as we learn and grow together in the bigger story
Every December for years, our crew would do something we called Advent School or Christmas School. It was my attempt as a mom who wanted to fight to keep Christ at the center of Christmas but also in a fun way. I wanted to help …
🌟 MALIGAYANG PASKO! 🌟The Philippines is near and dear to my heart because that is where my parents and extended family are from! Did you know that the Philippines is the only Asian nation where Christianity (mostly Catholic) is the main religion?! 🙌 The Filipinos …
Today we travel to China, another country with very few Christians! Since there aren’t many Christians in China (only 1% of their population), it is not as much a holiday as it is for us in the U.S. (Chinese New Year is their biggest winter …
Kirismas Mobarak (I hope I’m spelling that right)! That’s how you’d greet someone a Merry Christmas in Persian, the language spoken in Iran. Today’s Advent school is all about Christmas cookies, angels, and Iran! What’s the connection between all three? Supposedly, cookies were invented in …
Chag Molad Sameach! This is how to greet someone a Merry Christmas in Hebrew, the main language spoken in Israel. You’d think that the country where the Messiah’s birth took place would celebrate Christmas like nobody’s business. But since only 2.5% of Israel is made …
Mutlu Noeller! That’s how you can greet someone Merry Christmas in Turkey … where the world’s most famous, jolly Christmas elf in a red suit hails from (sort of)! We know the history of Saint Nicholas and the metamorphosis into Santa Claus. But today’s lesson …
We already did an overview of Christmas in Scandinavian countries but today, we looked more closely at Sweden and their Christmas culture/traditions. Christmas Eve is when the Swedes enjoy a huge feast – a smorgasbord of food including cold fish and meats, cheeses, breads and …
Glaedelig Jul (Norway and Denmark) or God Jul (Sweden) is the Christmas greeting in this region … the region where the most famous Christmas animal hails from! Learn more about Christmas in Sweden, Norway, and Denmark here! The story goes that it was likely in …
Buon Natale is the Christmas greeting in Italy, whose religious history is what popularized the nativities we see everywhere this time of year! This post contains affiliate links and we may earn compensation when you click on the links, at no additional cost to you. …
Frohe Weihnachten! Learn more about Christmas in Germany here! So many wonderful traditions, those Germans have! We learned that Advent is a big part of their Christmas. And that Christmas markets are where you can buy all kinds of things and gifts for loved ones, …
Vrolijk Kerstfeest! To learn more about Christmas in The Netherlands, head here! HANDS-ON ACTIVITIES: To give your kids a visual for why the country is aptly named for its “low lands” you can do this learning activity: We also did some simple coloring pages and …
Happy Christmas! Learn more about Christmas in the United Kingdom here! GOSPEL-CENTERED DISCUSSION ABOUT CELEBRATING CHRISTMAS AS CHRISTIANS: Did you know that for a time, Puritans banned celebrating this holiday because of its ties to pagan rituals? This tidbit made us squirrel off into a …