Beautiful Resources for Liturgical Celebrations at Home

One of my favorite topics of late is seasonality, including liturgical celebrations throughout the year. The liturgical year is an expression of sacred time that shepherds me as my faith deepens and evolves. My daughter’s increasing curiosity for books, art, and household rhythms makes it even more interesting to me as I share these traditions and celebrations with her. She reminds me on a daily basis that sacred, liturgical living is an invitation into not only reverence but also playfulness, whimsy, and friendship.

My own collection of books and resources on the liturgical year started to grow even before I was a mama. I quickly discovered there were hundreds of entry points into the calendar, many Catholic, others Orthodox or Protestant, and many other variations within those main branches of Christianity. Some were completely independent of a faith tradition. This variety captured my attention and reminded me of how each person comes to the story of Christ differently. All have offered rich texture to my own exploration, though I do gravitate towards a few books more than others. (I hope this also encourages you to take what is most meaningful to you and set aside the rest when exploring resources related to the church year, or any topic I cover here!) Below I’ve listed a few of my favorite resources.

My Favorite Resources & Guides for Liturgical Celebrations

Two Styles of Church Calendars for Liturgical Celebrations

• I initially created a one page liturgical calendar for our family, but it quickly grew as I thought to share it with others through Instagram and Etsy. The additional 15+ pages include brief summaries, colors, reflection questions, and suggested practices for each liturgical season. I encourage you to use the reflection questions as journal prompts or conversation starters around the dinner table. This is a great resource for folks who are just learning about the Christian year and would like to begin gently integrating it into their lives. Although the digital download file is five pages total, the actual calendar page is easy to print and hang where you’ll see it often.
• The second calendar is a one page perpetual wheel of the church year, in both Spanish and English. It’s simple and ready in minutes to hang on the fridge or in a frame. I’ve also include brief descriptions of the seasons grouped in the Christmas and Easter cycles at the bottom.

Seasons of Wonder: Making the Ordinary Sacred Through Projects, Prayers, Reflections, and Rituals: A 52-week devotional by Bonnie Smith Whitehouse

I’m typically not someone who picks up devotionals, but this book is a wonderful exception. Each week includes a seasonal reflection and relevant practice as it follows the Christian year. Individuals and families alike can soak up the author’s beautiful writing and the wisdom she curates.

I’m grateful this book uses a gentle, spiritual approach (rooted in the Christian story) rather than taking on a specific denominational or religious tone. Whitehouse also includes the voices of a broad range of mystics, writers, theologians, and artists. I’m so grateful for her intentionality as this is not always common in resources surrounding the liturgical calendar, which can be very Euro-centric.

All Year Round: A Calendar of Celebrations by Ann Druitt, Christine Fynes-Clinton, and Marije Rowling

I discovered this book perusing through Waldorf education blogs a year or two ago. Waldorf spaces tend to be full of rich color, natural materials, and beautiful stories and literature. I deeply appreciate how imaginative the learning materials can be. I knew this book had the potential to be a well used resource for us, as it appeared to be for many others. Thankfully, I found a used copy.

All Year Round was written by three mothers based in various countries in Europe. It includes music, poems, stories, recipes, and other celebrations for Christian seasons and feast days. While sitting around the dinner table, I found the section on Michaelmas (September 29) and handed it to Aaron to glance at. He quickly spotted the song and began singing; Emelia clapped along. What a sweet moment!

To Dance With God: Family Ritual and Communal Celebration by Gertrud Mueller Nelson

I borrowed this book enough times from the library I knew I needed my own copy. I immediately sat down to flip through it again after it arrived in the mail this week. This book was originally recommended to me by someone on Instagram. I’m so glad I took their suggestion as it’s quickly become a staple for us.

This book is a beautiful guide through the church year. Gertrud Nelson’s words and images are gracious guides for liturgical living. Nelson discusses the concepts of tradition, celebration, and community in the first part, while working through the Christian year in the second part. Similar to All Year Round, she makes note of activities, recipes, and stories to be shared in each season, with additional attention to various feast days.

Circle of Seasons: Meeting God in the Church Year by K. C. Ireton

This is one of the first books I read on the church calendar and it remains a favorite. I’m quick to recommend this book to others just learning of the calendar because it’s easy to read, quick to finish, and includes timeless reflections and practices.

Additional Resources for Liturgical Celebrations

In case you’re eager to browse more titles related to liturgical celebrations, allow me to share a handful of booklists with you via Bookshop. I’ve organized them in a few different categories: Celebrations at Home, History and Overview of the Church Year, Memoir, Seasonal Living & Hospitality, and Rituals and Traditions. I’ve read many of them, or at least skimmed through them for research, but many others come highly recommended from others. Think of this list as our very own TBR list!

(Please note the books listed on Bookshop contain affiliate links. This means I may receive a commission when you purchase a book from the list at no additional cost to you.)

If you’ve used or intend to use any of these resources to inspire your own liturgical celebrations, I would love to hear your thoughts! What books, blogs, or other resources have been helpful to you?