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It is dedicated to all of "us"
* Milenium Primary School, Legionowo, Poland
*10th Primary School of Palaio Faliro, Athens, Greece
*Collège Jasmin les Iles, Agen, France
*1st Primary School of Trilofos, Thermi, Thessaloniki, Greece
*Primary of Galatista, Galatista Halkidiki, Greece
*Społeczna Szkoła Podstawowa im. księcia Józefa Poniatowskiego Towarzystwa *Oświatowego "Edukacja" w Łodzi, Łódź, , Poland
*Colegio Virgen del Remedio, Alcorcón, Spain
*Szkoła Podstawowa nr 9 im. gen. Józefa Wybickiego w Wejherowie, Wejherowo, Poland
*Liceul cu Program Sportiv - Botosani, Romania
*4th Primary School of Gerakas, Athens, Greece
*Scoala Gimnaziala Viisoara, Viisoara, Romania
*Heritage International School, Chișinau, Moldova
Deck this album with ... lots of Christmas goodies and good old European tradition, common and not so common.
Add cards & wishes, customs, songs, food
... and let the Christmas spirit flow!!
SPAIN
Enjoy Christmas at home!!
Spanish Christmas cards...
Handmade decorations we prepare for our famous "Primary Christmas cards competition".
Happy Christmas!!!!!
Jolanta Zamoyska and students 4a,4b
of Milenium Primary School
Hope you enjoy the Christmas with the ones you love and a step into new year
with lots of happiness and good health.
We wish you a Merry Christmas
and a Happy New Year
Jan Maksymiuk
Poland
Józef Grodzki
Poland
Poland
Łukasz Ostrowski
Poland
Emilia Brdulak
Poland
Elena Kindziuk
Poland
Marika Kindziuk
Hanna Semp
Poland
Kornelia Maksimowska
Poland
Nadia Kobylińska
Poland
Hanna Kaleta
Poland
Karol Kalinowski
Karol Kalinowski
Poland
Adam Wilczyński
Poland
Adam Wilczyński
Adam Wilczyński
Adam Wilczyński
Adam Wilczyński
Jan Cabaj
Paweł Maciejec
Hubert Różycki
Hubert Różycki
Weronika Redlińska
Jan Staszkiewicz
Maksymilan Pastuszak
Maksymilian Pastuszak
Maks's Christmas tree
Hania's (4b) Christmas tree
Christmas tree of Elena and Marika
Nadia's Christmas tree
Kornelia's Christmas tree
Hania's (4a) Christmas tree
Łukasz's Christmas tree
Paweł's Christmas tree
Tymon's Christmas tree
Hubert's Christmas tree
Adam's Christmas tree
Janek M.'s Christmas tree
Joanna's Christmas tree
Elena Kindziuk
Hanna Kaleta
Marika Kindziuk
Jan Maksymiuk
Karol Kalinowski
Adam Wilczyński
Józef Grodzki
Łukasz Ostrowski
Karolina Piskorz
Jan Staszkiewicz
Hanna Semp
Kornelia Maksimowska
Nadia Kobylińska
Maksymilian Pastuszak
Tymon Wałachowski
MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR
Collège Jasmin Les Iles AGEN, FRANCE
CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS IN FRANCE
Christmas time in France starts with the Advent, a religious tradition for Christians. This period is symbolized by a big wreath with a candle , and a special calendar called
« le calendrier de l’Avent » with a little nook for each day which hides a little treat: an image, toy or candy. You’re supposed to open one slot every day: this helps kids countdown till Christmas. By Eva and Rachel
Mylan's wreath at home
Christmas lights
Although we don’t necessarily decorate the outside of our houses with string lights, French towns and villages usually have some Christmas lights. A large Christmas tree next to the city hall or on the city main square is also customary.
Stores in France usually have Christmas decorations.
France has a strong tradition of Christmas markets. With small wooden châlets like stands selling all kind of goods and delicacies. By the 6ème1
Mylan's house
A Christmas tree in the big store "Les Galeries" in Paris
Our Town, Agen, decorated for Christmas. Neïla's pictures
IN HOUSES: you can find a Christmas manger (une crêche). It represents the night of the birth of baby Jesus. The essential characters of “la crèche” are Mary, Joseph, baby Jesus, usually a donkey and an ox, sometimes the 3 kings.
In Provence, a Christmas manger would feature many little figurines, also called “un santon“, representing towns folks as they gather around the stable for the birth of baby Jesus. These typical Christmas mangers can be passed on from generations to generations .
Mylan's Christmas manger
In France, Santa puts the Christmas gifts in shoes we place by the fireplace, as demonstrated in the Tino Rossi’s song « Petit Papa Noël »
https://youtu.be/WQushjP2Wqk?t=10
by Matéo
Mylan, Maëlys and Zakary's Christmas trees
Our classroom Christmas tree
CHRISTMAS FOOD
The Christmas meal in France is called “Le Réveillon de Noël” and traditionally used to be held late in the night on December 24th, as people return from the midnight mass.
But, nowadays, many French families have their traditional Christmas meal on December 25
TYPICAL FOOD you can have for a Christmas meal:
Starters: foie Gras terrine, seafood platter (mainly oysters) and smoked salmon.
Main courses: scallop in its shell, capon or turkey with chestnut stuffing or wild game marinated in red wine.
Sides: chestnut again, green beans wrapped with bacon, truffle mashed potatoes.
A large cheese platter served with many different breads
Desserts:
Christmas cookies, bredele, chocolate and dried fruits mendiants, candied orange and black chocolate orangettes, candied chestnuts and chocolate truffles of course
MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM THE 6EME1,COLLEGE JASMIN LES ILES AGEN
Some of our Christmas cards to you dear partners!
PRIMARY SCHOOL OF GALATISTA
MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR
Zaharenia
Zaharenia
Zaharenia
Lizabeta
Zaharenia
Nikos
Nikos
Kostis
Kostis
Merry Christmas
Evridiki
I wish youMerry Christmas Health,Love,Happiness and Peace.
Katerina Helen
Merry Christmas
Dimitris P.
Merry Christmas
Dimitris Ts.
Olga
Merry Christmas
MARINA
Christmas time in Greece
Primary of Trilofos
Konstantinos
In Greece we celebrate Christmas in many ways.We decorate our houses and gardens with lights,christmas trees and much more.We visit family and friends,we exchange gifts ,we send cards and of course we cook and make melomakarona and kourambiedes _our traditional sweets.
Milena
In Trilofos we decorate our trees and our houses.
George A.
Eleni K.
Apostolis
Dimitra
Eleni G.
Nicky
Melomakarona!So delicious....
Eleni G.
Dimitra and Eleni G.
Eleni G. and Eleni K.
Milena
Dear friends
Καλά Χριστούγεννα και Ευτυχισμένο το Νέο Έτος
Merry Christmas and a happy New Year
from the
10th Primary School of Palaio Faliro
Our Cards
Merry Christmas by Dimitra
Merry Christmas by Alkmene
& Melina
Our decorations
Alkmene ST1
Dimitra ST1
Melina ST1
Christmas Customs in Greece
Χριστόξυλο-Christoxylo (Christ's log)
In Macedonia, the householder chooses the strongest olive or pine branch from his field and places it in the fireplace of the house. This wood, which is also called "Christoxylo", is burned for the whole Twelve Days of Christmas (from the day of Christmas until the Lights). According to tradition, the burning of Christoxilo helps Christ to warm himself in the manger of Bethlehem. Every Macedonian tries to burn the Christoxylo of his house up to the Lights.
Polychronis ST2
Smashing a pomegranate for good luck
A Christmas custom is when we break a pomegranate in front of our door.
In the morning of the New Year, the family goes to church and the landlord keeps in his pocket a pomegranate.
Returning home, he needs to hit the doorbell and thus be the first to enter the house, to do good omen, with the pomegranate in hand.
Getting in, with the right hand breaks the pomegranate behind the door; he/she throws it down with force to break and scatter the berries everywhere; at the same time says:
"As heavy as the pomegranate is , the heavier may our wallet be, as full of seeds and may our house be filled with happiness
as red as the pomegranate is"
Christmas Carols (in free translation)
Good day lords and if it's your bidding
Christ's divine birth I will sing in your mansion
Christ is being born today In the town of Bethlehem
The heavens rejoice and all creation delights
In a cave he is born within the horse manger
The King of the heavens and Maker of all.....
Polychronis Papantoniou ST2
New Year's Carols
First of the month and
first of the year
My tall rosemary
Let our good year beginning
Christ with the holy throne
It is the beginning when Christ
Holy and Spiritual Will walk on earth
And cheer us up
St. Basil is on his way
And will not deign on us
From Kessaria
You're a Lady milady
Kourabiethes (also "kourambiedes") are Greek celebration cookies.A shortbread-type cookie dusted with confectioner's sugar, they're melt-in-your-mouth fabulous.
Hobgoblins-"Kalikantzaroi"
According to the Greek folk tradition, from Christmas Day until the Epiphany Day, hobgoblins that live underground come up to the Earth to tease and play pranks with people. These hobgoblins (kallikantzari in Greek) are little monsters with bandy legs and arms, hunched backs, large ears, strange eyes and all kinds of deformities. All over the year, the hobgoblins live under the ground and saw the tree of the year. Around Christmas, when their sawing is nearly done, they go up to the world. On Epiphany Day, the village priest goes from house to house around the village and sprinkles with blessed water the rooms of the houses so that the hobgoblins return underground.
Christina ST1
Drawings
Melina ST1
Marina ST2
Les Grecs adorent Noël !
Pour les Grecs religieux, la tradition commence par une à quatre semaines de jeûne avant Noël.
Le repas de Noël est traditionnel. On partage en famille un pain préparé la veille à base de farine de noix (le christopsomo). Le plat principal est constitué de dinde farcie et/ou de cochon de lait farci, le plus souvent aux abricots, noix, fruits secs. Viennent ensuite les desserts.
En Grèce, nous avons trois desserts traditionnels.
Christopsomo
Dinde farcie
Melomakarona,
Kourampiedes,
Diples
Le 24 décembre, les enfants Grecs vont de maison en maison chanter les « Kalanda » en s’accompagnant d’un trigone (triangle métallique que l’on frappe à l’aide d’une tige métallique). En réponse, les habitants leur donnent des sucreries, des fruits secs et des petits gâteaux.
Le Nouvel An en Grèce est aussi un grand jour de fête. Le 1er janvier est la Saint Basile ou Agios Vasilios, un des pères de l'Eglise orthodoxe grecque.
La chance joue un grand rôle dans la célébration du Nouvel An en Grèce.
Gagner aux cartes ou à la loterie pourrait vous offrir toute une année de bonne fortune
Le traditionnel gâteau 'Vasilopita', un gâteau rond est cérémonieusement coupé avec une part pour chaque membre de la famille, des parts supplémentaires pour le Saint du jour Agios Vasilios, et pour toutes les autorités religieuses que la famille souhaite honorer.
Les parts sont offertes à chaque membre de la famille du plus ancien au plus jeune mais celui qui reçoit la pièce de monnaie cachée sera chanceux toute l'année !
Le 6 janvier certaines familles grecques procèdent également à une vieille tradition, celle du renouvellement des eaux, où tous les pots d'eau sont vidés et rempli de nouvelle eau;
Petites superstitions !
Le 1er janvier, le "kalo podariko", " le premier pied",
signifie que la première personne à entrer dans une
maison grecque, apportera la chance avec elle. Les
enfants sont généralement choisis pour inaugurer
la nouvelle année de cette façon, ils représentent
l'amour, un grand coeur et l'innocence.
Enfin, si on vous donne une grenade à casser, n’ayez pas peur de salir le sol. Plus il y a des graines répandues par terre et plus la prospérité de vos hôtes est assurée !
OUR BEST WISHES FROM SPAIN
Cards from María and Esther
Cards from Martina, Águeda and Israel
Cards from Diego, David, Carlos and Paula
Cards from Rocío and Javi
Heritage International School, Chisinau, Moldova
La mulți ani!
Merry Christmas!
Adriana Bujag
Christmas carols - Carols are transmitted from ancestors and represent rite songs, dedicated to Christmas and New Year. The carols combine the glorification of daily life, as well as the exhortations to good deeds, generosity and hospitality.
Another custom of the area around Christmas is left to housewives. On Eve, women bake pieces of dough, shaped in the shape of eight incompletely. The dish is called "Craciunei", and the pieces of bread are hung on the wall, next to the icons, where they remain until the spring equinox, on March 23.
The member of Moldovan families who works hardest to preserve traditions is the housewife. Another important custom, sacredly observed in the south of Modova is the tradition of the 12 Apostles. In the days before Christmas, housewives prepare no more and no less than 12 dishes. The dishes are placed on the table on the eve of Christmas Eve, thus reminding us of the Last Supper. On Christmas day, after returning from church, family members sit at the table.
Plugușorul,
On New Year's Eve, however, the children walk and sing carols, wishing the owners of the houses a happy new year, prosperous and with as many beautiful achievements as possible; rewards for wishing children can also be sweet.
Olivier Salad
Toba
Pârjoale
,,Cușma lui Guguță Cake
Carols: Steaua, Capra,
The horse and the bear are part of the children's folk theater.
4th Primary School of Gerakas
May the spirit of Christmas infuse your life with hope, love, joy and happiness! Happy New Year!
"Καλά Χριστούγεννα & Ευτυχισμένος ο νέος χρόνος!"
Christmas Trees are popular in Greece. The first known Christmas tree in Greece was in 1833 and was set-up by King Otto next to a large decorated boat.
Our city, Gerakas
There are also boat displays in Greek cities like the one above from the island of Ithaca. Decorated ships are an old tradition in Greece where small ships were put up in homes when sailors had returned from sea voyages.
Christmas decoration in our school
Crafts by Sofia, Eliza & Ioanna
The main Christmas meal is often lamb or pork in an oven or over an open spit. A traditional table decoration are loaves of "Christopsomo", which are made on Christmas Eve ready to be eaten on Christmas Day. It is a round sweet bread flavored with cinnamon and cloves and its top is decorated with a cross.
Christmas food and sweets
A popular Christmas dessert is "melomakarono" egg shaped biscuit/cakes made from flour, olive oil, honey and rolled in chopped walnuts. "Kourabies" is another typical sweet made of flour, butter and powdered sugar.
On New Year's Eve families will have a big meal and play games. There is also a special cake called "Vasilopita". The cake has a coin cooked inside it. Whoever finds the coin in their slice is thought to be lucky for the year. Traditionally, the first slice is for Jesus, the second is for Mary, the third is for the poor and the fourth is for the household.
Our drawings, cards and wishes
Emily
Antonis
Emily
Evelyn
Elizabeth
Peter
Claire
Antonis
Angelos
Sofia
Mary
Paul
«Χριστούγεννα»
Τι φως και χρώμα κι εμορφιά να σκόρπιζε τ’ αστέρι
οπού στην κούνια του Χριστού τους Μάγους έχει φέρει!
Ποιός άγγελος το διάλεξε για τέτοιο ταχυδρόμο!
Τ’ άλλα τ’ αστέρια θα ‘βλεπαν το φωτεινό του δρόμο
κι από τη ζήλεια θα’ τρεμαν…Αστέρι σε ποια χώρα
του απέραντου ουρανού να λαμπυρίζεις τώρα;
Η παντοδύναμη φθορά μην έσβησε το φως σου;
Ή μήπως είσαι αθάνατο και συ σαν το Χριστό σου;
Δεν κατεβαίν’ η λάμψη σου κι εδώ στα χώματά μας;
Για όλα τ’ άστρα, αλίμονο! δεν είναι η ματιά μας…
Και μόνον όταν τα λαμπρά Χριστούγεννα μας θα μπουν,
θαρρώ πως οι ακτίνες του μες την ψυχή μου λάμπουν.
Κωστής Παλαμάς
The much-loved poem "Christmas" by Kostis Palamas, the Patriarch of Modern Greek poetry.
"Christmas: a miracle in which we all long to be a part of, even if only as a straw in the stable..."
3rd Primary School of Tinos
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Our School Christmas decorations!
Carols: We sing carols on Christmas eve and New Year’s eve! We sing the usual carols but there are also traditional local carols. Here is one:
A very famous painting by a Tinian painter, Nikoforos Lytras, called Carols.
Food: When it comes to food and sweets, we eat the traditional “melomakarona” and “kourambiedes”.
We have one funny custom, our mothers and grandmothers fry sweet balls (loukoumades) and hide the coin (flouri) for us to find inside and not in the traditional New Year bread (vasilopita).
Fests: One very important custom that happens on our island at Christmas time is Kavos. It takes place only in the village of Tripotamos. The "Kavos" is the villager who will take the care (cleaning, lighting oil-lamps, candle supply) of the village church for the entire year, down on Christmas Day. After the Mass, the men of the village gather in the house of the old Kavos and participate in the lunch meal. On New Year's Day, the new Kavos (the next person to take on the commitment for the next year), holding the icon of the Nativity, is walking ahead of the procession, which bears the "unsleeping light" that has not ever been extinguished since the time this custom started. The procession stops at every house in the village.
Christmas crafts and wishes from the students of the 3rd Primary School of Tinos!
Despina
Giannis
Ioanna
Kyriaki
Kyriakos
Arbri
Rika
Stella
Theodora
Vassilis
Paraskevi
Marina
Annezina
Antonia
Maria
An attempt to step by step drawing!!
Sports Highschool Botosani, Romania
Christmas and New Years Traditions in Romania-
people wearing masks
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