Guilford County Schools ACES Program
Weekly Theme: Multicultural Celebrations – Other Activities
Gingerbread Houses (Germany)
In Germany, Gingerbread Houses are very popular in some villages at Christmas time. On
December 23rd, each family in the village brings a model of their home (made of Gingerbread) to
a central location where the village is recreated in miniature. Then, on New Year’s Day
(Sylvester) the children break the houses apart and eat them to celebrate the coming of the
New Year.
Gingerbread Houses Craft
Provide students with small milk cartons, graham crackers, white icing and assorted candies to
make their own Gingerbread Houses. Make sure to wash, rinse and sanitize the milk cartons.
Students can “glue” the graham crackers on the milk cartons with the white icing. Next, they
glue assorted candies on to finish the house. The houses are NOT edible!
Hanukkah Dreidel Craft
Materials:

thin cardboard

some crayons (or markers or paint)

scissors

glue
Instructions:

Color or paint the Dreidel template on the next page

Glue the templates to a piece of thin cardboard

Cut out the template pieces

Fold the tabs and glue the dreidel together

Poke a hole in the top and slide a pencil or straw through
July 2008
1
Activity ideas obtained from ACES staff and public domain materials
Guilford County Schools ACES Program
July 2008
2
Activity ideas obtained from ACES staff and public domain materials
Guilford County Schools ACES Program
The Legend of the Poinsettia
A charming story is told of Pepita, a poor Mexican girl who had no gift to present the
Christ Child at Christmas Eve Services. The legend says that . . . as Pepita walked
slowly to the chapel with her cousin Pedro, her heart was filled with sadness rather than
joy.
"I am sure, Pepita, that even the most humble gift, if given in love, will be acceptable in
His eyes," said Pedro consolingly.
Not knowing what else to do, Pepita knelt by the roadside and gathered a handful of
common weeds, fashioning them into a small bouquet. Looking at the scraggly bunch of
weeds, she felt more saddened and embarrassed than ever by the humbleness of her
offering. She fought back a tear as she entered the small village chapel.
As she approached the alter, she remembered Pedro's kind words: "Even the most
humble gift, if given in love, will be acceptable in His eyes." She felt her spirit lift as she
knelt to lay the bouquet at the foot of the nativity scene.
Suddenly, the bouquet of weeds burst into blooms of brilliant red, and all who saw them
were certain that they had witnessed a Christmas miracle right before their eyes.
From that day on, the bright red flowers were known as the Flores de Noche Buena, or
Flowers of the Holy Night, for they bloomed each year during the Christmas season.
Today, the common name for this plant is the poinsettia!
Kwanzaa-The Kinara (Africa)
During Kwanzaa candles are placed in a special candleholder called the Kinara. There are
seven candles (Mishumaa Saba) used, each representing one of the Seven Principles (Nguzo
Saba) of Kwanzaa. When putting the candles in the Kinara, the 3 red candles are placed on the
left side. The 3 green candles are placed on the right. The single black candle is placed in the
center and is the candle which will be lit first. On each day of Kwanzaa a new candle will be lit
as a symbol of the Kwanzaa Nguzo or principle of that day. The candles will be lit in alternating
colors. First the black candle is lit, then the farthest left red candle, then the farthest right green
candle, then the next red, then next green, then the last red, and then the final green.
On the first day of Kwanzaa the black candle is lit, representing the first principle of Kwanzaa Umoja (oo-MOH-jah): Unity.
On the second day the black candle is again lit, as well as the farthest red candle on the left.
This represents the 2nd principle of Kwanzaa - Kujichagulia (koo-jee-chah-goo-LEE-ah): SelfDetermination.
On the third day the black candle is lit, then the farthest left red, and then the farthest right green
candle. This represents the 3rd principle of Kwanzaa - Ujima (oo-JEE-mah): Collective work and
responsibility.
July 2008
3
Activity ideas obtained from ACES staff and public domain materials
Guilford County Schools ACES Program
On the fourth day the black candle is lit, then the farthest left red, and then the farthest right
green. Then the next red candle on the left. This represents the 4th principle of Kwanzaa Ujamaa (oo-jah-MAH): Collective economics
On the fifth day the black candle is lit, then the farthest left red, the farthest right green, the next
red and then the next green candle. This represents the 5th principle of Kwanzaa - Nia (NEEah): Purpose
On the sixth day the black candle is lit, then the farthest left red, the farthest right green, the
next red, the next green and then the final red candle. This represents the 6th principle of
Kwanzaa - Kuumba (koo-OOM-bah): Creativity
On the seventh day the black candle is lit, then the farthest left red, the farthest right green, the
next red candle, the next green, the final red and then the final green candle. This represents
the 7th principle of Kwanzaa - Imani (ee-MAH-nee): Faith
On the seventh and final day of Kwanzaa all candles in the Kinara are lit. When the night is
done, the family takes one last drink from the Unity cup and the candles are extinguished.
Kwanzaa is over till next year.
The Legend of the Silver Pine Cone
(A German Legend)
There once lived a poor family without enough food to eat or enough wood for their fire.
The mother decided to go into the forest to search for pinecones. She was planning to
use the pine cones to build a fire for her family, and she was also hoping she could sell
some of them to get money to buy food.
After walking for hours, the mother finally reached the forest and started gathering
pinecones into her basket. Suddenly, she heard a voice say, "Why are you stealing my
pinecones?" With that, an elf appeared beside her. She explained her sad story to the
elf. With a crooked smile, the elf said, "Go into the next forest. The pine cones there are
much better." Hesitantly, the mother set off to the next forest, which was even farther
away. When she reached it, she was very tired. She leaned against a tree and sat her
basket on the ground.
As soon as she set down her basket, dozens of pinecones started falling to the ground.
Filled with renewed energy, she gathered all the pinecones into her basket and returned
home. Exhausted, she returned home and set the basket on her doorstep. When she
looked down at the basket of pinecones, they had all turned to silver!!
The family would never be poor again.
Because of this legend, many people believe that a silver pine cone is lucky. In some
homes it is customary to keep one on your dresser or hearth to make sure good fortune
comes your way.
July 2008
4
Activity ideas obtained from ACES staff and public domain materials
Guilford County Schools ACES Program
Silver Pinecone
Have students drizzle white glue over a pinecone and then lightly shake glitter over the
pinecone. Let the pinecone dry and students will have a Silver Pinecone of their own.
Sankt Nikolaus Tag (Saint Nicholas Day)
In Germany, St. Nikolaus is NOT Santa Claus. In Bavaria (southern Germany), the
legend is that Sankt Nikolaus comes as a bishop with a flowing beard and a bishop's
miter and staff. Houses are thoroughly cleaned and children clean and polish their
shoes or boots in preparation for his visit. On the eve of December 6th, children put
letters to the good saint in their shoes and leave them outside the front door or on a
windowsill in hopes of finding goodies from St. Nikolaus the next morning. The legend
says that during the night St. Nikolaus goes from house to house carrying a book in
which all the children's deeds are written. If they have been good, he fills their shoe or
boot with delicious fruits, nuts and candies. If not, they may find potatoes, coal, or twigs.
Sankt Nikolaus Tag Student Celebration
Read about St. Nicholas Day to students. Have them write a letter to St. Nicholas and
tell him of their good deeds throughout the year. They will then put their shoes in the
hall with their letter rolled up in their shoes. Turn off all of the lights to simulate night
and ask students to put their heads down as if they were asleep. When the lights come
on, students can check their shoes in the hallway and find that their letters are gone and
they now have small treats in their shoes (in baggies, of course)
July 2008
5
Activity ideas obtained from ACES staff and public domain materials
Guilford County Schools ACES Program
July 2008
6
Activity ideas obtained from ACES staff and public domain materials
Guilford County Schools ACES Program
July 2008
7
Activity ideas obtained from ACES staff and public domain materials