CurrClick's Christmas Around The World - England - Plus Giveaways

I am very honored and excited! Christmas Around the World with CurrClick has partnered with myself and nine other homeschool bloggers this week. Each one of us will be giving goodies away during our bloggy event so be sure to check the schedule and stop by each site to learn about Christmas in other countries, enter the giveaways and maybe even make some new friends!

I have been given the opportunity to share about England. I've had a lot of homeschool fun studying how they 'do' Christmas on the other side of the pond, pip pip cheerio!

It seems Christmas in England is much the same as in the US. In fact many of the traditions we hold near and dear, began in England including the use of Mistletoe and sending of Christmas cards! Christmas is the most popular holiday in England and they hold familiar festivities such as special church services, the gathering of extended families, gift exchanges and a traditional Christmas feast. But I did discover a few differences which I would love to see become standard in the US.

The first of which is the Christmas Cracker. These are brightly decorated paper scrolls which usually hold little toys and jokes. Two people pull an end, like a wishbone, the cracker cracks open and the contents are divided.

Next up is Christmas Pudding! I think this may be where the US's Fruit Cake stemmed from. While it doesn't exactly look appetizing, it sounds delicious. Christmas Pudding is an extremely moist and thick "pudding" (though it doesn't have a drop of milk). It is chock full of dried fruits and nuts and has been steamed for several hours or cooked in a pressure cooker. Sometimes they are set to dry and "cure" for a few weeks before serving, this is to enhance the flavor.

Then there is the Royal Christmas Message. Each year Queen Elizabeth addresses her country with a summary of the year and general well wishes.his tradition began in 1932 with King George V and a radio cast. Now I realize we don't have a queen, but I think the idea of our president wishing us well for Christmas hearkens to another age, a simpler time. Wouldn't that be lovely?

Lastly there is the day after Christmas, Boxing Day. I always assumed this referenced the sport of boxing, much the way many Americans are obsessed with football around the holidays. (Stop laughing!) Apparently Boxing Day has nothing to do with boxing at all. This is a day to thank all our hardworking tradesmen like mailmen, delivery personnel, paperboys and the like as well as give to the poor. This tradition started long ago when kind folks, usually those well to do, would "box up" food, clothes and other gifts to distribute to their servants and nearby tradespeople. If Christmas is on a Saturday then Boxing Day is held until Monday.

CurrClick has graciously put together SIX items for me to give away!! (Click the links below to see more item detail.) In order to win simply leave a comment telling me what you learned about Christmas in England, a Christmas in England fact I didn't include or a personal experience with Christmas in England. Be sure to include your top two prize choices and an email contact or link to a blog with a contact address. Winners will be chosen December 15th. Winners will have one week to send me their mailing address, if I do not receive an address within one week the prize will be forfeited and a new winner will be chosen. COMMENTS ARE NOT LIMITED, ENTER COMMENT AS MUCH AS YOU WOULD LIKE!! Good luck!!

Christmas Copywork by Lilliput Station - PRIZE #1
Let your child learn the true story of Christmas as they practice their writing skills. This file contains fourteen different copywork pages with verses from the KJV Bible and one with a verse from a hymn. Each page is illustrated with black and white drawings and comes with both primary and straight lines.

The Dragon & The Raven: King Alred and the Viking Invasion Henty Audio Book by Jim Hodges Productions - PRIZE #2
Audio Story: The Saxons and Vikings fought many fierce battles in Britain in the 8th and 9th centuries. During the struggle, 23-year-old Alfred ascended the throne and temporarily beat back the pagan hordes and concluded a peace treaty. Following another war in 878, peace was again achieved; the Danish King Guthrum accepted Christianity and withdrew to East Anglia, and Alfred the Great fortified cities, built a navy, codified laws, and revived learning among the Saxons until his death in A.D. 900. The hero is a Saxon thane named Edmund who joins the forces of King Alfred, fighting the Danes on land and in their own element, the sea, in his ship The Dragon. Carried by storms to the shores of Norway, he defeats Sweyn the Viking in single combat, takes part in the siege of Paris on behalf of the Franks, and tracks down his nemesis in order to rescue the Danish maiden he will later marry.


Our Global Village - England by Milliken - PRIZE #3
Bring the world a little closer with these multicultural books. An excellent way for students to appreciate and learn cultural diversity in an exciting hands-on format. Each book explores the history, language, holidays, festivals, customs, legends, foods, creative arts, lifestyles, and games of the title country. A creative alternative to student research reports and a time-saver for teachers since the activities and resource material are contained in one book.

England Picture Activity Cards by The Teacher's Desk.info - PRIZE #4
Learn about England with these picture activity cards. Color photos illustrate various aspects of English life. Topics include animals, food, British vocabulary, London, buildings, landmarks, monuments, castles, palaces, and the government. Quizzes with answer keys, links, and printable activities are included.

Magic Tree House book #44 - A Ghost Tale for Christmas Time by The Teacher's Desk.info - PRIZE #5
Reading comprehension and vocabulary worksheets with activities for the Magic Tree House book #44 - A Ghost Tale for Christmas Time. Includes: reading comprehension worksheets for each chapter, vocabulary worksheets for words found in the book, cursive handwriting/spelling practice pages, simple online research project, book review, Victorian-themed bordered writing pages, coloring pages, mazes, graphics illustrating Victorian life, links, and answer keys

Lewis Carroll Author Study by Oakes Homeschool Consulting - PRIZE #6
A unit study on 19th century English author Lewis Carroll, most known for writing the beloved children's classic Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.