The Christmas season is a time for us to have a happy time and a period of special celebrations for a great number of religions and countries across the world.
The Festival of Diwali or "Deepavali" or the Festival of Lights is a Hindu celebration. This year in 2021 this Festival will be celebrated on November 4th. This is the darkest night of the Hindu calendar and signifies a new beginning for them before the next new moon. India has the most colourful and exciting celebrations performed by many people including Sikhs and Newar Buddhists. Like Christians in Wales who celebrate Christmas or, to give it another name, the "Nativity", special decorations are placed around the house and towns and shops over this period. You can see a Christmas tree in almost every home! People also eat special meals and foods to celebrate the festival. The Festival of Lights or Diwali extends over 5 days.
Traditionally we eat turkey or other poultry, a Christmas fruit cake decorated with white icing, Christmas pudding, mince pies, sweets and chocolate! Like us, the Indian people have traditional foods. They cook and eat samosas, aloo Bonda, sooji Halwa, bhajis. You have probably heard some of these names if you have visited an Indian restaurant. Men and women also wear bright clothing decorated with bright garlands and made of silk, crepe chiffon and velvet. Men wear the kurta and dhoti.
During this period in Wales Christian communities attend chapel or church to worship and thank God. They sing Christmas carols in chapel and on the streets. The Festival of Christingle is held in church. We look forward to receiving and giving gifts, and being busy with preparation over the Advent period is very exciting for children and grown-ups. The theme of the festival is love and there are opportunities to listen to stories and legends about giving and receiving across the countries. Charities also sell cards to raise money for less fortunate people over the festive period. The custom here is to write cards or send phone messages to greet people and wish them well. Santa Claus or St Nicolas is expected to drop in to give gifts. In Russia, Babushka calls by. Each country has its own name for Santa Claus! Click on the link to listen to a song about Christmas performed by Alys Williams. https://youtu.be/UNFvx0c2PdM
What is Santa Claus in other languages? In some countries it is not Santa Claus who leaves presents.
Why not do some research to see how different countries celebrate.
|
Country |
Name |
|
Wales |
Sion Corn |
|
Belgium |
Père Noël |
|
Brazil |
Papai Noel |
|
Chile |
Viejo Pascuero (?Old Man Christmas?) |
|
China |
Dun Che Lao Ren (?Christmas Old Man?) |
|
The Netherlands |
Kerstman |
|
Finland |
Joulupukki |
|
France |
Père Noël |
|
Germany |
Weihnachtsmann (?Christmas Man?) |
|
Hawaii |
Kanakaloka |
|
Hungary |
Mikulas (St. Nicholas) |
|
Italy |
Babbo Natale |
|
Japan |
Hoteiosho (a god or priest who bears gifts) |
|
Norway |
Julenissen (?Christmas gnome?) |
|
Poland |
Swiety Mikolaj (St. Nicholas) |
|
Russia |
Ded Moroz (?Grandfather Frost?) |
|
Sweden |
Jultomten (?Christmas brownie?) |
|
Great Britain |
Father Christmas |
|
|
|
Here is a list of Merry Christmas greetings in other languages. Learn what Merry Christmas is in other languages across the World
The 'Pronunciation' column will help you with the words
|
Language |
Merry Christmas |
Pronunciation |
|
English |
Merry Christmas |
Merry Christmas |
|
Welsh |
Nadolig Llawen |
Nadolig Llawen |
|
Chinese (simple) |
圣诞快乐 |
shèng dàn kuài lè |
|
Chinese (Traditional) |
聖誕快樂 |
shèng dàn kuài lè |
|
Croatian |
Sretan Božić |
sray tan bow zic |
|
Czech |
Vesele Vanoce |
vay say lay va no zay |
|
Danish |
Glædelig Jul |
gled yule |
|
Dutch |
Vrolijk Kerstfeest |
vro le er kurst fest |
|
Finnish |
Hyvää Joulua |
who va yole wa |
|
French |
Joyeux Noël |
zhwa yeu noh el |
|
German |
Frohe Weinachten |
fro eh vine act en |
|
Greek |
Kαλά χριστούγεννα |
ka la he stu ya na |
|
Italian |
Buon Natale |
bwon na ta lay |
|
Japanese |
メリークリスマス |
may ri ku ris su ma su |
|
Latvian |
Priecīgus Ziemassvētkus |
pree eh see gus zee eh mess at kus |
|
Lithuanian |
Linksmu Kalédu |
links moo ka lay do |
|
Norwegian |
Gledelig Jul/God Jul |
gled yule/god yule |
|
Polish |
Wesołych Świat |
ve so lic see at |
|
Portuguese |
Feliz Natal |
fay leezh na tal |
|
Romanian |
Crăciun Fericit |
cre chun fe ri chit |
|
Russian |
С Рождеством |
s razh di est vom |
|
Slovak |
Vesele Vianoce |
vay say lay vee a no zay |
|
Slovenian |
Vesel Božič |
vay sel bow six |
|
Spanish |
Feliz Navidad |
fay leese na vee dad |
|
Swedish |
God Jul |
god yule |
|
Turkish |
Mutlu Noeller |
moot loo no el eh |
Christmas Adverts – Do they reflect the true meaning of Christmas?
In early October the major stores in Britain and across the world start to broadcast Christmas adverts.
High street shops and supermarkets spend millions on Christmas adverts. This is the busiest time for shops and there is huge competition between companies to create the most impressive advertisement to draw viewers to respond and buy products from the shops or supermarkets. Many adverts are now mini-films that tell a story rather than showing goods on sale for Christmas.
Why not study and compare some of these ads?
Sainsbury’s Christmas Advert 2018. https://youtu.be/tvXBbsRU83Q
Christmas Advert 2019. https://youtu.be/ak5HEPpubhk
John Lewis Christmas Advert 2018 https://youtu.be/DShEAPKV0EU
John Lewis Christmas Advert 2019. https://youtu.be/7xGW_M0O4xI
Aldi Christmas Advert 2018. https://youtu.be/hv54YNpz0Ig
Aldi Christmas Advert 2019 https://youtu.be/iezzZ3Ufv7I
Watch the Christmas adverts of three specific shops that have been competing for the honour to be the most popular film or advertisement and reflect the true spirit of Christmas.
Discuss the content of the clips and some of the messages that appear in the story. You could compare the ads from 2018 with those from 2019? Which advert is the most popular?
A number also include animation and special effects. Aldi uses the same character each year, 'Kevin the Carrot', who has become a very popular character with children and young people.
Do these advertisements reflect the true spirit of Christmas?
Have you ever wondered how the festive season is celebrated across the world. There are a number of old and new traditions belonging to European countries and beyond. Here is a taste of some French traditions.
Children in France wait for Père Noël to visit them on Christmas eve. They leave their clean shoes by the fireplace for Père Noël to fill with presents. They will eat their "Reveillon de Noël" dinner on Christmas Eve and wish each other a Joyeux Noël.
In some parts of France there is a tradition of eating 13 different desserts made from pastry, fruits and nuts.
In parts of north-east France they celebrate St Nicholas Day on December 6th and local children put shoes at the door for St Nicholas to fill with sweets and small gifts.
Fance had a tradition of bringing a tree into the house as early as the 14th century.
The Fête des Lumières or Festival of Lights is held in the city of Lyon around December 8th each year. The tradition dates back to 1852.
Look for other countries’ traditions and record your findings in a table with the name of the country and the tradition associated with it.
Cartref
Stryd yr Afon
Llanaber
07/12/2021
Dear family,
it's almost Christmas time and I'm really excited and looking forward to this season. As i am always very lucky to receive loads of presents, this year i would like to give a gift to less fortunate children and do with fewer things myself. I hope that dad will let me spend £8.00 from my money box to buy a few toys to put in a shoebox that would go to a girl the same age as me. The charity is called Samaritan's purse.
Operation Christmas child (Samaritan's purse) is keen to collect shoe boxes as gifts. I have some toys that i don't use and that are like new and suitable to put in the box. I would like to put in a tennis ball, a rag doll, coloured pencils, one of my bracelets and a musical instrument. I would like to give a rag doll like mine because a 10-year-old girl would like this toy.
But this also means that i have to get £5.00 in money, to send the box.
So I'm just asking if you would please be willing to help me send the box through this charity.
Thank you for everything, love and hugs,
Caryl. xxx