CHRISTMAS AROUND THE WORLD

A multicultural web-task by Ana Bonilla Arribas

INTRODUCTION

December is coming up and the Christmas spirit is already present in our streets, and shops. With this activity I want our students to learn some interesting facts about our main traditions and to become familiar with different Christmas celebrations around the world.

Christmas in the UK

• Why do British people take out all Cristmas decoration before the 6th January?

• How’s Santa Claus called in Britain?

• What’s the main dish mums cook for the traditionnal Christmas dinner?

• How is the day after Christmas called? Where does the name come from?

• http://www.theholidayspot.com/christmas/worldxmas/uk.htm

• http://www.soon.org.uk/christmas.htm

Santa Claus or Father Christmas.

• Who’s he?

• Where does he come from?

• Who helps him making the toys for kids?

• How many reindeer does he have?

• Do you know the name of the best known one? Listen to the christmas carol.

• http://www.soon.org.uk/christmas.htm

• http://www.learnenglish.de/culture/christmas.htm

• Christmas carol: http://santas.net/rudolphsong.htm

Christmas in Canada

http://www.the-north-pole.com/around/canada.htmlhttp://www.santas.net/canadianchristmas.htm

• When were the new Christmas customs first introduced in the country? Name three of those traditions.

• What is the Eskimo’s celebration equivalent to Christmas?

• Canadian people also celebrate the 6th January. What is it called? What’s the main tradition that day?

• What’s “revellion”? What is special about it?

Christmas cards• When did they become

popular?

• Why was the 1st card so unpopular?

• Who’s Jitka Samkova of Rudolfo?

• Choose a Christmas card for your teacher and send it to the class’es mail address

• http://www.learnenglish.de/culture/christmas.htm

• http://www.soon.org.uk/christmas.uk.htm

• Christmas cards: http://www.123greetings.com/events/christmas_world_day/english

Christmas in Australia

• When is “Carols by Candlelight” celebrated? What does it consist of?

• How do they celebrate Christmas Day?

• What’s the main difference between an Austrlian Santa and ours?

http://holidays.kaboose.com/christmas-around-australia.html

Christmas tree

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_tree

• What’s the origing of the Christmas tree?

• What are the two best known Christmas trees in the USA?

• What’s the name Americans give to a poorly decorated Christmas tree?

• What are the two main types of trees used at Christmas?

• Look at the tree on this page and write the name of the different objects / decoration found in it.

Hanukkah

• What is the other name used to refer to this celebration?

• Who celebrates Hanukkah?

• How long does it take? • What does this

celebration consist of?

• When is Hanukkah celebrated this year?

• http://www.activityvillage.co.uk/hanukkah_for_kids.htm

• http://www.akhlah.com/holidays/hanukkah/hanukkah.php

FINAL TASK

• Create a chart comparing the traditions in different cultures. Then write around 80 words answering the following question:

Where would you like to spend your next Christmas holiday? Why?

JUST FOR FUN: “A Christmas Carol”

The last version of Dicken’s traditional Christmas tales is about to be released on the cinema. Have a look at the following link (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6YAOYs3ObzI )

• What do you know about the story? Have a look at the following web page to answer the questions below. (

http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/christmascarol/)

• What’s Dickens’ novel full title? • When was it written?

• Who is Scrooge?• What’s the story below?

If you wish you may get Dicken’s book from the following page : http://www.literature.org/authors/dickens-charles/christmas-carol/index.html