At Puanga Kākaho Early Learning Centre, we love celebrating the joy and spirit of Christmas with our tamariki, and this time of year is a wonderful opportunity to introduce them to the rich diversity of cultures and traditions that make the holiday season so special around the world.
While many of us in Aotearoa may be familiar with Christmas trees, stockings and Santa Claus, children can benefit from learning how Christmas is celebrated in different countries and cultures; each with their own unique customs, foods, and stories. By exploring these traditions, we not only deepen children’s understanding of Christmas but also celebrate the beautiful diversity of the world around us.
You can further embrace the spirit of Christmas at home by talking to your tamariki about how different cultures celebrate the festive season and by having a go at some of the activities we’ve suggested below.
- Christmas in Germany: Advent Calendars and Christmas Markets
In Germany, Christmas is celebrated with a strong focus on family traditions. Advent calendars are popular, with each day revealing a new treat or small gift leading up to Christmas Eve. Christmas markets (Weihnachtsmärkte) are also a staple, where people gather to shop for handmade goods, enjoy mulled wine, and listen to festive music.
Activities:
Help your tamariki make simple advent calendars with paper bags or boxes, filling each one with a small treat or activity to look forward to. This helps teach children about the countdown to Christmas in a fun and interactive way. You can also help your children make and decorate gingerbread cookies, which are a popular treat in German Christmas markets. These can also be a fun sensory activity as children explore textures and smells while baking.
- Christmas in Spain: Nochebuena and Día de Navidad
Christmas in Spain is a vibrant and festive time, filled with unique traditions and celebrations. On Nochebuena (Christmas Eve), families gather for a big feast featuring dishes like roast lamb, seafood, and turrón (a type of nougat). After dinner, many attend the “Misa del Gallo” (Midnight Mass). Christmas Day is known as Día de Navidad, and is a more relaxed day compared to the festivities of Christmas Eve, where families gather and enjoy leftovers from the Nochebuena feast. A couple of days later on December 28 is Día de los Santos Inocentes (Day of the Holy Innocents) – a day of fun and laughter similar to April Fool’s Day, where people play pranks on each other.
Activities:
To celebrate the festive season like they do in Spain, get you tamariki involved in helping plan a special meal. Write the shopping list together, take them grocery shopping to highlight real-world maths and literacy, and prepare the food together. Planning a Nochebuena feast is a great opportunity to teach your children about how to create meals to come together, and using leftovers to avoid waste. Between Christmas and New Year’s Eve, bring a sense of fun and laughter into the home with jokes and tricks – reminding your tamariki that laughter is good for us!
- Christmas in Italy: La Befana and Italian Feasts
In Italy, the holiday season lasts through the Epiphany (January 6), and La Befana – a kind-hearted witch – is a key figure in the celebration. According to Italian tradition, La Befana visits children on the night of January 5 to fill their stockings with sweets or coal, depending on how well they’ve behaved throughout the year.
Activities:
Share the story of La Befana with your tamariki, and talk about how different cultures sometimes celebrate at different times and have some special characters unique to their country who bring gifts to children. You can even create simple stockings or paper shoes for children to decorate and “fill” with pretend gifts and treats.
Learning Through Celebration
Christmas is an exciting time to learn about the diverse ways people celebrate around the world. By exploring different Christmas traditions through stories, activities and food, tamariki can gain a deeper appreciation of the world’s cultures while celebrating the spirit of giving, kindness and togetherness. Talking about Christmas around the world at home helps children develop a sense of respect and understanding for the diversity that makes our world so vibrant.
Meri Kirihimete from Puanga Kākaho Early Learning Centre!