Check out this Catholic gift list

Yes, for under $10 you can indeed buy a meaningful Christmas present

By RAMON GONZALEZ
WCR Staff Writer
Edmonton

Looking for an inexpensive yet significant Christmas present?

Universal Church Supplies and St. John of God Christian variety stores have tons of gifts under $10 that are sure to please anybody on your Christmas list.

Their under-$10 stock includes Bibles, prayer books, rosaries, crucifixes and Christmas ornaments - all items that will not only enhance the spirituality of Christmas but also the faith of those who receive them.

Roger Lamoureux, manager of Universal Church Supplies, 11105-102 Ave, came up with several items that could be used either as Christmas gifts or stocking stuffers.

Heading his list is a series of scripturally-based reflection books for teens and parents that sell for $6.99 each. One is called God's Little Lessons for Teens, which provides the answers teens need concerning prayer, school, relationships, and family life. This insightful book contains a multitude of relevant topics organized alphabetically. It even deals with risk and presents the 10 top failures of all time.

The Blessing Cup

Universal also has a reflection book for busy moms for $10 and a paperback called The Blessing Cup that costs $9.05 and contains prayer rituals for families and groups. Or you can buy a pocketsize New Testament Bible for just $7.

At St. John of God Books & Tapes, 9544-87 St., store employee Anne Marie Babich and manager Donna Wallace showed the WCR several items they think would make great Christmas presents or stocking stuffers for the discriminate Christian.

Heading their list is the Illustrated Pocket Prayer Book, which sells for just $2.50 and contains the Beatitudes, the Stations of the Cross, the Ten Commandments as well as rosary meditations and litanies.

Also popular at St. John of God is a piece of jewelry called Angel Pin for $9.95. Made in the Czech Republic, the Angel Pin is basically a teardrop crystal surrounded by blue and white rhinestones.

For the children on your list, Universal Church Supplies has The Very First Christmas, a beautifully illustrated gift book that offers the real historical drama of Christmas by award-winning author and professor Paul Maier. It sells for $9.25. Or for just $3 you can buy Three Presents for Baby Jesus, one of a series of books that tell all the stories in the Bible.

Another children's book that deals with Christmas and sells for under $10 is The Grumpy Shepherd. It tells the story of Joram, a disagreeable shepherd who becomes happy and agreeable the night the archangel Gabriel appears to tell the herdsmen to go into town to find a special baby lying in a manger.

St. John of God carries a booklet called Absolutely Advent filled with fun activities for Advent for children aged five and up. Priced at $6.95, the booklet covers from Nov. 27 to Christmas Day, Dec. 25.

Lots of ornaments

Universal has a variety of ornaments designed to bring back the true spirit of Christmas. These include an $8 plastic ornament that features an angel, the Madonna and the child and a 4x3-inch wooden ornament that features Mary wrapping the newly born baby Jesus and laying him in the manger; it sells for $10. St. John of God carries an angel Christmas tree ornament made up of clear and gold plastic for $9.95.

The south side store also has something for the sports enthusiast. It's a silver-coloured medal with a gold cross inset and an etched hockey player that sells for $10.

Visor clips for the car featuring St. Christopher, the patron saint of travellers, the Immaculate Heart of Mary and the fish sign run anywhere from $5 to $10 at Universal. A rosary made of imitation hematite stone goes for $9. St. John of God also has rosaries for under $10.

Universal also has a variety of small gifts such as inspirational stones, wrist bands, pins, coins and medals priced between $1.99 and $3. Holy cards that feature everyone from the pope to Jesus to Mary run anywhere from 30 cents to 95 cents at the store. Inspirational posters featuring Scripture passages or sayings are also available at Universal for anywhere from $2.90 to $4.80.

St. John of God has an ideal stocking stuffer for those who love to read and to write. It's a bookmarker and a pen with the inscription: Jesus Our Christmas Joy. The cost: $2.25.

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