Emily Kelley

“Christmas Around the World” is definitely a book I will include in my future class library. I love this book for many reasons but particularly because it includes many chapters on different countries and how each country celebrates Christmas. These chapters include Mexico, Ethiopia, China, Germany, Lebanon, Sweden, Australia, and Russia. This book is very informational and can teach children a lot about other cultures and their Christmas traditions. One specific thing I learned was that in Ethiopia, gifts are not even given! Instead, families celebrate by going to "genna" games, a sport only played at Christmastime, similar to ice hockey—but without the ice. The illustrations also represent each culture well and children can easily compare and contrast the differing cultures. For example, Chinese people decorate for the holiday with paper lanterns. I think the main idea of this book is to provide insight on how different cultures celebrate one holiday. I especially like the books statement, “Christmas is celebrated in many different ways. But one thing is certain. Christmas warmth and joy are the same for Christians everywhere.”… (mer)