Our 4th graders this term were invited by their course book to compare customs between different countries. Vasso and Zoe decided to present Christmas!

CHRISTMAS IN GREECE, BRITAIN AND RUSSIA
by Zoe Gerogiakomou & Vasso Boukorou (4th grade)

Christmas in Greece is great! We decorate our houses and tree with balls and lights. The children sing carols. We always open our presents on New Year’s Day. At Christmas we have lunch. In the evening we have dinner with all the members of our family.

In Britain, Christmas is a very popular holiday. People there decorate their tree and houses, too. They send cards to their friends and family and children there sing carols, too. At home, children have a stocking and Santa Claus puts presents in it. They always open their presents on Christmas day. They eat roast turkey or beef with fried potatoes and Brussels sprouts. For dessert they usually have Christmas pudding.

Julie Alamanioti, a Russian 6th grade student in our school, says that people in Russia celebrate Christmas every year. They decorate their houses, too. They go to the church and then the whole family comes home to eat homemade food. On New Year’s Eve in the afternoon people there eat homemade salads and other food and they drink wine. Some people go to the church and spend the night there. They put the presents under the Christmas tree and, on New Year’s Day, the children wake up and open their presents.