More Christmas Around the World!

We continued our trip around the world with a stop in Germany.  Germans say Froekliche Weihnachten for Merry Christmas.  Our tour guides, Shea, Maximus, and Zack J, showed us their Christmas shaped cookies, which are common for German dinners.  They also eat sausage.

In Germany, children leave letters on their windowsills for Christkind, a winged figure, with a white robe and a gold crown.  The very first Christmas tree was in Germany and families usually have several in their home.  We used pinecones, glitter, construction paper, and cotton balls to make our own winter Christmas trees.

The Netherlands was our next stop.  Deandra, Izabella, and Adrian enjoyed their trail mix and taught us about their traditions.  In the Netherlands, children await the arrival of Sinterklaas and Black Pete.  They leave hay and carrots in their wooden shoes, for Sinterklaas' white horse.

Families in the Netherlands decorate with dolls, toys, and lots of candy!  We made our own candy wreaths to display at our homes.

Gud jul!  Jesus, Everett, and Jayden taught us all about Christmas in Sweden.  They traditionally eat sausage and sweet rolls for Christmas dinner.

In Sweden, families celebrate a brave young girl named St. Lucia.  Years ago, she took food and drinks to people hiding in tunnels.  She wore candles on her head to light her way.  Today, the oldest daughter in each family dresses as St. Lucia and brings her family breakfast on Christmas day.

Families in Sweden decorate their trees and wreaths with real candles! We made our own advent wreath with candles.

Our last stop was Israel, where they celebrate Hannukah.  Isaac, Chris, Tytianna, and Donovan served as our tour guides.

Families in Israel serve latkes (like potato pancakes) and applesauce for their special dinner.

To celebrate Hanukkah, families use a special candleholder called a menorah.  They light a candle each night for 8 nights, until they are all lit.  We made our own colorful menorahs to display.

Children in Israel play with a special top, called a dreidel.  They spin the dreidel and read what it says when it stops and lands on its side.

The Star of David is an important symbol in Israel.  It's on their flag and in many of their holiday decorations.

We had so much fun "traveling" the world and learning about how different countries celebrate at Christmas time.  We got to sample many kinds of food and have some great crafts to help us decorate for Christmas at home!

Christmas Around the World!

The last 2 weeks before Christmas break, we did some traveling.  First we made our suitcases.  Have to have somewhere to store all our things!

First up, we learned about traditions in the United States.  Peyton, Jamie, and Zack F served as our tour guides.  We learned that in America, people like to send Christmas cards to their friends and family.

We learned that in the United States, children are visited by Santa Claus.  He's a big, round man with a white beard.  His sleigh is pulled by 8 flying reindeer.

In America, people traditionally eat ham, turkey, and cranberry sauce for Christmas dinner.  We made our own reindeer from our hands and feet and we tasted cranberry sauce!

Our next stop was Mexico.  In Mexico, they eat tamales and drink hot chocolate.  Our hot chocolate had 2 marshmallows!  In Mexico, they say Feliz Navidad!

Our tour guides, Layla, Valentina, and Jonathan taught us all about Mexico.  They participate in a parade called Posadas for 9 nights.  They dress as members of the Nativity scene and knock at neighbors' doors.  After the parade, the kids take turns hitting a pinata. 

They decorate with beautiful flowers called Poinsettias.

We made our own poinsettias to decorate our houses.

The next day we headed to France.  Merry Christmas in French is Joyeux Noel. They eat a dessert called Buche de nol, which is a chocolate roll with frosting in the middle.

Jaycie, Grace, and Daniel taught us all about French traditions.  Pere Noel visits the kids on Christmas night and leaves them gifts.  He also leaves sweets, nuts, and snacks in their trees.  We made a Pere Noel doorhanger.

In Sweden, children leave their shoes by the fireplace, for Pere Noel to put their gifts into.

Most French families decorate with a Nativity scene, or creche.

Italy was our next stop.  Italians say Guon Natale!  Casie, Caylei, and Annalesia told us all about Italian food.  They traditionally eat things like lasagna on Christmas.  They also have crositini, which is a crunchy bread.

In Italy, children go caroling and recite poems for their neighbors.  Families decorate with ceppo trees, which are little trees made of wood.  They have 3-5 shelves that they use to display important items to their family.  The bottom shelf usually has a nativity scene.  Italian children are visited by a witch named La Befana.  Although she appears ugly, the children of Italy love her very much.

Happy Hanukkah!

Our last country on our trip around the world was Israel.  We learned all about Hanukkah and the traditions they have.  Dominick and Darrius were very happy to have their chance to be tour guides.

Darrius

They say Happy Hanukkah. They light a candle called a Menorah. They play a dreydl. They serve lakes and applesauce.

Dominick

In Israel, they say Happy Hanukkah! They light candles for 8 days. It's called a menorah.  Kids play with a top thats called a dreydl.  The Star of David is important. In Israel, they eat latkes and applesauce.

We made our own menorahs and then tasted latkes at our Christmas party the next day!

Gud Jul! from Sweden

Our trip today was to Sweden.  Kaitlynn and Vicente acted as tour guides and taught us all about the Swedish traditions.

Kaitlynn

Little kids dress up like Santa Lucia.  In Sweden, they decorate the tree with candles.  In Sweden, wreaths and advent calendars help them know what the day is.  In Sweden, they eat fish and sweet rolls.

Vicente

In Sweden, they say Gud Jul! They have Santa Lucia. She gives them some food and the girls dress like her.  In Sweden, they put some candles on their Christmas trees.  In Sweden, they use a advent calendar and advent wreath. They eat fish and sweet rolls.

We made our own advent wreaths and then had some yummy sweet rolls!

Welcome to The Netherlands!

Our trip today was to The Netherlands.  We had 3 tour guides today.  Ashley, Javon, and Guide #3 had lots of fun learning about the country.

Ashley

Black Pete spanks the bad kids.  Sinterklaas gives the good kids presents.  They leave hay and carrots for the horse in their shoes.  They decorate with candy wreaths.

Javon

They eat candy that looks like fruit.  It is called marzipan.  They also eat a roll that has meat in it.  It is called Kerstkrans.  They use candy to decorate wreaths.

Guide #3

Sinterklaas gives presents to the kids.  Black Pete spanks to the kids.  Sinterklass doesn't have reindeer, he has a white horse.  The kids leave carrots and hay for the horse.

We made wreaths and drew candy all over them.  Then we munched on fruit snacks that represented marzipan.

German Christmas

This morning we learned about Christmas in Germany.  Liam and Nadia were excited to be our tour guides.

Liam

Christkind is tall. She wears white clothes with a golden crown.  Germany has the 1st Christmas trees.  In Germany they eat sausage and cookies that looks like Christmas trees, snowmen, and Gingerbread men.

Nadia

There is a girl named Christkind.  The kids put mail on the window for her.  Christmas trees are important in Germany. Boys dress as kings and they walk around with a star.  They eat sausage and Christmas cookies.

Since the first Christmas trees came from Germany, we made our own trees.  Then we snacked on cookies in Christmas shapes.

Italia for Christmas!

Guon Natale! We spent the day learning about Christmas in Italy.  Kate and Andrew took over as tour guides for the day.

Kate

La Befana gives them presents.  She is a witch.  Kids knock on the doors and sing songs.  On the shelves of the ceppo tree, they put things that are important to them.  At Christmas, they eat bread and spaghetti and lasagna.

Andrew

La Befana doesn't have a sled, but she has a rake.  Even when she doesn't look pretty, they still like her.  On Christmas, the kids knock on the door and then sing Merry Christmas.  They eat bread and spaghetti.

We made puppets of the witch, La Befana. Then we snacked on a loaf of Italian bread!

Christmas in France

We spent the morning in France! Amy and Ethan acted as our tour guides and have lots to share with you.

Amy

In France, they say Joyeux Noel!  Pere Noel leaves presents.  They put the presents in their shoes, hanging under the fireplace.  They have Nativity scenes that have babies and moms and animals and angels in them.

Ethan

Pere Noel brings presents to kids and he leaves stuff on the trees.  They put presents in their shoes.  Their food is Buche de Nol.  It is kind of like a brownie.

When they were all finished making a door hanger for Pere Noel, they enjoyed eating Buche de Nol, or Christmas log.