Christmas

INTRODUCTION
Nowadays, Christmas is celebrated with gift-giving and parties by Christians and non-Christians alike. However, December 25th is a religious holiday for Christians on which to celebrate the birth of Jesus. It was first celebrated in Rome in 354 a.d. It became increasingly important as a festival in the middle ages. In the 17th century the Catholic Church began to emphasize the religious importance of the day. Now the religious and secular aspects combine to make this a major holiday in much of the world.

POEM

CHRISTMAS IN THE WOODS

By Frances M. Frost

Tonight when the hoar frost falls on the wood,
And the rabbit cowers, and the squirrel is cold,
And the horned owl huddles against a star,
And the drifts are deep, and the year is old,
All shy creatures will think of Him.
The shivering mouse, the hare, the wild young fox,
The does with started fawn,
Will dream of gentleness and a Child:

The buck with budding horns will turn
His starry eyes to a silver hill tonight,
The chipmunk will awake and stir
And leave his burrow for the chill, dark midnight,
And all timid things will pause and sigh, and sighing bless
That Child who loves the trembling hearts,
The shy hearts of the wilderness.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
THE ARBUTHNOT ANTHOLOGY OF CHILDREN’S LITERATURE. 1953. Fair Lawn, New Jersey: Scott, Foresman and Company.

EXTENSION
How does this poem relate to the religious aspect of Christmas? What is the poet saying about Jesus and His relation to all living creatures?

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Christmas

INTRODUCTION
Ask students to share how they feel when they are waiting for Christmas to come. Tell them that you are going to share a poem with them that is about waiting for Christmas to come.

POEM

Waiting

By Maria Fleming

Each day that dawns,
yawns.
Each night that falls,
crawls.
Each minute that ticks,
sticks,

And I go on waiting…
and waiting…
Waiting’s the worst.
Because Christmas is coming

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Hopkins, Lee Bennett, comp. 2004. CHRISTMAS PRESENTS: HOLIDAY POETRY. Illustrated by Melanie Hall. New York: HarperCollins. ISBN 006008054X

EXTENSION
Ask students to list things they like to eat on Christmas, favorite smells, something they enjoy touching, special Christmas sounds and sights. Then have them write poems that tell why it is hard to wait for the holiday.

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Kwanzaa

INTRODUCTION
Kwanzaa is a week long holiday created in 1966 as a celebration of African American heritage. It includes candle lighting in honor of self-determination, creativity and cooperation and the giving of home-made presents.

POEM

Kwanzaa Time Is Here

By Helen H. Moore

“Habari gani!”—What’s the news?
What’s the great occasion?
Let’s pull together—“Harambee!”
To make a celebration.
It’s Kwanzaa!
Time for Unity
And Self-Determination!
We’ll share Responsibility,
and show Cooperation.
It’s Kwanzaa!
Time for Purpose,
Time for Creativity,
And Kwanzaa’s also time for Faith.
It’s Kwanzaa! Harambee!


BIBLIOGRAPHY
Moore, Helen B. 1997. A POEM A DAY: 180 THEMATIC POEMS AND ACTIVITIES THAT TEACH AND DELIGHT ALL YEAR LONG. New York: Scholastic Professional Books. ISBN 0590294334

EXTENSION
Read SEVEN CANDLES FOR KWANZAA by Andrea Davis Pinkney or a favorite Kwanzaa book. Discuss the seven principles learned in the poem and the story, unity, self-determination, responsibility, cooperation, purpose, creativity, and faith. Ask if those are good principles to live by. If time allows, allow students to make a black placemat that has red and green paper strips weaved through to represent the Kwanzaa colors.


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Hanukkah

INTRODUCTION
Explain that Hanukkah is a holiday much like the Fourth of July. It celebrates the end of a long war between the Jewish people, led by the Maccabees, and the Persian Empire. When the Maccabees finally defeated the Persian army in 165 b.c., they rededicated the Temple in Jerusalem. Hanukkah means rededication. Tradition says that when the rededication ceremony began, an oil lamp was filled with the only oil available. That small amount of oil lasted a full eight days, long enough to produce more so that the light never went out. In honor of that miracle candles are lit for eight nights on a menorah, and foods cooked in oil (latkes and donuts, for example) are eaten.

POEM

Hanukkah Lights

By J. Patrick Lewis

Verse:
Let the miracle and aura
Of eight lights from that menorah
Lit from one small vial of oil
Call the faithful from their toil.

Chorus:
As each house begins its glowing,
People coming, people going
Make a time—the overthrowing,
The defeat of the invaders.
People born in every nation
Celebrate our liberation.

Verses:
Let us keep the promise simple:
To rededicate the Temple
With a symbol to inspire
Peace and Freedom—candlefire.

Let no enemies destroy us
In a season turning joyous,
For it’s Hanukkah that’s bringing
Children laughing, children singing.

But let every child remember
That this festival December,
So enriching a revival,
Is a hymn to our survival.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Kimmel, Eric A., ed. 1998. A HANUKKAH TREASURY. Illustrated by Emily Lisker. New York: Henry Holt. ISBN 0805052933

EXTENSION
During the Spanish Inquisition it was a capital offense to practice Judaism. Jews who wished to pray together pretended to be gambling with a little top with markings on four sides. Remembering their bravery, people still play with dreidels on Hanukkah. Teach everyone the game and let them play.

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December

INTRODUCTION
In front of a map, discuss how weather varies across the country. Is it always cold in December? Is there always a blanket of snow? How do plants react to winter in different parts of the country? When I lived in Massachusetts, I would sometimes wake up to find ice covering flowers that had been blooming the day before. Picture a tulip covered with ice as you hear Hines’ poem.

POEM

Winter Sunshine

By Anna Grossnickle Hines

Today it is December.
Time for winter weather
And the air is frosty, chilly,
Only…
No one told the rosebush
And it has two yellow blossoms,
Two spots of sunshine
To warm away the cold.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Hines, Anna Grossnickle. 2001. PIECES: A YEAR IN POEMS & QUILTS. New York: Greenwillow Books. ISBN 0688169643

EXTENSION
Try to think up something unexpected for each season of the year. It might be something you are surprised to see or something it is unusual to do during that season.

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