Christmas Around the World
By: Brittany Richied and
Brittany Bugary
Table of Contents:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Introduction
Content
Objectives
Activities
Evaluation
Student Resources
Teacher Resources
Media Resources
Introduction:
• The history of Christmas’ customs and views are
rich within our country’s history and other countries
history. The relationships between the different
countries engages students in multiculturalism and
diversity. When looking at each individual country,
students will see the importance of unity and
community. Other cultural views and customs are
too often overlooked because it is not what that
person celebrates or believes. The purpose of this
unit is to bring all views of Christmas to our
students at a developmentally appropriate level.
Content:
• This unit will be based on Christmas
around the world. Children will learn about
the differences in views, customs, and
meaning of Christmas. They will discover
the locations of different countries, how to
use a passport, understand the different
customs, and learn that there are different
ways to celebrate Christmas.
Vocabulary/Concepts:
• Christmas
• Papa Noel
• St. Nicholas
• Passport
• Tree of Lights
• Spring Festival
• Dun Che Lao Ren
Vocabulary/Concepts:
• Australia
• South America
• United States
• China
• Holland
• Billy Can Pudding
• Feliz Navidad
Objectives:
• Gain knowledge of the different geographic locations around the
world.
• Gain an understanding of foods eaten during Christmas in diverse
cultures.
• Gain knowledge of various Christmas customs around the world
• Students will gain an understanding of the history of the
Christmas celebrated throughout the world.
• Students will gain knowledge of the different foods that are made
and eaten during the Christmas season
• Students will gain knowledge of how different families celebrate
the holiday
• Students will be able to identify artifacts used by various
countries.
• Students will be able to use a map correctly to identify specific
locations
• Students will be able to recognize similarities and differences
between the different customs celebrated in various countries.
Activity #1: How to Use a Passport
• Learn how to use a
passport to get into
different countries.
• Create your own passport
with your picture. Receive
a stamp from each country
as it is being introduced
each day.
• Add a thumb tack on the
map to each country
visited.
• Read a picture book or
create a discussion with
the information about the
specific country of the day.
Activity #2: United States
• Compare the various
traditions celebrated in
America according to different
states.
• Break into small groups and
create a Venn diagram on a
poster board of the
similarities and differences of
customs between two states.
• Children will have books and
internet in order to use
research to find their
information.
• Hang the poster on the wall
and discuss what customs the
children have in common with
the ones on the poster.
Activity #3: South America
• Have children bring in one
shoe by the day before
South America is
introduced.
• Have each shoe sitting in
the window sill filled with
a surprise for each child as
they come in. Talk about
how in Ecuador the
children leave their shoes
on the window sill for the
Christ Child to fill.
• Learn about Papa Noel and
how to say Merry
Christmas, Feliz Navidad.
Returning to their seats
have the children write a
Feliz Navidad card.
Activity #4: Holland
• Pass out lyrics to the song
“Here Comes Santa Claus”
and talk about who is
familiar with this this song
and who knows of a song
that is similar.
• Pass out lyrics to the song
“Here Comes St. Nicholas”
and talk about who is
familiar with it and who
knows of a song that is
similar.
• Talk about the differences
and similarities of the
song!
Activity #5: China
• Talk about Tree of
Lights and Spring
Festival
• Make Christmas
Chinese art
decorations
(chains, lanterns,
flowers)
• Santa Claus is
called Dun Che Lao
Ren which means,
Christmas Old
Man.
Activity #6: Australia
• Christmas is celebrated
with a lot of food. It is very
hot on Christmas in
Australia so often have
their feast on a beach.
Gathering together with
family and friends to enjoy
a big meal is important to
Australians.
• One dish they like to make
is called, Billy Can
Pudding. Today we are
going to learn how to make
Billy Can Pudding.
Activity #7:
• Set up booths for each country. Each booth will
contain all the information that the children have
learned about Christmas.
• Invite parents into the classroom to take a tour of
Christmas around the World. Require each parent
to take a blank passport that the children will
have previously made.
• By the end of the tour the parents will have
received a stamp from each country and their
passport will be full.
Activity #8: Multicultural Feast
• Make out a list of dishes that are eaten in the
different places studied previously. Have students
and parents sign up to bring in one of them.
• Have each student describe and explain their dish
and where it came from.
• Have students try and eat the dishes. This shows
the importance of the custom of eating a meal
together, the culture of the countries through the
food, and the importance of understanding
diversity.
Multiple Choice #1:
• Which country uses the term Papa
Noel?
•South America
•Australia
•United States
•China
•Holland
Answer #1:
•The answer is South America!
In South America they call their Santa Claus Papa
Noel.
Multiple Choice #2:
• What do the words “Feliz Navidad”
stand for?
•Santa Claus
•Merry Christmas
•Happy Feast
•Tree of Lights
•Spring Festival
Answer #2
•The answer is “Merry
Christmas”! In South America they say
the term Feliz Navidad means Merry Christmas.
Multiple Choice #3:
• Which country has a song that is
considered similar to the song, “Here
Comes Santa Claus”?
•Australia
•South America
•United States
•Holland
•China
Answer #3:
•The answer is Holland! Holland
has a similar song they sing at Christmas time
called, “Here Comes St. Nicholas”.
Multiple Choice #4:
• Which country uses bright colored
paper decorations?
•China
•United States
•South America
•Holland
•Australia
Answer #4:
•The answer is China! In China they
make different colored paper decorations like
lanterns, chains, and flowers.
Multiple Choice #5:
• In which country do the people
usually go Christmas shopping in
their shorts and sandals?
•United States
•South America
•Holland
•China
•Australia
Answer #5:
•The answer is Australia! In
Australia it is hot and sunny because at
Christmas time it is summer not winter.
Objective #1:
• Is Christmas just celebrated in the United States?
Why or why not?
Answer #1:
• Christmas is celebrated almost everywhere
because we learned that it is celebrated in other
places than the United States!
Objective #2:
• What kind of document do you need to get into
different countries?
Answer #2:
• A passport!
Short Essay #1:
• Compare and contrast the time of year Christmas
is celebrated in the United States and Australia.
Answer #1:
• In the United States it is winter time. We know
this because it is very cold and sometimes there is
snow. In Australia we learned it is summer during
Christmas. The people there are able to go
shopping in their shorts and sandals because it is
hot there!
Short Essay #2:
• Choose two countries and compare them.
Answer #2:
• South America and United states both set out
some kind of object at night that is full the next
morning. South America sets out shoes while the
United States sets out stockings. However, South
America believes that the Christ child fills it while
America believes that Santa Clause fills their
stockings.
Student References:
• My Christmas Book of Stories and Carols by: Linda
Jennings
• Christmas Around the World by: Emily Kelley
• Christmas Around the World a Pop-up book by: Chuck
Fischer
• Putumayo World Christmas
• New Orleans Christmas
• http://www.history.com/minisites/christmas
• http://www.theholidayspot.com/christmas/worldxmas/
• World Book Encyclopedia
• http://christmas-world.freeservers.com/
• http://www.santas.net/aroundtheworld.htm
• http://www.daytonmetrolibrary.org/kids/Subjects/SubjectGu
ide.cfm?Subject=trh_ChristmasWorld_j
Teacher Resources:
• Joy to the world : Christmas celebrations, customs and crafts
from many lands for use in church, school and home By:
Phyllis Wezeman
• A Christmas companion : recipes, traditions, and customs
from around the world By: James Charlton
• Encyclopedia of Christmas : nearly 200 alphabetically
arranged entries covering all aspects of Christmas, including
folk customs, religious observances, history, legends,
symbols, and related days from Europe, America, and
around the world
• Handcrafted ornaments Published By: Creative Publishing
International
• Christmas worldwide : a guide to customs and traditions By:
Cathy C. Tucker
Media References
•
•
•
familyfun.go.com
• This website gives recipes and crafts about any holiday you need!
www.santas.com
• This website lists an abundance of items people can use at Christmas
time.
www.dltk-holidays.com
•
•
http://www.the-north-pole.com/around/netherlands.html
•
•
This website lists crafts for the different winter holidays.
http://www.worldofchristmas.net/christmas-world/south-america.html
•
•
This website tells all about Christmas around the world by covering all the
different countries.
http://crafts.kaboose.com/holidays/chinese_new_year.html
•
•
This website covers all holidays, including Christmas, and has a lot of
information about each and every one depending on which one you want.
This website covers crafts, songs, recipes, etc about Christmas.
http://www.abcteach.com/directory/seasonalholidays/christmas/
• This website has many different activities that involve Christmas like
dot to dot, coloring pages, and projects.
Media References:
•
Digital Camera
•
•
Great resource in order to take pictures of the students taking part in the
activities so you can post in the next news letter or on a bulletin board!
http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/teacher/christmas.html
•
•
“A Christmas carol”
•
•
This is a great website that provides a variety of lessons.
www.sites4teachers.com
•
•
This can be used show visuals as well as audio.
www.kiddyhouse.com
•
•
This is a wonderful resource for teachers and parents.
Smart Board
•
•
A CD ROM that teaches map reading skills and working with globes.
www.busyteachercafe.com
•
•
This is a movie that depicts old American Christmas traditions.
Lets learn about Maps and Globes. CD ROM
•
•
This is a movie that tells the story of an American Christmas tale.
David Sedaris live at Carnegie Hall By: Sedaris, David
•
•
This website provides advent calendars and Christmas activities to do.
This is a great website for teachers that provide a variety of clipart.
www.songsforteaching.com
•
This is a great website for teachers that provide a variety of songs.
•
•
•
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/Home.html
• Great website to see the different locations and flags of each country
studied. Also gives a few examples of Christmas crafts.
http://www.georgiabulletin.org/local/2007/11/29/concert/
• This website tells you where and how to get a Multicultural Christmas
CD!
http://www.dickblick.com/zz201/03a/?wmcp=yahoo&wmcid=SiteSubmitProd
ucts&wmckw=Crayola+Multicultural+Crayons
• Crayola actually sells multicultural crayons! I found this very
interesting.