/ Children’s Christmas Book
Christmas in England 1. Read
B efore Christm as
s
E nglish people decorate a tree. They put m any toys on the tree. They put a stocking under the tree. They put presents in the stocking. ď€
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O n The Christm as E ve
e
E nglish people sit at the table. They eat Christm as turkey. They eat Christm as pudding. They sing Christm as carols.
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Christm as in E ngland is celebrated from 24 th - 26 th D ecem ber. The 24 th is called Christm as E ve, the 25 th Christm as D ay and 26 th B oxing D ay. Children hang out stockings on Christm as E ve, over the fireplace or at the end of their beds. D uring the night, Father Christm as is supposed to com e and fill the stockings w ith presents. Children open their presents on Christm as D ay.
2. Sing a song H appy Christm as, H appy Christm as, H appy Christm as D ay H ere com es Father Christm as H appy Christm as everyone. /2/
Clap your hands and stam p Clap your hands and stam p Clap your hands and stam p your feet H appy Christm C hristm as everyone. 4
3. R ead and com plete V era’s letter. Flat 20 80, W inter Street London 20 th D ecem ber
D ear A m y, G reetings from B ulgaria! W e have Christm as holidays next w eek. H urray! W e already have a lovely __________ tree. There are _______ on the tree. There are red, orange, blue and ________ balls. The presents are in _________ on the table. I am happy! I w ish you a M erry Christm as! Fill in.
Love, V era
yellow Christm as
boxes toys
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4. Read The Bulgarian sourvaknitsa is very beautiful. W e decorate it w ith popcorn. W e tap t ap people’s people ’s backs. W e say “H appy N ew Year!”
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Christmas in Italy Christm as in Italy m ay not look like Christm as back hom e, but it’s taken very seriously here and is an im portant holiday to all Italians. Christm as is “N atale” in Italian, and to w ish people a M erry Christm as you’ll say, “Buon N atale.” Instead
of
im ages
of
Santa
Claus
everyw here, how ever, the Christm as im age you’re going to see on display throughout the country - both in churches and outdoors - is the nativity scene. It’s called a “presepio” in Italian, and you’ll find them everyw here. A ccording to the legend, the night before the W ise M en arrived at the m anger they stopped at the shack of an old w oman to ask directions. They invited her to com e along but she replied that she w as too busy. Then a shepherd asked her to join him but again she refused. Later that night, she saw a great light in the sky and decided to join the W ise M en and the shepherd bearing gifts that had belonged to her child w ho had died. She got lost and never found the m anger. N ow La Befana flies around on her broom stick each year on the 11th night, bringing gifts to children in hopes that she m ight find the B aby Jesus. Children hang their stockings on the evening of January 5 aw aiting the visit of La Befana.
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Christm as cake – Italy
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Christmas in Mexico Christm as for M exicans, in traditional hom es and rural areas, is a religious holiday. It is a celebration of the N ativity. This m eans the birthday of O ur Lord Jesus. In order to prepare for the day of sym bolic com m em oration, w e have the "Posadas". These celebrations are a "N ovena" or nine days before the 24 w hich is the "N oche B uena" or "H oly N ight".
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D ia de Reyes D ia de Reyes, or Three K ings D ay, is celebrated on January 6th. A lso know n as the E piphany, it is a Christian celebration that celebrates the three kings w ho bring gifts to the Christ child. A tradition in M exico, January 6th also m arked the day that children "receive" gifts from The Three K ings, just as kids in the U nited States w ait for Santa on D ecem ber 25th.
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Christmas Around The World http://w w w .the.the - northnorth - pole.com /around/index.htm http://w w w .santaclausbg.hit.bg/sveta.htm l
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RESOURCES: Blue Skies for Bulgaria for 3rd Grade - Longman English Adventure – Starter A – Longman Freeway for 3rd Grade – Bulvest 2000 Internet
Secondary School “St. st. Cyril and Methodius” Smolyan, 2011
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