Christmas Around the World Day 8: Spain

Morning table.

We learned a lot about Spain today.  We learned that the people from Spain are called Spanish or Spaniards and they speak Spanish.

Gifts are brought to the children by The Three Kings on Epiphany Eve.  The Christmas season begins on the Day of Immaculate Conception, December 8th, and that is why we celebrated today.  Other feast days that are important to the Spaniards are the Feast of the Holy Innocents and the Feast of the Three Kings.  The King that the children hope will visit them is Balthazar, who usually rides on a donkey and brings gifts.

 

Hard at work.

 

Eating Turron, we had a variety pack including Almond Crunch, Almond Caramel with Sesame Seeds, and Almond Crocanti.

Work board.

Spelling test.

 

She only missed 6 of the 46 words.  The hard ones were; they, there, were, this, but, and come.

It was also the first night of Hanukkah.  We had a nice time playing games while the candles burned down.

Including a fun game of dreidel. 

Christmas Around the World Day 7: Hawaii, United States of America

Morning table.

We didn’t learn as much as I would have liked today, but we did have fun, which is almost as good right? :)

We enjoyed looking through all our pictures from when we were in Hawaii a few years ago.  We also discussed Pearl Harbor (very briefly).  We enjoyed decorating and rearranging the table throughout the day with our different house plants and flower leis.  We had our last ice skating lesson for the season and the girls got to play hockey. 

We learned that Hawaiians say Mele Kalikimaka for Merry Christmas and they have large luaus for their meal.  We also pretended to play ukuleles. 

 

Looking at pictures from our trip to Hawaii, including volcanoes and Pearl Harbor.

 

Thank you card to Rachel for babysitting.

Hockey day at ice skating lessons.

Lunch table with the island pine and Hawaii garden on the table.

 

Dinner table and Hawaiian chicken wraps.

Chris taking a marshmallow bath in the craft box…

Work board.  Including Abby’s handwriting practice at the bottom.

Christmas Around the World Day 6: France

Morning table.

We learned a lot about France today.  We learned that they like to eat bread, cheese, salad and fresh fruit.  The start of the French Christmas season begins on St. Barbara’s Day (December 4) and they start a tray of grain called “St. Barbara’s Grain”  if it grows it foretells a prosperous growing season.  We learned that they make clay figures called santons.  Pere Noel (Father Chirstmas) visits and places treats into straw or wooden “sabots” or shoes.  Treats can include toys, candy and nuts.  Pere Fouttard (Father Whipper) often travels with Pere Noel.  Pere Fouttard is similar to the Black Peter of The Netherlands.  Nativity scenes are one of the most important holiday decorations.  The crech or nativity scene is placed in a prominent location.  The French have a “Feast of the Kings” on Epiphany.

French say Joyeaux Noel for Merry Christmas!

Eggs Benedict for breakfast.  (Hollandaise from scratch and it tasted terrible! Kudos to the girls for eating as much of it as they did!)

Work board.

 

Google Earth and Google Map views of Paris and the Louvre.

Virtual tours of the museums in France from Google Art Project.  The above pictures are from Versailles.  We also toured Musee de Orsay and Chateau de Chantilly.  This is a great resources and worth checking out!

Not French in theme, but we did some Kinect Zumba exercising.

 

Making the clay for our Santons.

   

Santons of the nativity scene.

 

Baking of the santons.

French toast for dinner

 

Our international tree with 6 flags and Chris hanging out by the moon.

 

Planning

 

Inside the day box, english muffins for breakfast.  Salt and flour for the santons.

Christmas Around the World: Mexico

A nacho bar for lunch (and homemade burritos for dinner)

 

Delicious Mexican Wedding Cookies for desert.

More weather graphing.

Christmas Around the World Day 5: The Netherlands

The morning table.

Today we learned all about the land of windmills and wooden shoes!  The Netherlands or Holland.  In The Netherlands, Sinterklaas visits the children on St. Nicholas Eve (December 5th).  He arrived in The Netherlands by ship from Spain with his helper Black Peter.  They participate in a parade that leads them to the royal palace and there they hear from the children about their actions throughout the year.  Traditions say that Black Peter carries Sinterklaas’ gift bag and also a wooden switch for the naughty boys and girls.  If kids are particularly naughty, they will be put in the bag and taken back to Spain.  Instead of a sleigh and reindeer, Sinterklaas delivers gifts while riding on a white horse.  If you are really lucky, Sinterklaas and Black Peter will visit during the evening and throw candy to the children.

The Dutch people are known for tulips and other flowers and windmills.  We read the postcards that we have received from The Netherlands and enjoyed looking at the pictures. 

 

Stroopwafels and crafty projects. 

Selena and Abby really wanted to watch the sunset, there were some beautiful colors in the sky!

Yummy dinner of roast chicken.  Did I say Yum? Yum!

   

Sinterklaas and Black Peter visited us during dinner and threw candy at us.  Then they rode off into the night on their white horse.  Mysteriously enough, Grandma Judy arrived shortly after they left and joined us for dinner.

Work board.

Decorating wooden shoes with carrots and grains for Sinterklaas’ horse.

   

Our Netherlands people, we are going to make a puppet show using them.

   

Chris the elf was visiting us in the downstairs tree and enjoyed watching “The Little Drummer Boy” with the girls.  The International tree is looking very festive with five countries now represented by flags. 

Shoes left by the fire for Sinterklaas to visit tonight.

Planning

Box was packed with caramel wafers.  Craft projects are included in the workbook binders.