The Celtic Rebel

Our Advent calendars are now available. However, we can’t guarantee availability after October 31. For the best selection, please order now!

Our Chocolate-filled Advents include a piece of gourmet German candy behind each window, making a sweet treat for kids.

Our Traditional Nativity Advents have religious designs, and include Bible verses behind each window. Some include envelopes for easy mailing! We also have a number of non-religious designs, some of which also have envelopes for mailing.

Sticker Advents allow kids to place stickers instead of opening a window, a fun activity for younger kids.

Greeting Card Advents make excellent, early Christmas cards.

Joke and puzzle Advents provide plenty of entertainment, especially good for older kids.

Try out our new Advent candles, which can be purchased together with many of our calendars

http://celticrebel-anglicanshop.com/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=176

A new Celtic wall cross is available, as well as two new Irish-themed plaques

Check It Out

All shopping cart links are now fixed. Please feel free to browse our Religious Artwork section now.

They’re finally finished! All our categories for religious artwork are on our Anglican goods site. A variety of icon writers’ work are featured.

We’ve added three new beaded jewelry/rosary designs to our Celtic Jewelry page, as well as six new Celtic-themed pendants.

An article posted to Electric Scotland details how many from Celtic lands were held as slaves at  various times.  White slavery was also practiced in the Americas during colonial times. Hopefully this will help people to remember why slavery is unjust and should have no apologists.

Read more

We hope to have some updates on great new products available soon! Please be sure to check back on a regular basis.

http://www.faithandworship.com/Advent/Advent_Celtic_Christian_Celebration.htm

Everyone knows the familiar carol “The Twelve Days of Christmas” but have you ever thought of the meaning behind the lyrics? In fact it’s been said that the carol is about the hidden meanings of the Christian Faith. The Twelve Days refer to the days between Christmas and Epiphany, the day when it is said that the Three Wise Men arrived to pay homage to the Christ Child. Some believe it was used as a way to teach the catechism to children. There’s no concrete proof either way, but it’s an interesting theory. The following is the explanation of the symbolism in this song.

The Scots have many customs surrounding the celebration of Hogmanay. The redding, or getting ready for the New Year is done by cleaning the entire house and making it spotless. It’s considered bad luck to welcome in the New Year in a home that’s not clean and tidy. Customs for good luck include placing pieces of a Rowan tree above a door, putting mistletoe in the house to prevent sickness, holly kept out annoying little fairies out to cause mischief, and yew and hazel were believed to protect everyone who lived in the house. Finally, juniper is burned. then the doors are opened to get fresh air into the house. It’s then ready for the New Year.

New Year’s Bells signify the beginning of the New Year, when people gather together and sing Auld Lang Syne. In Scotland, they go visiting friends and family, and always bring a bottle of “cheer” to toast the New Year. In Aberdeen, the boats in the harbor and on the North Sea sound their horns, and can be heard far and wide.

If company arrives before the bells chime at midnight, they must leave until the chimes have finished to prevent bad luck. At the last stroke of midnight, the back door of the house is opened to let out any bad luck, and the front door is opened to bring in good luck. The custom of making New Year’s Resolutions came from the Scots, and may have started in Victorian times. Although some resolutions are frivolous, something like a resolution to find ways to help others is a meaningful way to start off the New Year.

http://www.aboutaberdeen.com/hogmanaycustoms.php