This document provides information about Christmas traditions in different countries including England, Italy, Mexico, and New Zealand. It discusses how Christmas cards originated in England, the Italian Christmas figure of La Befana, the symbolic meaning of poinsettia flowers in Mexico, and that Christmas in New Zealand is associated with sunshine, picnics and beaches. Students are assigned tasks like making Christmas cards, crafts related to these traditions, and investigating Santa's home at the North Pole.

1. Discovery
Time
CHRISTMAS

2. We are learning about the ways
Christmas traditions in different
countries.
We are learning to share
resources and take turns.

3. England
Merry Christmas!

4. Christmas cards were first sent by school children
writing home to their parents.
A man called Sir Henry Cole was too busy to send
his friends Christmas Greetings so he and a buddy
designed the first Christmas card that they could
copy and sell to other people.
This was about 170 years ago in England.
TASK: Make Christmas Cards for family
Friends with a WRITTEN message inside.

5. ITALY
Buon Natale!

6. In Italy there is a Father Christmas,
but Italians remember
LA BEFANA.
She was a old witch lady
with a big red nose
riding on a broom.
She brings lollies and fruit to
the good children and black goal
to the naughty children.
TASK: to make a La Befana to hang and to
Fill her sack.

7. MEXICO
Felice Navidad!

8. The pointsettia is a plant that shows the traditional
colours of Christmas, red and green.
There is a story about the plant
that talks about giving a gift out of love,
and not for how big and
bright it might be.
TASK: to make a
pointsettia flower to give as a gift.

9. New Zealand
Merry Christmas!
Meri Kirihimete!

10. Christmas in New Zealand is
more about sunshine,
picnics and the beach.

11. TASK: To make a New
Zealand Christmas scene

12. TASK : to investigate Santa’s place
at the North Pole.
http://www.santaclaus.net/ http://www.northpole.com/