Festive Foods
These houses are built by families young and old across America for the Christmas holiday. And the best part is... you can eat them!
What kind of house is this?
A ginger bread house!
The gingerbread house became popular in Germany after the Brothers Grimm published their fairy tale collection which included "Hansel and Gretel" in the 19th century. Early German settlers brought this tradition to the Americas.
This term means the handing down of information, beliefs, or customs from one generation to another
Tradition
Our families have lots of traditions or things that we do a certain way that we have learned from our ancestors and continue to do to this day. Name a tradition that your family has during the winter season.
This Christian Holiday falls annually on the 25th day Of December.
Christmas!
This green and grumpy character carried out the biggest Christmas Burglary in movie history, only to have the spirit of Christmas enter his heart and grow it so big that he gave everything back.
The Grinch
Not only is the Grinch who stole Christmas the title of many timeless movies, its is also a book that has made its way into the traditions of families all over.
Did you watch the movie first or read the book first?
This is a device used for measuring or showing temperature (how hot or cold something is).
A thermometer!
A Jewish dish known as latkes in Yiddish, are traditionally eaten with applesauce and sour cream during Hanukkah.
What is a Latke?
A) A type of warm drink with eggs and milk
B) A type of Potato pancake
C) A fruit salad
D) A rolled-up, log shaped chocolate cake
B) A type of Potato pancake
The latke is traditionally prepared during the Hanukkah holiday to commemorate the miracle of the oil in the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem lasting eight days.
During the 8 days of Hanukkah, 8 Candles are lit in a candle holder called a ________ representing each day of the Jewish holiday.
Menorah!
For eight nights, candles are lit in a menorah, a candelabrum (candle holder) with spaces for nine candles—one for each night plus a helper candle called the Shamash. On each night, one more candle is added and lit. During the lighting, people recite special blessings and prayers. Families play games, sing songs, and exchange gifts.
For eight days and nights, candles are lit, songs are sung, and dreidels are spun to celebrate one of the most joyous of Jewish holidays. That Holiday is _____.
Hanukkah
Jewish people celebrate Hanukkah, a holiday honoring the Maccabee's victory over King Antiochus, who banned Jews from practicing their religion.
What is the name of the red flower that many families across the U.S., Mexico, and Central America use to decorate their houses for Christmas.
Poinsettia
The poinsettia grows naturally in Central America, from Mexico to southern Guatemala. Indigenous peoples of the Valley of Mexico used the plant to produce red dye and for medicine.
The plant's association with Christmas began in 16th-century Mexico, where a girl, commonly called Pepita or María, who couldn't afford a gift for the celebration of Jesus' birthday and was inspired by an angel to gather weeds and place them in front of the church altar. The red flowers that sprouted from the weeds and became poinsettias.
This fluffy white precipitation falling from clouds in the form of ice crystals is know simply as what?
Snow!
When was the last time you saw snow on the ground? Did you play in it. Was there enough to build a snowman or have a snowball fight?
In the country of Peru, this delicious drink is a holiday staple for the Christmas season. Is it:
A) Spiced Hot Chocolate
B) Eggnog
C) Pumpkin Spiced Lattes
D) Apple Cider
Spiced Hot Chocolate
Spiced hot chocolate is a Christmas tradition in Peru. Churches throughout the country take donations to make large quantities of it, and also accept donations on panettone, an Italian holiday bread. The bread and hot chocolate is served to those less fortunate in the weeks leading up to Christmas.
Black, Red, and Green are symbolic colors that belong to which African Holiday.
a) Christmas
b) Hanukkah
c) Boxing Day
d) Kwanzaa
d) Kwanzaa!
When family and friends come together to celebrate Kwanzaa, they gather symbolic items, including a kinara or candleholder and a unity cup. These pieces often speak to African culture and frequently incorporate the colors black, red, and green, which symbolize the people, their struggle, and the hope that stems from that struggle.
St. Lucia day is celebrated in which European country?
A) Germany
B) Spain
C) Sweden
D) Italy
D) Italy
In northern Italy, St. Lucia Day is celebrated similarly to St. Nicholas Day. St. Lucia comes to town with a donkey and her escort, Castaldo. Children leave coffee for Lucia, flour for the donkey, and bread for Castaldo. St. Lucia leaves gifts in return.
How do you say Merry Christmas in Spanish?
Feliz Navidad!
It is also the name of a famous Christmas song written in 1970 by Puerto Rican singer-songwriter José Feliciano.
The song commemorates his childhood memories of La Parranda, a Christmas tradition in Puerto Rico in which singers travel from house to house playing instruments and singing to neighbors.
The word Annual means which of these definitions?
A) Occurring or happening every year or once a year
B) Happening multiple times a year
C) Happening only one time ever in existence
A) Occurring or happening every year or once a year
Name something that you know happens annually.
In Spain a different gift giving group takes over Santa Claus's Job for Christmas. What are they referred to as?
A) The Merry Men
B) Three wise men/ Three Kings
C) The Ginger Bread Army
D) Sinterklaas
B) Three wise men/ Three Kings
Three Kings Day celebrates Los Reyes Magos, or the Three kings on January 6, when families get together and children receive gifts from Gaspar, Melchior, and Balthazar.
Which countries/regions mainly take part in the celebration of Las Posadas?
A) Brazil and the Mediterranean
B) Jamaica and the Caribbean
C) Mexico and Central America
C) Mexico and Central America
Las Posadas are mainly celebrated in Mexico and Central America during the nine days leading up to Christmas. Why nine? Because that’s how long it took Mary and Joseph to make it to Bethlehem (or Belén).
When they were unable to find lodging in Bethlehem, Joseph and Mary were forced to seek shelter in a stable, where Jesus Christ was born. Las Posadas is celebrated this year from Thursday, December 16 to Friday, December 24.
This holiday is an African and African American holiday devoted to family, community, and culture. It only dates back to 1966, but its roots stretch far beyond that to the ancestry of the African people. Taking its name from the Swahili word for "first fruits of the harvest," _________ takes place from December 26 to January 1.
Kwanzaa
Did you know that each day of Kwanzaa is based on seven guiding principles:
December 26
Umoja [OO-MO-JAH]: Unity
December 27
Kijichagulia [KOO-GEE-CHA-GOO-LEE-YAH]: Self-determination
December 28
Ujima [OO-GEE-MAH]: Collective work and responsibility
December 29
Ujamaa [OO-JAH-MAH]: Cooperative economics
December 30
Nia [NEE-YAH]: Purpose
December 31
Kuumba [KOO-OOM-BAH]: Creativity
January 1
Imani (EE-MAH-NEE): Faith
ISELTN GNTIH
Unscramble this title of another famous Christmas song.
SILENT NIGHT
This song is a popular Christmas carol, composed in 1818 by Franz Xaver Gruber to the lyrics by Joseph Mohr in a small town in Austria. It was declared a cultural heritage by UNESCO in 2011.
Animal like bears, squirrels, groundhogs, raccoons, skunks, opossums, and bats become inactive, or "sleeps," during the cold days of winter until it starts to warmup in the spring. This is also known as _______
Hibernating
Hibernators prepare for winter with extra eating. They store fat to keep them alive during the months when they do not eat. Some hibernators collect and store food before hibernating. At times during hibernation, these animals arise to eat and then return to deep sleep-like state.
What ancient historic site is thought to have been built for the celebration of winter solstice?
A) Stonehenge
B) The great Pyramids of Giza
C) The temple of Artemis
D) All of the above
A) Stonehenge
For the people of Stonehenge who were farmers, growing crops and raising herds of animals, knowing when the seasons were changing was important. Winter might have been a time of fear as the days grew shorter and colder. People must have longed for the return of light and warmth. Marking this yearly cycle may have been one of the reasons that Neolithic people constructed Stonehenge – a monument lined up to the movements of the sun.
Instead of tinsel and lights, Ukrainians decorate their trees with this rather spooky stringy decoration.
Spider Webs
The Legend of the Christmas Spider is an Eastern European folktale which explains the origin of tinsel on Christmas trees. It is most prevalent in Western Ukraine, where small ornaments in the shape of a spider are traditionally a part of the Christmas decorations.
Bodhi Day
This Country Celebrates this traditional Buddhist holiday on the 8th of December every year.
a) India
b) Japan
c) Africa
B) Japan!
With the word Bodhi meaning awakening or enlightenment, Mahayana Buddhists celebrate this day by meditating, studying the Dharma, chanting Buddhist texts, and/or performing kind acts towards others. Some Buddhists celebrate with a traditional meal of tea and cake or cookies.
Some Buddhists celebrate on the 8th day of the 12th month of the lunar calendar, which means the dates change from year to year.
But in Japan it is celebrated annually on December 8th
Soyal Is the name of which group of people's celebration of the Winter solstice?
A) Persian
B) Native American
C) Saudi Arabian
D) Italian
Native American!
The Hopi are a Native American tribe located in northern Arizona, primarily on three mesas. They have unique celebrations and festivals throughout the year to commemorate various seasons.
In December, they observe the winter solstice with Soyal, the most sacred rite of the year. It is the traditional time to welcome the sun back from its winter slumber. The official ceremony starts on the shortest day of the year and is a symbol of the “Second Phase of Creation.” Various prayers and rituals are performed in hopes of a bountiful life for the next year.
This is a term for two specific times a year when the sun is at its highest and lowest position in the sky.
Solstice
Solstice comes from the Latin scientific term solstitium, containing sol, which means "sun," and sistere, meaning "to stand still."
The winter solstice marks the exact moment when half of Earth is tilted the farthest away from the sun. It usually happens on December 21 or 22, at the exact same second around the world.