🎄[Origins of Christmas Fun Customs Around the World] 12 must-know Christmas traditions for parents and children – enjoy the most meaningful Christmas with your kids!
Every December, the streets begin to twinkle with colorful lights, the air is filled with the aroma of sweet treats, and children eagerly anticipate the mysterious arrival of Santa Claus. Do you know the origins of Christmas? If your child asks you where it originated, can you fully explain? Christmas is more than just gifts and trees; it holds heartwarming stories and profound meaning. Around the world, there are many unique and fascinating Christmas customs that can broaden children's horizons and even establish unique family traditions.
This article is a super practical guide specially compiled for parents. It combines the history and origin of Christmas, some English learning tips, and 12 interesting Christmas traditions around the world to help you and your children spend a holiday full of love, knowledge and surprises.
🎁 The Origin and History of Christmas: Bringing Children to Know the True Christmas Story
Christmas, also known as Christmas, is celebrated on December 25th each year to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ. Originally a Christian religious holiday, it has since spread throughout the world, becoming a day celebrated by all, regardless of faith.
- Where did Christmas originate? Christmas dates back to the Roman Empire, when Christians designated December 25th as a day to commemorate the birth of Jesus. With the spread of European civilization, Christmas customs spread across the globe, forming the festive culture we know today.
- Christmas is more than just a religious commemoration; it symbolizes love, sharing, reunion, and hope. It reminds us to gather with family and friends, spread love, and encourages children to learn to be grateful and give.
- Christmas holiday arrangements Many countries will set December 24 (Christmas Eve) to December 26 (Boxing Day) as holidays, allowing families to get together, participate in various Christmas celebrations, and share warm time.
📖 Parent-child extension activities: Parents can tell their children the story of Jesus' birth in a simple and easy-to-understand way, or take their children to read picture books about the history of Christmas, so that they can understand that this festival has more than just gifts, it also has warm connotations.
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We encourage children to participate in various mathematics competitions around the world. In addition to winning awards and having a more impressive portfolio, it also allows children to see the big stage, build self-confidence and resilience, and accumulate experience in international mathematics competitions, which will be of great help in future studies or job interviews.
We organize various international mathematics competition courses and also organize international mathematics competitions for the children who participate in the courses. Interested children should register as soon as possible to reserve a place. There are 16 classes to prepare for the competition and 24 classes to strive for medals. 🏆🥇🥈🥉
** Last year, the AME Diamond Team defeated 3,369 math experts in North America and won the No.1 spot in North American Mathematics.
✏️ Christmas English knowledge: Learn while playing, have fun learning!
Besides stories and customs, Christmas is also a great time to learn English. Helping children learn some Christmas English words not only increases their vocabulary but also allows them to immerse themselves in the festive atmosphere.
Common Christmas words in English:
- Santa Claus
- Reindeer
- Gift / Present
- Christmas Tree
- Snowflake
- Stockings
- Candy Cane
📖 Parent-child game suggestions:
- Play a word matching game using picture cards.
- Ask the children to describe the Christmas decorations at home in English, for example, "I see a Christmas tree with red ornaments."
- Sing simple Christmas songs like Jingle Bells together to add to the festive atmosphere.
🌍 12 fun Christmas customs around the world to help your children fall in love with world culture
Different countries around the world have various unique Christmas celebrations. Why not take a look at them with your children, or even borrow a few of these customs to create your own Christmas memories for your family.
1️⃣ Japan – KFC Christmas Dinner
Japanese people line up to eat fried chicken on Christmas Eve. This custom originated from a 1974 KFC advertisement and has now become the Japanese version of "Christmas turkey."
2️⃣ Spain – Lucky Christmas Lottery
The lottery draw took place on December 22nd, with people from all over the country gathering together to pray for a lucky winner. Children sang out the numbers during the draw, creating a grand ceremony.
3️⃣ Spain – Funny “Christmas Log”
Children usually feed wooden dolls, but on Christmas Eve they hit them until they "spit out" candy, which is endless fun.
4️⃣ Norway – Hiding the broom to ward off evil spirits
Superstition holds that evil spirits will steal brooms and ride them into the sky, so brooms must be hidden on Christmas Eve.
5️⃣ Ukraine – Lucky Spider Web
Legend has it that spider webs bring good luck, so many people decorate their Christmas trees with gold or silver spider webs.
6️⃣ Canada – Santa Claus Mailbox
Send a letter to "Santa Claus, North Pole H0H 0H0, Canada" and your child will receive a free reply.
7️⃣ Pickle decoration to find gifts
There are pickles hidden in the Christmas tree, and those who find them will receive special gifts, adding to the fun of the treasure hunt.
8️⃣ Eastern Europe – Waiting for the stars to open gifts
Waiting until the first star appears in the night sky before opening the gifts makes Christmas Eve more ceremonial.
9️⃣ Slovakia – Fortune Telling Pudding
Throw pudding towards the ceiling. The more sticky pieces it gets, the luckier you are, adding to the family laughter.
🔟 Sweden – Family watching Donald Duck
Every year at 3 p.m. on December 24th, Swedish families stop what they're doing to watch a Disney special together.
1️⃣1️⃣ Iceland – Christmas Cat Catches Bad Kids
Legend has it that naughty children will be taken away by the Christmas cat, which is the holiday version of a behavioral reminder.
1️⃣2️⃣ Venezuela – Roller skating to church
On Christmas morning, residents put on skates and skate to the church. City streets are even closed, making the scene lively and interesting. Participate in the community's Halloween parade
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🎄 Family-friendly Christmas activity suggestions
- Parent-child DIY Christmas decorations: Make unique Christmas tree ornaments or wreaths.
- Family Christmas dinner: Invite your children to join in the cooking and prepare traditional turkey, mashed potatoes, and candy cane dessert.
- Make a countdown calendar: open a surprise gift every day and let your children look forward to Christmas.
- Christmas English Theatre: The whole family will perform the Christmas story in English, which is both educational and entertaining.
- Parent-child reading time: Choose a Christmas picture book or Christmas legends from around the world to spend a cozy evening together.
🎅 Conclusion: Let your children have the best Christmas memories
Christmas isn't just about exchanging gifts; it's also a time for family reunions, love, and blessings. Parents can use stories, games, and parent-child activities to help children understand the origin, significance, and history of Christmas. They can also learn about Christmas customs around the world by learning the word "Christmas" in English. Perhaps this year, you can choose a country's traditions and create a unique Christmas celebration for your family, making it unforgettable for your children.
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