This document provides information about Fanal, a Haitian Christmas tradition. Fanal involves constructing lanterns out of paper and cardboard in the shape of houses, cars, ships or other objects. People spend the month before Christmas designing and building their Fanal, which are then used to decorate homes or are entered into contests. Fanal symbolizes the blending of Christian and African cultures, representing both the birth of Jesus Christ and African lantern festivals that say goodbye to the previous year.

2. What do you know about
Haiti?
LANGUAGE
Hello! My name is ___!
Sa kap fet? Mwen rele_____!

3. WHAT COLOR IS MY COUNTRY?

4. CARIBBEAN

5. HAITI

6. WHERE I LIVE

7. What do I love about my
country?

8. BEACH

9. CARNIVAL SEASON

11. BEIGNET AUX FIGUES (DONUT)

12. NATURE

13. SPORTS
PING PONG
SOCCER

14. FANAL
What are your
first
impressions?
It involves:
Architecture
Painting
Coloring
Lighting

15. What does “Fanal”
mean?
It’s French for “Lantern”
When do you make
a Fanal?
Some Haitian people
spend the month
before Christmas to
design their Fanal.
What is a Fanal made of?
Paper and Cardboard in the shape
of a house with a candle or light
inside. It can also be in other
shapes such as
cars, ships, birds, etc.
What do you do
with a Fanal?
Sometimes people
have contests and
prizes for the best
Fanals. Or they use it
to decorate their
houses!
What does a Fanal
symbolize?

16. BACKGROUND
Christian Culture
African Culture
Christmas is the holiday
that represent the birth
of Jesus Christ. A
house represents
where Jesus Christ
was born.
In some countries in Africa
people have lantern
festivals in late December.
They send lanterns in the air
to say goodbye to the
previous year.

17. WINNING FANAL MIGHT LOOK LIKE

18. OUR TURN! MAKE OUR OWN HAITIAN FANALS!