Sports & Virtue Quotes from JP2 here:
"Be Saints" letter outlines here:
Sports & Virtue Quotes from JP2 here:
"Be Saints" letter outlines here:
Need a new bulletin board for the start of 2024? It seems like a good time to remember to be doing all things well- and to be doing them for the greater glory of God! I used the big bulletin board in my classroom to add some inspiring quotes and a memorable Latin motto to give both me and my students a daily reminder. Michelle from Rough 2 Rustic sent me that awesome AMDG Banner and it inspired this whole display. Laser cut out of birch wood and strung on jute, the banner will last for years and years and can be used in so many different ways. Rather than cutting letters out of paper, I love how it adds depth to the bulletin board and especially love that they won’t need to be tossed when this bulletin board comes down- they’ll be simple to store and then I can pull them back out again later. Of course, the banner would also look lovely on a mantle or on a wall at home too!
Some details on the rest of the board if you are curious:
Whether for classroom or home, make sure to go check out all Rough 2 Rustic has to offer! So many wonderful tools to add Catholic identify in simple but meaningful ways!
Click here for a list of the quotes and Bible verses I included:
You may have heard of the Twelve Days of Christmas, but did you know that they are not a countdown? Rather, they are twelve days of celebration that begin on Christmas Day and last until the Solemnity of the Epiphany on January 6th.
There is an old English folk song called the Twelve Days of Christmas about receiving a set of unusual gifts. We can find hidden symbolism in the gifts to remind us of important truths of our faith. For example, the partridge in the pear tree represents Jesus on the Cross, the two turtle doves are the Old and New Testaments of the Bible, and the three French hens are the theological virtues of faith, hope, and love (or the Blessed Trinity!). Can you think of what the gifts on days four through twelve might symbolize? I made a worksheet for my students to match up the possible secret symbols behind the list in the Twelve Days of Christmas song.
Note that I've seen a few different interpretations- these seem to be pretty universal and made sense to us! If you have a different list and would like to edit the worksheet, click here and make a copy of the original to make your own changes. Note that I also added an extra challenge at the bottom to include other ideas that would make sense for the symbolism- a nice little extension activity!
Epiphany, traditionally on the January 6th (the twelfth day of Christmas) is observed on January 8th this year.
At Mass on Epiphany we hear the story of the visit of the Magi. These Wise Men traveled far to worship Jesus and brought Him three gifts; gold, frankincense, and myrrh. The gold was for Jesus because He is the King of kings, the frankincense was because He is the great High Priest, and the myrrh was for the sacrifice He would make on the Cross.
The gifts of the Wise Men are one of the reasons that it is a tradition for family and friends to exchange gifts during the Christmas season. In some cultures, gifts are exchanged on Epiphany instead of Christmas Day.
It also is customary to bless your home on Epiphany, remembering the way that the Holy Family opened their dwelling place to these visitors. You can read the story of the Magi in Matthew 2:1–12.
Click here for the Celebrating Epiphany coloring page:
You may also like these Epiphany Activities:
Epiphany Home Blessing Kit* (updated through 2026)
My Gift: An Epiphany Readers' Theater*
Gifts of the Magi Google Classroom Assignment