Heading into December - Sharing Our Traditions

December is nearly here – one of my favorite months. I love it for so many reasons … the first snow is always delightful, and everyone seems to be in a good mood. It is also a perfect month for us to share our family traditions and reflect on ways we all both similar and different. Sharing your culture with the students will not only please your child, but will benefit all of the children. Imagine how much richer the learning experience can be when people share stories, music, and experiences from different cultures. 

If you are willing and able, I would love to encourage you to come share what is important to your family. This goes for every month of the year, of course, but December is an especially great opportunity. In past years, I’ve had parents come and make everything from latkes to pepparkakor, Chinese lanterns to candles for Solstice. We’ve heard parents read the books that are their night-before-Christmas tradition and stories about Kwanzaa. We’ve learned Swedish folkdances and the dreidel game. It doesn’t have to be fancy or involved…sometimes just reading a story is lovely and very appreciated.

The traditions that I share with the classroom vary little from year to year (I guess that’s why they are traditions!). As in the past, I will help the children decorate a tree for the animals (birdseed ornaments, strings of berries and popcorn) and we’ll do our annual cookie cottages on the day before Winter Break. I will be writing more about these later.

Please let me know if and when you are able to come to the classroom, and I will try to make it happen. Fridays are generally more open than other days, but other days are certainly available too!