How to Learn about December Holidays
Secular Lesson Plans for Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa
Nov 5, 2008
Secular homeschooling families who wonder how to learn about December holidays can explore the traditions of other cultures to find the answers. Christmas, Kwanzaa and Hanukkah are the three major holidays of the season and there are resources online and in most communities for learning about each one. Boxing Day is another fun holiday to observe in December.
It's hard to ignore the holidays in December. Families who wish to teach their children about Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and other winter holidays in an informational manner without religious dogma, have a lot of resources at their disposal. Beginning with the History Channel's video series entitled History of the Holidays, families can find resources on the internet for teaching about the holidays
Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa
Christmas is the Christian tradition of celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. Christians believe that Jesus was born of a virgin birth and that he is the one and only son of God sent to save humans from eternal damnation from sin. In the U.S., Christian celebrations of Christmas are everywhere and secular families don't often need to research or create lesson plans or find activities for teaching about the meaning of Christmas.
Hanukkah is the Jewish holiday celebrating the miracle of the oil that allowed the Jews to rebuild the Temple of Jerusalem after it was destroyed by Antiochus. Jewish folklore says that they only had enough oil for one day and it lasted for eight days. Websites for Jewish children, like Torah Tots are a great place for children to learn about Hanukkah with printable coloring pages and other learning activities.
Kwanzaa is an African American holiday created in 1966 by Dr. Maulana Karenga, Professor of Africana Studies at California State University Long Beach. Beginning the day after Christmas and ending on New Year's Day, Kwanzaa has unique symbols and rituals designed to celebrate the seven principles of Kwanzaa and unite Africans all over the world.
How to Learn About December Holiday Symbols
Create a chart in your school room with three columns; a poster board works nicely. In each column, draw, list or glue pictures of each holiday's symbols. In the Christmas column, you'd have a Christmas tree, a manger scene and other symbols of Christmas. In the Hanukkah column, there might be an oil lamp, a menorah and a star of David. In the Kwanzaa column, there would be fruit, a Kinari and perhaps an African Drum. Celebrating in the Community
See if there are any local organizations dedicated to preserving the traditions of the culture whose holiday is being studied. For example, a Jewish synagogue or temple is the best place to learn about Hanukkah. While some Christian Orthodox sects claim to celebrate the holiday, they have added symbols of Jesus that aren't in the original historical version of the holiday, claiming that the Shamash candle on the menorah, for example, symbolizes the light of Christ.
The Soul of America website lists Kwanzaa celebrations in several locations. A local Kwanzaa event is a fantastic educational resource, often explaining each of the traditions, offering samples of local foods and music along with speeches from prominent African American community members. Check free printable worksheet websites for Kwanzaa coloring pages and lesson plans.
Many towns offer Christmas parades, there's a Santa Claus in every shopping mall and community based Christmas programs are abundant resources in most U.S. Cities. For secular lessons and explanations of the Christmas holiday, try using resources that public schools use, since they aren't allowed to teach religion.
Creating secular lesson plans for celebrating December holidays is a fun activity that really helps children enjoy Christmas Hanukkah and Kwanzaa. Children can be raised to be accepting of other cultures and faiths by learning about their traditions and beliefs. Secular homeschooling families don't need to ignore the holidays, they offer the opportunity to study the ideals of different groups of people.
