Read the introduction to Christmas taken from history.com
Christmas is both a sacred religious holiday and a worldwide cultural and commercial phenomenon. For two millennia, people around the world have been observing it with traditions and practices that are both religious and secular in nature. Christians celebrate Christmas Day as the anniversary of the birth of Jesus of Nazareth, a spiritual leader whose teachings form the basis of their religion. Popular customs include exchanging gifts, decorating Christmas trees, attending church, sharing meals with family and friends and, of course, waiting for Santa Claus to arrive. December 25 – Christmas Day – has been a federal holiday in the United States since 1870.
Visit the following weblink: www.history.com/topics/christmas/history-of-christmas. Read the first section entitled ’An ancient holiday’ and look for the answers to the following questions.
- What did Europeans celebrate long before the birth of Jesus?
- Why did people celebrate during the winter solstice?
- Who celebrated Yule from 21 December in Scandinavia?
- How did fathers and sons mark the return of the sun?
- Up to how many days was it possible for the Yule feast to last?
- What did the Norse believe that each spark of the fire represented?
- Why was the end of December a good time for celebrating?
- Why were German people terrified of the god Oden? How did they show their fear?
Webquest: Celebrations and festivals: Christmas
By Luke Vyner
The history of Christmas
a. Read the introduction to Christmas taken from history.com
Christmas is both a sacred religious holiday and a worldwide cultural and commercial phenomenon. For two millennia, people around the world have been observing it with traditions and practices that are both religious and secular in nature. Christians celebrate Christmas Day as the anniversary of the birth of Jesus of Nazareth, a spiritual leader whose teachings form the basis of their religion. Popular customs include exchanging gifts, decorating Christmas trees, attending church, sharing meals with family and friends and, of course, waiting for Santa Claus to arrive. December 25 – Christmas Day – has been a federal holiday in the United States since 1870.
Visit the following weblink: www.history.com/topics/christmas/history-of-christmas. Read the first section entitled ’An ancient holiday’ and look for the answers to the following questions.
- What did Europeans celebrate long before the birth of Jesus?
- Why did people celebrate during the winter solstice?
- Who celebrated Yule from 21 December in Scandinavia?
- How did fathers and sons mark the return of the sun?
- Up to how many days was it possible for the Yule feast to last?
- What did the Norse believe that each spark of the fire represented?
- Why was the end of December a good time for celebrating?
- Why were German people terrified of the god Oden? How did they show their fear?
Discussion
- In what ways is the modern way of celebrating Christmas different from how it was done in the past?
- What do you like most (and least) about Christmas nowadays?
Santa Claus
The man we know as Santa Claus has a history all his own. Today, he is thought of mainly as the jolly man in red, but his story stretches all the way back to the third century. Find out more about the history of Santa Claus, from his earliest origins to the shopping mall favorite of today.
- When do people think that St. Nicholas was born? In which modern-day country is his birthplace?
- For what qualities was St. Nicholas most admired?
- Was St. Nicholas born into a poor family?
- Which two groups of people is he particularly associated with?
- When is his feast day celebrated? What do people think it is lucky to do on that day?
- Why was the way in which St. Nicholas was regarded in Holland different from other saints?
Sections entitled ‘Sinter Klaas comes to New York’ and ‘Shopping mall Santas’. Answer the following questions.
- How did St. Nicolas first become popular in America?
- Where did the name Santa Claus come from?
- As Sinter Klaas’s popularity grew, did people agree about what he looked like?
- What did the advertisements for shops feature by the 1840s?
- What happened in 1841?
- In the early 1890s what did the Salvation Army do to raise money?
Discussion
- What do you call Santa in your country?
- If Santa is part of your culture, did you believe in Santa when you were young? Can you remember when you found out he wasn’t real?
- Find images of Santa on the internet. In what ways are they similar to – or different from – the familiar image of Santa Claus?
Christmas around the world!
Christmas is a global celebration. You have already seen how the legend of Santa Claus varies greatly from country to country. For the following task, you will read about different traditions around the world celebrated at Christmas time. Take a look at the following traditions. As you read them, try to guess which of the countries in the box below these traditions come from. (Some countries are used more than once!)
El Salvador United States Great Britain Spain Japan Venezuela Canada Brazil Denmark Guatemala Estonia Poland Philippines Italy Armenia Germany Colombia
Twenty Christmas traditions from around the world
- During the Christmas meal, Christmas crackers containing toys, jokes and a paper hat are pulled. ________________
- A white sponge cake covered with cream and decorated with strawberries is often consumed. ________________
- Children put their shoes in the window in the hope that the three wise men will deliver their presents. ________________
- Christmas carols are heard as early as 1st September. ________________
- On 6th January, female puppets are burned on a pyre to symbolize the death of the old year and beginning of the new year. ________________
- They celebrate the Cavalcade of Lights Festival. ________________
- The Christmas tree usually stands centrally in the home, decorated with ornaments, tinsel and lights, with an angel or star at the top. ________________
- People dress up in an ornamental hat named a Puritina and dance in a line. ________________
- Potato salad with frankfurters and wiener sausages is a popular meal in some families. ________________
- Children take presents of fruits, nuts and other sweets to older relatives. ________________
- In many cities, and even in small rural towns, neighbourhoods get together and decorate their whole neighbourhood or street, turning streets into ‘tunnels of light’. ________________
- Neighbourhoods get together for night festivals where children play with skateboards, rollerblades and bicycles. ________________
- On 6th December, Saint Nicholas puts goodies in children’s shoes. ________________
- Rice pudding is traditionally served with whipped cream and lashings of black cherry sauce. ________________
- Electric candles and glowing stars are placed in almost every window during the month of December. ________________
- A traditional meal includes herring and beetroot soup with ravioli. ________________
- It is a tradition for children to leave a glass of milk and plate of cookies for Santa. _______________
- In some cities, judges decide on the most beautifully decorated house. ________________
- Children are visited by Santa Claus on Christmas Eve and must sing songs or recite Christmas poems before they receive their presents. _______________
- Children celebrate Christmas by playing with firecrackers and sparklers. ________________
Wish you ther very best for a Happy Christmas holidays and a language-learning New Year.
(Education World)
