Christmas

TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION

Religion:

the story of Christmas, baby Jesus, the three Wisemen, the Star over Bethlehem, angels, etc. Other religions and their beliefs.

Meaning:

a time for giving, a time for loving our neighbors, caring, sharing, thinking of others less fortunate than ourselves, etc.

Traditions:

(ie. Christmas Dinner, the opening of gifts, caroling, Boxing Day, what your family traditionally does at Christmas time, etc.)

Santa:

discuss Santa as a toymaker, elves, his sleigh, reindeer, stockings by the fireplace, leaving milk and cookies and carrots out on Christmas Eve, etc. Other traditions associated with Santa.

SETTING THE MOOD

Books:

stories about Christmas, pictures depicting Christmas scenes, Christmas poems, pictures of snow, sleigh rides, horses in winter, Santa on his sleight, etc.

Displays:

create colorful displays around the room depicting Christmas, ie. make a large fireplace and let children hang their own stockings on it; make a giant Christmas tree from cardboard and encourage the children to make paper decorations to hang on it; get children to paint a giant mural of Christmas Dinner; make a large sleigh from cardboard and encourage children to draw pictures of toys they would like to place in Santa’s sleigh; make a nativity scene

Posters:

large pictures depicting Christmas, ie. posters of Santa, Rudolph, the nativity scene, Christmas trees, snow scenes of children tobogganing and/or ice skating, etc.

Videos/ Speakers:

There are many videos with many stories relating to Christmas ie. Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer, The Grinch who Stole Christmas, The Velveteen Bunny, The Tin Soldier, etc. How about a visit from Santa!