As we near the holiday season and winter break, one activity that can put students in the holiday spirit, while still being educational, is teaching about researching and asking students to use credible sources to find out how different parts of the world celebrate whatever holiday they choose, be it Christmas, Kwanzaa, Hanukah, or something else. Here are some Christmas customs from around the world to get you and your students started.
Australia
Greeting - Merry Christmas
Santa's Name - Santa Claus. Children leave him a piece of cake or biscuits and a glass of milk or a bottle of beer.
Food - Many Christmas dinners include roasted meats and vegetables, special fruit cakes, and puddings with a coin baked inside, but since the temperature can reach 100 degrees Fahrenheit, some people have started to eat cold meats and salads, tropical fruits like mangoes, and stone fruits like plums. Often, the main meal is eaten for lunch.
Gifts - These are left under the Christmas tree and opened Christmas morning.
Decorations - Shops and homes are decorated with tinsel, Christmas trees, and special lights.
Customs - Traditional and Australian carols are sung by candlelight on Christmas Eve and are broadcast on television. On Boxing Day, the day after Christmas, two sporting events take place:
The Boxing Day Test Match (cricket game) and the beginning of the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race.
Brazil
Greeting - Feliz Natal
Santa's Name - Papai Noel (Father Noel), who is dressed in a red, silk suit with boots.
Food - Many people eat a traditional feast with roast turkey and vegetables while others eat chicken and rice or beans. Beer and wine are also served. Some regions begin eating around 9 p.m. on Christmas Eve while others wait until around midnight.
Gifts - Local charities take in donations but do not seem to have enough presents for all the children, so gifts are scarce.
Decorations - Brazil has a mixture of people, so Christmas is celebrated in different ways. In the northeastern area, it is common to find Nativity scenes. In the southern part, snow is simulated with little pieces of cotton on pine trees.
Customs - Brazilians sing a number of Christmas carols.