Each December I see many posts asking for classroom Christmas story or movie recommendations. As a child who did not celebrate Christmas, I always felt different and excluded during these practices in my public school classes.
It is important to become aware of all our students’ cultures—the current students and people whom they might meet. Classes should not celebrate the holidays, but that they can study them as multicultural inquiries. This is quite different from decorating a room with Christmas trees and lights and then asking the one Jewish child to “tell us about your holiday” or “bring in your menorah.” When the teacher discusses Christmas, Chanukah, Kwanza, as examples of festivals celebrated by different cultures, and students then research unfamiliar holidays, decorating the room and reading and writing books, making Power Point presentations, creating puppet shows, performing skits, or otherwise sharing their research, everyone is valued. In many instances, students actually can learn more about the holidays they celebrate at home. Just imagine a room with colorful decorations from all cultures! (from No More “Us” and “Them” Classroom Lessons & Activities to Promote Peer Respect)
There are many winter holidays that are celebrated around the time of the Christian Christmas:
It is important to become aware of all our students’ cultures—the current students and people whom they might meet. Classes should not celebrate the holidays, but that they can study them as multicultural inquiries. This is quite different from decorating a room with Christmas trees and lights and then asking the one Jewish child to “tell us about your holiday” or “bring in your menorah.” When the teacher discusses Christmas, Chanukah, Kwanza, as examples of festivals celebrated by different cultures, and students then research unfamiliar holidays, decorating the room and reading and writing books, making Power Point presentations, creating puppet shows, performing skits, or otherwise sharing their research, everyone is valued. In many instances, students actually can learn more about the holidays they celebrate at home. Just imagine a room with colorful decorations from all cultures! (from No More “Us” and “Them” Classroom Lessons & Activities to Promote Peer Respect)
There are many winter holidays that are celebrated around the time of the Christian Christmas:
- Diwali – the Hindu Festivals of Lights falls on October or November on a new moon day
- Chanukah (Hanukkah) is the Jewish Festival of Lights; the eight-day celebration is based on the Jewish calendar and it is celebrated some time within late November or December
- Bodhi Day (Rohatsu) - celebrated by Buddhists on December 8
- Saint Nicholas Day – celebrated on December 6 in many European countries and in America in many European communities
- Las Posadas – Mexican celebration celebrated for nine days, beginning December 16
- Los Reyes (Three Kings Day) - celebrated in Hispanic and Latin cultures such as Puerto Rico, Spain, and Mexico on January 6; this holiday is celebrated as Epiphany by western Christian cultures
- Shabe-Yalda (Shab-e Yaldaa) is celebrated on the eve of the winter solstice (December 20-21) in Iran by followers of many religions. It originated in Zoroastrianism, the state religion that preceded Islam
- Dong Zhi – celebrated in China on the Winter Solstice (December 21-23) to celebrate the winter harvest
- Soyaluna – the Hopi winter solstice festival celebrated on December 22
- Winter Solstice –There has been a recent increase in solstice observances by Atheists in the United States
- Christmas – celebrated most commonly on December 25 by different Christian traditions and celebrations in different sects and divergent cultures;
- Boxing Day (Australian, Canadian, English, Irish) - December 26
- Omisoka - celebrated in Japan on December 31, the last day of the year
- Chinese New Year – celebrated at the end of January, beginning of February, six weeks after the Winter Solstice
- Lohri – a harvest festival celebrated in Northern India January 13
- Midwinter Ceremony – celebrated by the Iroquois in January or February, depending on the moon cycle
- Ramadan, an Islamic religious observance, is part of a lunar-based calendar and therefore, is celebrated at different times in different years. In certain years only, it occurs around the time of Christmas
Let’s Celebrate 5 Days of Diwali; Lights of Winter: Winter Celebrations around the World; The Magic Dreidels: A Hanukkah Story; Celebrate: The Best Feasts and Festivals from Many Lands; Celebrations around the World: A Multicultural Handbook; One Starry Night; Hanukkah Haiku; Shante Keys and the New Year’s Peas; The Return of the Light: Twelve Tales from Around the World for the Winter Solstice; N is for Navidad; Ethnic Celebrations around the World; The Three Muslim Festivals; Lights for Gita; The Story of Hanukkah; Celebrations—Celebraciones; Bringing in the New Year; My First Kwanzaa Book; Christmas Is Here; The Night of Las Posadas; The Winter Solstice
No More "Us" & "Them": Classroom Lessons & Activities to Promote Peer Respect, Ch 7, shares activities and projects that integrate investigations of holidays in the curriculum. The examination of cultural holidays easily lends itself surprisingly well to interdisciplinary units with activities shared in the chapter.
Some Suggested Titles (This is the only page that does not include book reviews):
Aminah, I.A. (1998). Three Muslim festivals.
Angell, C. (1996). Celebrations around the world: A multicultural handbook.
Conrad, H. (2001). Lights of winter: Winter celebrations around the world.
Elya, S.M. and Banks, M. (2007). N is for Navidad.
Jackson, E. (1994). The winter solstice.
Jones, L. (2000). Kids around the world celebrate!: The best feasts and festivals from
many lands.
Luenn, N. (1998). Celebrations of light: A year of holidays around the world.
Pfeffer, W. (2003). The shortest day: Celebrating the winter solstice.
Reynolds, B., (2006). Japanese celebrations: Cherry blossoms, lanterns and stars.
North Claredon, VT: Turtle Publishing.
Tabor, N.M.G. (2004). Celebrations/Celebraciones: Holidays of the United States of
America and Mexico. [bilingual]
Some Suggested Titles (This is the only page that does not include book reviews):
Aminah, I.A. (1998). Three Muslim festivals.
Angell, C. (1996). Celebrations around the world: A multicultural handbook.
Conrad, H. (2001). Lights of winter: Winter celebrations around the world.
Elya, S.M. and Banks, M. (2007). N is for Navidad.
Jackson, E. (1994). The winter solstice.
Jones, L. (2000). Kids around the world celebrate!: The best feasts and festivals from
many lands.
Luenn, N. (1998). Celebrations of light: A year of holidays around the world.
Pfeffer, W. (2003). The shortest day: Celebrating the winter solstice.
Reynolds, B., (2006). Japanese celebrations: Cherry blossoms, lanterns and stars.
North Claredon, VT: Turtle Publishing.
Tabor, N.M.G. (2004). Celebrations/Celebraciones: Holidays of the United States of
America and Mexico. [bilingual]