Literacy - Yours For the Holidays 2024

December 25 to January 2 - Chanukah

Jeremy M - Cultural/UDL/Storytelling

When I was very young, my mother held a Chanukah party for my pre-school classmates. She invented her version of the game "Chanukah Bingo," creating a board and hand illustrating all of the cards and tiles. My mother included as part of the game a latke (potato pancake), dreidel, menorah, but also historical figures like Judah Maccabee and his father Matathias (among other images). We still have this game at my parents' house, and we play it on Chanukah. 

I also recall coming in from the cold (back when December felt cold where I grew up), and looking at the candle lights. It sometimes snowed on Chanukah, which made the holiday somehow more special to me. When I was 8, I wanted to see if I could have an electric menorah to place in my window similar to the electric candles our neighbors used for Christmas. My mother found one and gave it to me as a Chanukah gift. We still have it and it still works. 

It was also a tradition for my mother to read us stories from Singer's collection Stories for Children. I first listened to "The Parakeet Named Dreideil" when my mother read it to me from that book. It's a story I adore because the first time she read it was the same year we adopted our beloved family parakeet "Pip."

The text referenced is the story (also a picture book) "The Parakeet Named Dreidel" by the Nobel Prize Winner Isaac Bashevis Singer. Singer is the only Nobel laureate who wrote in Yiddish. 

https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781466894587/theparakeetnameddreidel

December 24 - Christmas Eve

Jan G - Digital Literacy

As a child I remember what a joy it was to always wonder where Santa was and when he would arrive at our house. I even tried one year to wait up all night to see him, but of course I fell asleep! Now that I have a child of my own, it's been a real pleasure to watch him experience the wonder and anticipation of Santa's arrival. The world has changed a bit since I was young, with the growing use of the internet and digital technology. So, when he was young, I thought it would be a fun idea to introduce my son to the NORAD Santa Tracker and some of the amazing things the internet has to offer.

Every year since he was very young, my son and I have logged on to the computer to play games about Christmas (puzzles, digital colouring sheets, mazes and more). We've also always logged in on Christmas Eve to check the tracker to see where Santa is in his journey. It's been so much fun to see my son's skills grow while using the mouse, learning where to click, and watching his joy and wonder as his actions had an effect on screen. Even though he's almost an adult now, we still have fun every year checking the NORAD Santa Tracker.  https://www.noradsanta.org/en/

December 24 - JOLABOKAFLOD

Sherry L - Reading/Literacy

Until this year, on Christmas Eve, our family would open one gift of pajamas. A fun thing that gave us fresh "jammies" to wear on Christmas morning. However, this year, we have decided to take on a tradition from Iceland and exchange books on Christmas Eve instead.

The Icelandic Christmas Eve tradition of Jólabókaflóð, or "Christmas Book Flood," is a cherished cultural practice, rooted in the nation's love for literature. In Iceland, ‘book flood’ is celebrated on Christmas Eve and revolves around giving and receiving new books, often accompanied by delicious treats like hot cocoa. The night is spent in the company of loved ones, reading and sharing stories, creating memories that last a lifetime.

As a family, we love books and reading! We even have our tree set up in the library. We can't wait to experience the comfort and joy of reading with each other, on a quiet night, before the bustle and social activities of Christmas Day.

Learn more about this Icelandic tradition (including how to pronounce Jólabókaflóðat) at https://adventures.is/blog/iceland-christmas-eve-tradition

December 24 - Wigilia

Kate G - Cultural and Culinary Literacy

On Christmas Eve, my family celebrates traditional Polish "Wigilia" which comes from the Latin word, Vigil, with my husband’s side of the family. Traditionally, dinner consists of twelve courses with many different fish dishes. Dinner begins with a beet soup my mother-in-law makes called Barszcz (Borscht). It is served with small mushroom-filled pierogies called uszka which means little ears.

My favourite part of the whole evening is at the very beginning before dinner is served – breaking and sharing of opłatek (blessed wafer). Each person gets a piece of opłatek. You then talk individually with each member of the family and exchange good wishes for the upcoming year. To complete the exchange of good wishes, you break off a piece of each other's opłatek and eat it. It’s a lovely moment where you connect with your loved ones in a very personal and special way. 

Seasonal/Holiday Baking

Summer B - Math/Numeracy

My grandmother loved baking, and around the holidays her specialty was pie. Pie baking day involved a funny ritual where grandma insisted that the kitchen floor be washed just before baking, and the first step was always to grab a pinch of flour and toss it on the newly cleaned floor. Grandma told all the grandkids that it was for luck – if you didn’t follow those steps, your pies might not turn out!

All of the grandkids looked forward to helping grandma make pies… pulling out and reading the old recipe cards, measuring each ingredient, and making sure no scrap of crust was wasted. The holiday pie tradition continues – and even today, I wash my kitchen floor and throw a pinch of flour on it for good luck before baking holiday goodies!

Click here for great pie recipes - Enjoy!