Free printable Catholic saints coloring pages for All Saints' Day

 Most people know that October 31 is Halloween, or All Hallows Eve. Fewer know that there's only a Halloween because of the days that follow. November 1 marks the Catholic holy day of obligation, All Saints' Day and November 2 is All Souls' Day (celebrated as Dia de los Muertos or Day of the Dead in Mexico). Halloween was a pagan blowout that anticipated the solemnity of the proceeding holy day. Use these free printable Catholic saints coloring pages, crafts and lesson plans to learn more about All Saint's Day and Halloween.Free printable Catholic saints coloring pages for All Saints' Day 

Free printable Christmas, Kwanzaa and Hanukkah greeting cards

We're so fortunate in the US, to have so many rich and varied holiday traditions and cultural observances in which to participate: Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa. Here are free printable Christmas, Kwanzaa and Hanukkah color your own greeting cards to share.Free printable Christmas, Kwanzaa and Hanukkah greeting cards

Free Printable Religious Holiday Cards and Invitations

 If you're like me, you get invited to a lot of celebrations. There are secular ones--graduation, retirement, birthdays--and religious ones--holidays, first communion, baptism, weddings. I love giving gifts, but costs add up. So I use free printable greeting cards to save money. Going to a religious celebration or looking for religious holiday cards? Throwing a party? Here are invitations. You'll find printable holiday, wedding, bridal and baby shower and birthday cards, too. Free Printable First Holy Communion Cards and Invitations

Free Printable Bible Coloring Paged to Use for Christian Greeting Cards

Teaching VBS- Vacation Bible School this summer? Or maybe your gearing up for Sunday School, Christian school, Hebrew school or homeschool in the fall? You will want these links for free printable Bible story, old testament and new testament coloring pages. Here are hundreds of free printable Bible story coloring pages from the old testament and new testament. The first five books of the Christian bible come from the Jewish Torah or Pentateuch. The Christian tradition shares many of the Jewish stories and traditions, so both families of both faiths can use these coloring pages to teach their families religious education. Why not have kids color and use for Christian themed birthday and holiday greeting cards.Free Printable Bible Coloring Page Activities: Old Testament and New Testament Stories

Free Printable Easter Egg Patterns, Psanky Stencils

Easter egg coloring is an art form of its own. There are traditional Easter patterns, but one style defines the art: Ukrainian psanky eggs. Many Eastern European countries have egg decorating traditions. These ancient crafts create mosaic patterns in classic designs. If you'd like to try your hand at making psanky eggs for Easter, here are free online patterns, printables and designs. I've included printable traditional easter egg stencils, too.  Free Printable Easter Egg Patterns, Psanky Stencils

Use Free Printable Catholic Easter Coloring Pages as Greeting Cards

Catholics entered the penitential season of lent which takes us up to Easter. For us, Easter isn't bunnies and candy. It's is about the Passion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Here are free printable stations of the cross, rosary, saints and Easter bible story coloring pages. Why have kids color, write messages on the back and send as notes of encouragement. Sure, lent is a sacred time, of fasting and prayer. But it's also about almsgiving. And reaching out, sending loving messages, is a great way to give. .Free Printable Lent and Catholic Easter Coloring Pages

Free Printable Catholic Saint Valentine Cards and Crafts

 The story of St. Valentine has zero to do with schmaltzy flowers and candy. I know, anathema, right? There's worse news. It has nothing in common with romance as we know it. But Valentine's story is spiritually romantic. Valentinius was a Roman Christian priest. In those days, this was not popular. In fact, it was illegal. So here are Catholic crafts and activities to celebrate St. Valentines Day for its real meaning.   Catholic Saint Valentine Lesson Plans, Activities

Free Printable Advent Calendars, Religious Christmas Clipart

Advent is the religious season preceding the Feast of Christmas. The Advent Season begins four Sundays before Christmas and lasts from 21-28 days depending upon when the first Sunday of Advent falls. In 2008, Advent begins on Sunday, December 2 and includes December 9, 16 and 23. As a penitential season, Advent is observed with three main virtues: prayer, fasting and almsgiving. On Advent Sundays candles are lit on the advent wreath. As a penitential season, the candles are blue or purple. On Gaudette Sunday, the third Sunday of Advent, we light a pink candle to symblolize the advent attitude of joy. On Christmas the white Christ Candle is lit. Here are free printable advent calendars and religious Christmas clipart Free Printable Advent Calendar
to make with kids.

Free Printable Hanukkah Cards, Dreidel, Menorah, Crafts

Hanukkah, also spelled Chanukah, is the Jewish "festival of light." It commemorates when G-d kept the lights in the temple burning during the revolt of Judas Maccabeus. It's celebrated on the 25th of Kislev on the Hebrew lunar calendar. On the western calendar Hanukkah falls near Christmas. Here are free printable Hanukkah crafts: dreidel, gelt, menorah, treats, decorations. Hanukkah is celebrated for eight days beginning at sundown. In 2013, Hanukkah begins the day before Thanksgiving, November 27 and goes until December 5. Free Printable Hanukkah Crafts

Free Thanksgiving Cards, Crafts, Games, Printables

Do you like to send holiday cards but find them too expensive? $5 for a greeting cards that's going to get thrown away? Seriously, who can afford that? Well, did you know you can print cards at home and it costs nothing? Here are free printable Thanksgiving cards to make and send. All you have to provide is a printer, paper and ink. Or go to the library and print for 10 to 15 cents. Quite a savings. In fact, here are printable crafts, games and puzzles for Thanksgiving parties. Free Thanksgiving Cards, Crafts and Games to Print 

Free Printable Diwali Cards, Crafts

I apologize, I'm a few days late with these Diwali crafts. Nov 3, 2013 was the day, but why not send some belated Diwali (also called Deepavali and Divali) cards? This five-day festival  is celebrated by Hindus, Jains and Sikhs. Diwali means 'row' or 'garland of lights' in Sanskrit and is referred to as the 'festival of lights'. Use these free printables to celebrate or explore.  Free Printable Diwali and Rangoli Crafts and Activities

Free Printable Rosh HaShanah Jewish New Year Activities

L' Shana Tova! Rosh HaShanah is the Jewish New Year and will be celebrated on September 5, 2013 on the western calendar. Rosh HaShanah precedes Yom Kippur in the Jewish month of Tishreh. Here are printable activities for Rosh HaShanah, including greeting cards to make and share. Rosh HaShanah is the first of the two Jewish high holy days. It falls on the approximate date when Moses led the Hebrews out of bondage from Egypt. Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement is the second high holy day in the Jewish calendar. These days are a time for reconciliation and repentance. Referred to by Hebrew people as The Days of Awe, the sacredness of Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur are roughly equivalent to the importance of Easter in the Christian Gregorian calendar.  Free Printable Rosh HaShanah Activities

Free Printable Ramadan and Islamic Crafts

For Muslims, Ramadan is holy season marked by prayer, fasting and abstinence. Ramadan, in the Islamic calendar is a month-long observance, falling roughly in the western calendar month of July and August. In 2013, Ramadan runs from July 9 to August 7. Here are free printable activities to help children explore this most holy season in Islam.

Ramadan comes from the Arabic term for intense heat and parched earth. It refers to a spiritual experience as well as the climate conditions in the month. The Five Pillars of Islam are Belief, Worship, Fasting, Almsgiving and Pilgrimage. Like Advent before Christmas and Lent before Easter in the Catholic Christian faith, Ramadan is a penitential season of sacrifice. Like Yom Kippur in the Jewish faith, Ramadan is a season for cleansing, atonement and purification. Free Printable Ramadan and Islamic Activities

Free Printable Jewish Calendars, Hebrew Gregorian Calendar Converters

Calendars help us mark time; not everyone follows the same calendar, however. The Jewish calendar dates time differently than the western Gregorian calendar. Here are free printable Jewish calendars and calendar converters. Calendars are marked with Jewish holy days. You can print monthly calendars for each month of the Jewish year. You can also print calendars cross-referenced with the western Gregorian calendar.  Read more

Free Printable Advent Countdown to Christmas Activities

We homeschooled our four children for over 10 years. As a Catholic family, we set aside the month of December for advent activities. Advent begins on the 4th Sunday before Christmas and countdowns to the feast of Christmas. Make crafts and let people know about the real meaning of Christmas. Send religious greeting cards during Advent and through Epiphany. Here are more Advent countdown activities.   read more

Free Printable Diwali Cards

Diwali, also called Deepavali, is a five-day festival celebrated by Sikhs, Hindus and Jains around the world. Diwali 2012 will be celebrated November 13-17 in the western calendar. Diwali means "garland of lights" (or row of lights) in Sanskrit and is referred to as the "Festival of lights." In the Indian calendar, Diwali is celebrated in late Ashwin (September-October) and ends in early Kartika (October-November). It is customary to send greeting cards. Here are Free Printable Diwali Cards, Rangoli Crafts

Free Printable Rosh Hashanah Cards

Rosh Hashanah begins the Jewish new year. It's a two-day festival and kicks off the Days of Awe leading up to Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement (the holiest day in the Jewish year). Rosh Hashanah falls in Tishri on the Hebrew calendar. On the western calendar, Rosh Hashahah is observed on September 17-18, 2012. Here are free printable greeting cards and clipart to send to Jewish friends or to exchange. Work with seniors or in a nursing home? Be sure to print some for elderly Jewish people. They love getting cards and are sometimes forgotten. Homeschoolers or school groups may wish to make cards and send them to elderly Hebrew friends as a service project. If you speak Hebrew or Yiddish, you can have this blog translated in those languages. L'shana Tova! Free Printable Rosh Hashanah Activities

Free Printable Eastern Orthodox Catholic Coloring Activities

September 1 marks the Eastern Orthodox Church's new liturgical year. The Christian Orthodox church, whose branches include Russian, Ukrainian, Slavic, Slavonic and Greek Orthodox, is linked to the Byzantine Church. The eastern rite churches follow most of the same practices as the Christian Catholic church, such as veneration of saints, icons, holy relics and martyrs. Here are free printable coloring pages, activities and lesson plans to celebrate Orthodox new year. Use coloring pages and crafts as greeting cards and send to Orthodox friends. Wish them "Happy New Year!" Seniors particularly love getting greeting cards on holidays. Free Printable Eastern Orthodox Catholic Coloring Activities

Free Printable Ramadan, Eid ul-Fitr and Islamic Greeting Cards and Activities

For Muslims, Ramadan is holy season marked by prayer, fasting and abstinence. Ramadan, in the Islamic calendar is a month-long observance, falling roughly in the month of August. Ramadan began on July 21 in 2012. It will end with the celebration  of Eid ul-Fitr (also called Eid al-Fitr or Lesser Eid) on August 19 (my birthday--I'm blessed). Greater Eid or Eid al- Adha is celebrated on Oct. 26. This celebrates the great sacrifice of Abraham in offering up his son Isaac. Here are free printable activities to help children explore Ramadan and Lesser Eid,  including printable greeting cards. Free Printable Ramadan and Islamic Activities for Children

Free Printable Jewish Passover lessons

Passover, or Pesach, is a seven-day Jewish holiday observance. It generally falls in April in the western calendar. In 2012, Passover will be celebrated beginning at sundown Saturday, April 6 and lasting through Friday, April 14. On the Hebrew lunisolar calendar (which is based on both moon phases and solar cycles), Passover is celebrated on Nissan 15-22. Here are resources for Jewish kids and parents to explore and celebrate Passover more fully. There are links for greeting cards and celebration activities. These activities can help non-Jewish families understand and experience Hebrew traditions, too. The links in this article are for Rosh Hashanah but contain activities for passover as well. Read more at Jewish Passover lessons and activities for families