CHRISTMAS BCNC Foundations 3 / Caitlin Jacobs. Yankee Swap A Yankee Swap is a gift-giving activity. You don’t have to participate if you don’t want.

CHRISTMAS

BCNC Foundations 3 / Caitlin Jacobs

Yankee Swap

A Yankee Swap is a gift-giving activity. You don’t have to participate if you don’t want

to. Participants buy a small gift worth $5-$10.

Wrap it. Bring the gift on Thursday, December 18th.

They will be put in a big pile. Participants will take a number from a hat and

choose a gift. #1 picks first, #10 picks tenth, and so on.

Everyone opens their gifts. Surprise!

Secret Santa

Secret Santa is another kind of gift-giving activity.

You don’t know who will get you a gift.

BCNC did a Secret Santa; here’s what I got.

What is Christmas?

December 25th

It is a national holiday, and the biggest holiday of the year in America.

Christmas is both a religious and secular holiday. Religious: relating to religion Secular: not religious

Religion in America

People practice many different religions in America.

The biggest religion is Christianity. Therefore, many aspects of America’s

culture relate to Christianity.

Christmas as a Religious Holiday Christians believe

Jesus Christ was born on Christmas day.

They believe Jesus is the son of God.

Christians go to church on Christmas day or Christmas eve.

A nativity scene is a very common image during Christmastime. A nativity scene shows

when Jesus was born.

Christmas as a Secular Holiday People celebrate

Christmas as a time of peace, goodwill, and happiness.

Giving gifts is very popular. Christmas is the biggest commercial holiday in America. That means people

spend the most money! Families spend time

together and eat a special dinner.

Christmas Traditions

Christmas Lights

Christmas Stockings

Christmas Trees

My Tree

Christmas Carols

There are many, many Christmas songs.

People enjoy singing these songs together.

Some examples of popular songs: Jingle Bells We Wish You a Merry

Christmas Rudolph the Red-Nosed

Reindeer Silent Night Deck The Halls

People who sing Christmas carols are called carolers.

A cappella

A cappella is when people sing without any musical instruments.

The group Pentatonix is a famous a cappella group.

All the music is made with only their voices.

Christmas Treats

Candy canes

Eggnog Fruitcake

Christmas cookies

Santa Claus

Santa Claus is the secular symbol of Christmas.

He is a fictional (not real) man who delivers gifts to good children.

Children leave cookies and milk for Santa on Christmas eve.

You can visit Santa at malls. Children can tell him what they want for Christmas and take a picture with him.

Santa’s Characteristics

He rides in a sleigh pulled by 8 reindeer.

He delivers gifts by going up and down chimneys.

Santa’s Personality

Watch the short clip from the famous movie, “Miracle on 34th Street”. (1994)

What kind of person is Santa?

A Christmas Story

“A Christmas Story” is another very famous Christmas movie.

Made in 1983 It shows a middle-

class American family’s life and Christmas experience in the 1940s.

Plot

The main character, Ralphie, really wants a BB gun for Christmas. BB guns are also called “air rifles”.

Everyone tells him no. They say “You’ll shoot your eye out.”

The Wizard of Oz

You will see some Wizard of Oz characters in the clip from the movie.

“The Wizard of Oz” was one of the first color movies ever made (1939).

It’s one of the most famous stories in American culture.

Questions

1. When is Christmas?2. What do Christians believe happened

on Christmas?3. Why do non-Christians celebrate

Christmas?4. Name two Christmas traditions.5. Name one Christmas treat.6. Tell me two facts about Santa Claus.