Catching up to the new year

Why do we Celebrate?

There are many things and many ways we celebrate. One of the many things I celebrated this year was the Lord's goodness and his prefect timing. I have learned time and again that my ways are not his ways. If I had my way our grade 3 teacher would have been here in September. The Lord had us wait and we celebrated her arrival in December with many cheers and parties

What do we Celebrate?

When I started teaching grade 1 at CISP I had to develop a Social Studies curriculum. There was a very barebones outline so I decided that a celebrations unit would be a great way to explore the different cultures in the classroom. So I found a Celebrations unit on TpT (teachersbyteachers which is the best teacher resource website ever created) and went from there. Now it is tradition for my kids to learn about Remembrance Day, Thanksgiving, Diwali, Hanukkah and Christmas celebrations from different countries around the world. 

 

My favourite part of this unit is when we have our celebrations day and our kids dress up in traditional clothes from their culture, we share foods and traditions. It is a great way to end our semester. I make them Christmas stockings and stuff them with treats. We retell the Christmas story with flannel graph figures and make Christmas crafts and play games. 

Who do we Celebrate?

This year we have been learning about serving our community. Our elementary kids get to find ways to serve our grade 12 seniors. We decided for exam week we would make them an exam survival kit. The kids had fun writing our senior little notes and sharing their package with her.

How do we Celebrate?

Traditions

Christmas time is full of traditions and memories.

We started off the year with a German traditions as my German flatmate filled our boots with treats on Saint Nicholas day.

It would not be Christmas without grade one reciting Luke 2 at the elementary Christmas concert.

I had one little guy that was obsessed with learning the verses. He looked forward to our reciting every day and was sure to remind me if we hadn't done it. "Miss Robinsonmam, what about In those days?"

Christmas Markets

Every year I take the kids to the local Christmas markets.  

 

I also join a group of friends to venture out to the Christmas markets in Germany. This year we branched out and went to Leipzig. We also stopped in a lovely little Christmas town that makes wooden toys. I haven't been there since my second year here and it was great to go back.

I bought my own tree this year but I had the family I am living with help me pick it out and carry it home. The kids even helped me decorate it.

Merry Christmas

Christmas with Family

This Christmas I had the blessing of having my Aunt and Uncle join me. They had to make a trip over to Poland and popped by for a week to rest in between their many travels. I had plans to visit them but life threw a few curve balls and it worked out for them to come see me instead. We did some touristy stuff, enjoyed some good visits and celebrated with a handful of friends who popped in and out throughout the week. There is something special about being around family at Christmas.

Happy New Year

I brought the new year in with a group of gals I work with and when they braved the below 0C temperatures to go watch fireworks I went upstairs to join another family to watch it from the safety of our warm apartment building.

When do we Celebrate?

Everyday! We are commanded to rejoice and give thanks continually. To essentially at all times celebrate life and the one who has given it. I look forward to another year full of celebration. There are many changes ahead and many unknowns. God is good and faithful and we celebrate all that he has done and continues to do and we give him the glory!