Scotland
Celebrating Around the Table:
- Learn the Grace After Meals prayer. Today with the Saints shared that St. Margaret encouraged this praying of this prayer. You can find a beautiful free printable of the Grace After Meals at Catholic All Year.
November 17th: St. Elizabeth of Hungary
Celebrating Around the Table:
- Hungarian Cinnamon Bread: Catholic Cuisine
November 21st: The Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Book Suggestion:
Mary the Mother of Jesus by Tomie dePaola
November 22nd: St. Cecilia
Faith and Little Ones:
- St. Cecelia Glory Story audio CD: Holy Heroes
November 23rd: Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe
Food for Thought:
- Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe: Catholic Culture
November 24th: St. Andrew Dung-Lac and Companions
Celebrating Around the Table:
- Make Vietnamese Summer Rolls (recipe coming in new book!)
November 30th: St. Andrew (1st Sunday of Advent)
Celebrating Around the Table:
- Make a fish dinner to honor this fisherman disciple. (Our recipe for Tahini Tilapia is in Feast! Real Food, Reflections, and Simple Living for the Christian Year)
Faith and Little Ones:
- Light your first Advent candle.
- Begin the St. Andrew Christmas Novena and pray it 15 times from November 30th to Christmas Day. I made a printable you can download for free.
Do you have any special traditions for holy days in November? I’d love to hear about them in the comments!
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Thanks, Haley. This is REALLY helpful, especially for us families with lots of little kids who haven’t got much time for research. Transmitting the faith is a huge job for parents, and you’re helping to make it less daunting. Nice work!
Thanks, Erin! That’s so encouraging to hear.
Hi! New Catholic convert here. Why is the St. Andrew Novena prayer 15 times? I thought novenas were prayed nine times or for nine days or some other multiple of nine?
Hi Malisha! Yes, novenas are usually for nine days, but it can also mean (according to the googling I just did, haha) a prayer that is repeated over a period of time. I’m not sure why the St. Andrew Novena is traditionally prayed 15x a day! Great question!
We add in Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal on Nov. 27, because it’s my daughter’s feast day. (Her name is Kathryn Rose, so yeah it’s a bit of a stretch but it covers both Catherine Laboure and Our Lady!) I haven’t come up with any particular tradition yet.
Oh, that’s lovely! What a beautiful name.
A nice round up, thank you!
Ooooh, this is all just fabulous! Love all the articles and printables. THis is my favorite time of year…
Haley~
Thanks so much for the calendar! I have your book and try to keep up on it. But the calendar really helps. It is like a cheat sheet. It is prefect!
Haley, do you have a post on resources that you use for developing/learning about the Church Year? I’ve been collecting some books to do my research. I’d love to see a list that you’ve been using for more ideas. And if not books, specific websites, etc. Thank you!
Oh good idea, Missy! I’ll try to do a post on that. I started out with The Catholic Home by Meredith Gould. It’s a great resource!
I’ve got The Catholic Home, but haven’t read it through. I’ve really been enjoying these two books: Living in God’s Time: A parent’s guide to nurturing children throughout the Christian year (Margaret McMillan Persky) and Holidays and Holy Nights: Celebrating Twelve Seasonal Festivals of the Christian Year (Christopher Hill). Hill’s introduction is fantastic.
I also have A Book of Feasts and Seasons (Joanna Bogle) and To Dance with God: Family Ritual and Community Celebration (Gertrud Mueller Nelson), but haven’t read through them.
I’d really love a nice reading list, especially internet sources.
I’ve been eyeing up this one, too:
http://www.amazon.com/Celebrating-Advent-Christmas-Children-Colleen-ebook/dp/B00GYJCR6G/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=&qid=
Thanks so much for the novena printable. I finally got around to downloading it and putting it in a frame. It is beautiful.