Team 1

1. Ewelina Kusiak - Poland

2. Dina Manuela Falcone 

      and Malvina Cellucci - Italy

3. Vicky Malteza - Greece

4. Rocio  González   - Spain

5. Beyhan Dogan - Turkey

In Poland families meet together on 24th December (Christmas Eve). 

Ewelina Kusiak

Szkoła Podstawowa nr 15

Wrocław/ Poland

There are 12 dishes (we eat e.g. dumplings with sauerkraut and mushrooms, carp, red borsch).

Ewelina Kusiak

Szkoła Podstawowa nr 15

Wrocław/ Poland

Children with their parents bake Christmas gingerbread.

Ewelina Kusiak

Szkoła Podstawowa nr 15

Wrocław/ Poland

Every years go Father Christmas to raise money to donate.

Last day of the year, usually made fireworks.

Dina Manuela Falcone
2nd class Palena Primary School - Italy

Traditional Christmas sweets are: shortbread biscuits with chocolate glaze, shortbread cookies with chocolate glaze, biscuits called "stuffed birds" (grape jam, chocolate,  coffee, walnuts, almonds, chopped biscuits), another type of biscuits "Mostaccioli", Christmas log, snowballs and fried.

shortbread biscuits 

fried.

"stuffed birds"

Mostaccioli

snowballs

Dina Manuela Falcone
2nd class Palena Primary School - Italy

In every church there is a Christmas nativity scene.... 

....and every family make a Christmas nativity scene on their home on 8th december.

Dina Manuela Falcone
2nd class Palena Primary School - Italy

In our small towns you can see lights, decorations, and big Christmas tree not only in all the houses, but also in square and streets....

Malvina Cellucci

Palena Primary School 

class 3rd  

Italy

In Greece we decorate a Christmas tree and send cards to each other. We also decorate a boat and sing the carols. We make traditional sweets called melomakarona and kourabiedes. We buy presents for our family and friends. We give money to charities. 

Vicky Malteza

On the 5th January Spanish kids go to  la cabalgata, it is a Christmas parade. They are excited to see the Three Wise Men on the parade.

The Three Wise Men bring presents to Spanish kids, they open the presents  on the 6th January in the morning.

On the 6th January, Spaniards usually eat roscón. It is a brioche cake topped with candied fruit and it has a tiny toy of a king inside the cake.

Rocío González

Actually we don't celebrate Christmas. We only celebrate new year. On 31st December we come together with our families or friends. We eat and drink somethings and we play bingo. 

Beyhan DOĞAN

Turkey

And if we want we may decorate a tree.

Beyhan DOĞAN

Turkey

 Team 2

1. Amalya Vardanyan - Armenia

2. Ivona Mijoč - Tea Vujevic, Nikolina         Šubat - Croatia  

3. Alicja Dorociak-Bryk   - Poland 

4. Nicoleta Ciubota - Romania 

 Amalya Vardanyan 

- Armenia

On St. Lucy's Day (December 13) we sow Christmas wheat.

On Christmas Eve we decorate the Christmas tree

We place Nativity Scene under the Christmas tree.

On Christmas morning children open the presents brought by the Baby Jesus.

Children help their parents make gingerbread cookies.

Alicja Dorociak-Bryk

Poland

Christmas Eve Dinner – kolacja wigilijna – is the most important Christmas celebration in Poland. Christmas Eve Dinner starts in the late afternoon or in the evening, depending on a family (some people visit 2 or even more families during Christmas Eve, having 2 or more dinners). The tradition requires that the dinner can start only after the first star is visible in the sky. Kids keep looking out the window waiting for the first star (children want to start dinner as soon as possible to proceed after to the next part – Christmas gifts).

Dinner starts with sharing the Christmas wafer (opłatek – baked from wheat flour and water, usually rectangular). Each guest receives a piece of a wafer and then people share it with one another eating a piece of a wafer and making wishes (wishes usually refer to the previous and next year). There is also a special pink wafer for animals. The tradition says that animals are endowed with the power of human speech on Christmas Eve.

Alicja Dorociak-Bryk

Poland

The tradition in Poland requires that the Christmas Eve dinner (on December 24) includes twelve courses.   All dishes served on Christmas Eve must be meat-free. Typically, the dinner includes carp fish (karp), beetroot soup (barszcz czerwony), mushroom soup (zupa grzybowa) or fish soup (zupa rybna), dumplings with mushroom or cabbage filling (pierogi), cooked cabbage with mushrooms (kapusta z grzybami), herring salad (sałatka śledziowa), cooked vegetable salad with mayonnaise dressing (sałatka jarzynowa).

Alicja Dorociak-Bryk

Poland

Christmas in our country, in Romania, is the celebration of the greatest joy - the Nativity. The children sing Christian verses about this world event.

CIUBOTA NICOLETA

Liceul Mihail Sadoveanu-Borca-Romania

Celebrate in the family and make sure that no one is sad or alone.

Everyone receives gifts and family joy is present.

CIUBOTA NICOLETA

Liceul Mihail Sadoveanu-

Borca-Romania

 Team 3

1.Amalia Rakosy - Romania

2.Ambra Raco - Italy

3. Anna Balyan - Armenia

4. Zuzana Hasakova - Slovakia

5. Malgorzata Ira - Poland

Amalia Rakosy 

Școala Gimnazială nr.1 Vârșolț    Romania

The main Christmas meal, which is also eaten on Christmas Eve, consists of  stuffed cabbage-töltött káposzta (the leaves are stuffed with rice, mince pork, onion, garlic and other herbs) sausage-kolbász, boeuf salad- böffsaláta,

Boff

Kolbász

Töltött

Amalia Rakosy

Romania

The gingerbread is often wrapped in very bright colors and decorated with Christmas figures.

gingerbread- mézeskalács and a special kind of poppy bread/cake called 'Beigli' is a popular dessert.

Amalia Rakosy

Romania

Santa Claus visits pupils on the 6th December. He is known as 'Mikulás'. Children leave out shoes or boots on a windowsill to be filled with goodies! Presents might also be brought by Télapó (Old Man Winter).

Amalia Rakosy 

Școala Gimnazială nr.1 Vârșolț

Vîrșolț, Romania

On Christmas Eve the presents are brought by Jesus, he's often called "Jézuska", a nickname or cuter version for "Jézus". Children wait outside the room where the tree is and when they hear bells ringing, they can enter and the presents await them under the Christmas tree.

Amalia Rakosy 

Școala Gimnazială nr.1 Vârșolț

Vîrșolț, Romania

Christmas traditions in Italy

In Italy Christmas vibes start on December 8th, day of the Immaculate Conception (Immacolata Concezione), when Italians decorate their Christmas trees and create the Nativity scenes (Il presepe.) Christmas holidays end on January 6th, the Epiphany. We say Buon Natale to wish Merry Christmas.

Ambra Raco

3°- 4° - 5° Class Primary School Chiomonte (TO) 

Italy

The presepe is one of the most important decorations at Christmas. Traditionally the statue of baby Jesus is not added until Christmas Day. Also the Three Wise Men are added on January 6th. Many places also play the presepe vivente (living nativity scene) where each actor plays a nativity scene character.

Ambra Raco

3°- 4° - 5° Class Primary School Chiomonte (TO) 

Italy

Another tradition is playing tombola. A game similar to bingo that gathers everyone from kids to elders

Ambra Raco

3°- 4° - 5° Class Primary School Chiomonte (TO) 

Italy

There are two traditional Italian Christmas cakes, Panettone and Pandoro. The first is a sweet bread filled with raisins and candied fruit while the other is a tall, star-shaped cake sprinkled with icing sugar.   

Ambra Raco

 Primary School 

Chiomonte (TO) 

Italy

Usually Italians split in two groups those who prefer Pandoro e those who prefer Panettone.

The Armenian Apostolic Church celebrates the birth of Christ on January 6. The holiday starts on January 5, at 17:00 in the evening and continues until the next evening. What traditions are connected with Christmas in Armenia.

Anna Balyan  

Armenia

Christmas 

in Charentsavan church

Anna Balyan  

Armenia

Hay under the tablecloth - Christmas customs in Poland

The Christmas table - we cover it with a white tablecloth, under which we put hay - a symbol of the poverty in which Jesus was born. It is believed that with the same hay, the hosts ensure their prosperity and prosperity for the next year.

Małgorzata Ira

 Team 4

1. Monica Landea - Romania

2. Gloria Pessoa and Maria Sameiro  Costa               - Portugal

3. Olga Dabrowska - Poland

4. Snezana Milic - Serbia

The Christmas traditions in Romania are many and varied. As part of these traditions is the play "The Birth of the Lord" performed by the little students of the Preparatory Class. 

Monica Landea, Gimnazyum School No. 1, Concești-Botoșani, Romania

The characters of the skit are: Mary, Joseph, the Angel, the three Magi, the shepherds, the storytellers. The scene explains to the little ones the timing and importance of the Nativity. The text is adapted according to the age of the participants.

Monica Landea, Gimnazyum School No. 1, Concești-Botoșani, Romania

Monica Landea, Romania

Monica Landea, Gimnazyum School No. 1, Concești-Botoșani, Romania

Monica Landea, Gimnazyum School No. 1, Concești-Botoșani, Romania

Christmas is the date of Jesus' birth, and, in Portugal, the Nativity Scene is placed in our houses, churches, schools and even in the streets for all to praise the Child Jesus and remember the importance of the Family.

Glória Pessoa - Sameiro Costa

Escola Básica de Santa Cruz Trindade

Chaves 

 Portugal

In the old day, in Portugal it was the Child Jesus who brought gifts to children on Christmas Eve.

Glória Pessoa - Sameiro Costa

Escola Básica de Santa Cruz Trindade

Chaves 

 Portugal

Olga Dąbrowska

Szkoła Podstawowa Nr 5

im. Żołnierzy Armii Krajowej w Wyszkowie

Poland

 Olga Dąbrowska

Poland

 Olga Dąbrowska

Poland

 Snezana Milic Serbia

3^ class, Snežana Milić, OŠ „Milivoj Petković-Fećko“ Platičevo, Serbia

 Snezana Milic Serbia

3^ class, Snežana Milić, OŠ "Milivoj Petković-Fećko“ Platičevo, Serbia

 Snezana Milic Serbia

3^ class, Snežana Milić, OŠ „Milivoj Petković-Fećko“ Platičevo, Serbia

 Snezana Milic Serbia

3^ class, Snežana Milić, OŠ „Milivoj Petković-Fećko“ Platičevo, Serbia

 Team 5

1. Esma Ayka - Turkey

2. Ivana Somoncic, Mia Devic  Mandur and Dejana  Paškvan-Žeželj     - Croatia

3. Malgorzata Wrzosek-Niedziółka - Poland

4. Alina Mera - Romania

Families get together, eat delicious food, prepare fancy cookies that children love so much. Also Cake is made. 

Eat fruit, wait for lottery results, play bingo, cook chestnuts and watch entertaining programs. In recent years, we have been sharing this enthusiasm and excitement with the whole world.

ESMA AYCA -TURKEY

With various Christmas decorations, lighting is made both in houses and in streets and avenues. 

ESMA AYCA - TURKEY

I buy red colored gifts for our students and families. In my family, we buy each other presents every Christmas. In our class, students give each other gifts and I buy gifts for all of them.

ESMA AYCA - TURKEY

In Croatia families plant wheat grains, usually in a round dish. The belief is that the taller the wheat grows, the better the coming year will be.

On Christmas Eve families gather and decorate the Christmas tree.

 Saint Lucy's day is celebrated on the 13th of December. Usually people plant the wheat grains on this day.

Dejana Paškvan-Žeželj, Ivana Simončić and Mia Dević Mandura Croatia

It's traditional in Croatia to bake different cookies for the Christmas holidays. Usually families gather together and bake. 

Dejana Paškvan-Žeželj, Ivana Simončić and Mia Dević Mandura Croatia

In Poland people make gingerbread cookies with children. They hang these cookies on Christmas tree. 

Children help their parents make gingerbread

The students decorate the Christmas tree

They make Christmas cards

Christmas show

 Team 6

1. Jolanda Szpinda - Poland 

2. Oana  Olteanu   - Romania 

3. Gohal Meltoynan - Armenia

4. Ludmila Racu - Republica Moldova

Jolanta Szpinda

Jolanta Szpinda

Jan Wedel Primary School n. 355 Varsavia

Teacher: Jolanta Szpin

OLTEANU OANA

 Școala Gimnazială Nr.11 Buzău 

România

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1hJOVX394x4C7u_B3dC__NSs-J0d2T-ue/view?usp=drivesdk 

OLTEANU OANA

 Școala Gimnazială Nr.11 Buzău 

România

Our children with typical Romanian clothes

Armenians are the first nation to adopt Christianity as state religion in 301 AD. And starting from that period they celebrate Christmas on the 6th of January. Though in the 4th century Catholics replaced the date from the 6th of January to 25th of December to get ride off a pagan feast dedicated to the Sun, Armenians never were defected from this change and continued celebrating the birth of Christ on the 6th of January.

Gohar Meltonyan

ARMENIA

New Year

People bring Christmas fire from churches to their homes, believing it will bless their families and bring success.

Gohar Meltonyan

ARMENIA

To celebrate Christmas woman usually cook rice with raisins, fish, ghapama (traditional Armenian dish made of pumpkin) and gata with a coin in it.

People say that the one who finds the coin in his piece of gata is going to be the luckiest during the year.

Gohar Meltonyan

ARMENIA

In the Republic of Moldova, Christmas is celebrated twice, on December 25th and January 7th. In particular, on January 7, national dishes are prepared: sarmale, plăcinte(pies), colăcei, crăciunei, friptură(steak) with mămăligă (polenta).

Ludmilla Racu

Republica Moldova 

Children on this day go from house to house announcing the birth of Jesus, singing carols. The owners of the houses listen to the carols of the children who wish a rich year, well-being and health. Then the children receive sweets, baked goods, fruit and money.

Ludmilla Racu

Republica Moldova 

Team 7

1.Rosa Ana Mary Blasco - Spain

2. Arzu Sunguroğlu - Turkey

3. Maria Gerou (Μαρία Γέρου) and Evangelia Fotaki          (ΕΥΑΓΓΕΛΙΑ ΦΩΤΑΚΗ) - Greece

4. Barbara Jasińska - Poland

On the 6th January, Spaniard eat "Roscón de Reyes" a typical kind of brioche with toppings.

In class we worked about the recipe and some of the student tried to do it at home with their families

Rosa Ana Mary Blasco

Spain

Rosa Ana Mary Blasco

Spain

Bake "pastissets de Nadal" in family.

Visit Santa to talk to him

Read the book "La Gironera" a special character intended by a teacher that gives as the presents in the school.

In Turkey, families get together at the new year eve night and have a nice dinner with delicious meals. Then young and old, altogether they play games like tombala (a game similar to bingo) or kizma birader (ludo) until midnight. They enter the new year joyfully. 

Tamer Ozyurt Ilkokulu, 

Istanbul/TURKEY.

Teacher: Arzu Sunguroglu

Evangelia Fotaki-Maria Gerou

Primary School of Perdikkas

Ptolemaida/Greece

The children decorate Christmas trees in houses and at schools.

We also decorate a small boat with lights in our houses.

Melomakarona are traditional sweets in Greece.

The children sing carols on 24 December and on 31 December.

Evangelia Fotaki-Maria Gerou

Primary School of Perdikkas

Ptolemaida/Greece