Books, family Bibles, lawn signs top bestseller list

By WCR Staff
Edmonton

Religious books, family Bibles, DVDs, paintings, lawn signs and Advent wreaths are among the best selling Christmas gifts at Edmonton's church supply stores - St. John of God Books & Tapes and Universal Church Supplies.

Family Bibles

"Family Bibles have been a huge thing (this Christmas)," said Roger Lamoureux, manager of Universal Church Supplies. "I've sold 15 family Bibles this week and they are all presents; somebody is buying it for a family." A family Bible may cost between $60 and $100 at Universal, depending on size and translation.

Those buying Bibles are generally parents. "They always had a Bible at home when they were growing up and want their (adult) kids to have the same," Lamoureux said.

Advent wreaths, which range in price from $15 to $75 at Universal, are also big sellers, he said. "We are pretty much out of them."

The Christ is Christmas lawn signs designed by the Knights of Columbus are also going fast at Universal. "They are selling so fast we can't keep them in stock; they disappear the day they come in," noted Lamoureux. "Instead of putting up a Conservative sign or a Liberal sign, people want to put up a Jesus sign because Christ is Christmas."

Heading the list at St. John of God is Catholicism for Dummies, a down-to-earth introduction for non-Catholics and reintroduction for Catholics that presents a rich tapestry and history of the Catholic faith - from devotions to doctrines. Written byFather John Trigilio, Jr., and Father Kenneth Brighenti, Catholicism for Dummies sells for $31.

"People are buying books like this because they want the truth," said St. John of God employee Anne Marie Babich.

Next is the biography of Mother Angelica, the founder of the Eternal World Television Network. It sells for $33.95. The 384-page biography is also a best seller at Universal.

Favourite books

Also selling well at St. John of God are books such as De-Coding Da Vinci: the facts behind the fiction of the Da Vinci Code by Amy Welborn, the Rhythm of Life by Matthew Kelly and Scott Hahn's Letter of the Spirit.

Father Ron Rolheiser's book Forgotten Among the Lilies and Jean Vanier's Drawn into the Mysteries are among the top three sellers at Universal this month.

"Books are a huge thing; it seems everybody want to give books for Christmas," Lamoureux said. "I think people are hungry for spiritual things and things of the Gospel and they want to provide that for other people."

Another best-selling Christmas gift at St. John of God is the DVD No Turning Back, the story of Donald Calloway, a former drug user and gangster who is now a Catholic priest and evangelist. The DVD sells for $34.95; VHS for $27.95.

"People buy these things to give the gift of faith, to bring Christ into Christmas more so," said St. John's manager Donna Wallace. "When you give someone something religious you feel like you are being part of the whole meaning of Christmas."

Also selling well at St. John of God is a $139.95 gold-framed 20x12-inch painting of Mary, the Baby Jesus and the Lamb called L'Inocence. It's a replica of an 1893 painting by French artist Adolphe-William Bouguereau.

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