PRIMARY SCHOOL

BRANKO
RADIEVI
MALI ZVORNIK

DEAR
READERS,
This is the
first issue of
our magazine.

I S S U E

0 6 . 1 2 . 2 0 1 6 .

I hope that
you will
enjoy
reading it!
Your teacher

INSIDE THIS
ISSUE:
Christmas
Traditions
Around The
World

Christmas in
England

Christmas in
Spain

Christmas in
Greece and
Germany

Christmas in
Australia

Christmas in
Serbia

Word Search

A unique, creative magazine for primary school children

Christmas Traditions Around The

World
CHRISTMAS IN ENGLAND
In England families often celebrate
Christmas together. Most families
have a Christmas tree in their house
for Christmas. The decorating of the
tree is usually a family occasion, with
everyone helping.

Christmas lights in
Oxford Street

Most villages, towns and

cities are decorated with
Christmas lights over
Christmas. Often a famous person
switches them on. The most famous
Christmas lights in England are in
Oxford Street in London. Every year
they get bigger and better.
Children believe that Father Christmas
or Santa leaves presents in stockings.
These are normally hung up by the fire
or by the children's beds on Christmas
Eve. Children sometimes leave
out mince pies and brandy for Father
Christmas to eat and drink when he
visits them.
Children also write letters to Father
Christmas/Santa listing their wishes.
Nativity Plays and Carol Services are
also very popular at Christmas time in
England.

CHRISTMAS IN SPAIN
Christmas stockings

Three Wise Men

(Spain)

Most people in Spain go to Midnight

Mass. Most families eat their main
Christmas meal on Christmas Eve
before the service. The traditional
Spanish Christmas dinner is 'Pavo

Trufado de Navidad' which is

turkey stuffed with truffles (the
mushrooms). After the midnight
service, people walk through the
streets carrying torches, playing
guitars and beating on
tambourines and drums.
Apart from Christmas, there is
another festival that is celebrated
in Spain that is about the
Christmas Story. It is called
Epiphany and is celebrated on 6th
January. In Spanish, Epiphany is
called 'Fiesta de Los tres Reyes
Mages': in English this means 'The
festival of the three Magic Kings'.
Epiphany celebrates when
the Kings or Wise Men brought
gifts to the baby Jesus. Children
have some presents on Christmas
Day, but most are opened at
Epiphany. Some children believe
that the Kings bring presents to
them at Epiphany.

CHRISTMAS IN GREECE
The Christmas season in Greece begins on December 6th, which is Saint Nicolas
day, and ends on January 6th, the day of Epiphany. Streets are packed with people
buying Christmas presents for their loved ones, as well as Christmas carolers
singing Christmas songs.
On Christmas Eve, children, especially boys, often go out singing 'kalanda' (carols)
in the streets. They play drums and triangles as they sing.
Christmas Trees are popular in Greece. But an older and more traditional
decoration is a shallow wooden bowl with a piece of wire is suspended across the
rim. A sprig of basil wrapped around a wooden cross hangs from the wire. Some
water is kept in the bowl to keep the basil alive and fresh.

Christmas in
Greece

CHRISTMAS IN GERMANY

Christmas Tree are very

important in Germany. The
Christmas tree is traditionally
brought into the house on
Christmas Eve. In some parts
of Germany, during the
evening the family would read
the Bible and sing Christmas
songs.
Germany is well known for its
Christmas Markets where all

sorts of Christmas foods and

decorations are sold. Perhaps
the most famous German
decorations are glass
ornaments.

CHRISTMAS IN AUSTRALIA
In Australia, Christmas
comes in the towards the
beginning of the summer
holidays! Children have
their summer holidays
from mid December to
early February, so some
people might even be
camping at Christmas.
When Santa gets to
Australia, he gives the

reindeer a rest and uses

kangaroos. He also
changes his clothes for
less 'hot' ones!

Australian Christmas

CHRISTMAS IN SERBIA

In Serbia, the main Church is the Orthodox Church and people still
use the old 'Julian' Calendar, which means that Christmas Eve is on
6th January and Christmas Day is on the 7th January! During
Advent, some people fast and they don't eat food that comes from
animals (meat, milk, eggs, etc.).
On Christmas Eve (called 'Badnji dan' during the day and 'Badnje
vee' after sunset), families gather and many people fast. It is the
last day of the Christmas fast. Christmas is a very religious holiday
and most people go to the Christmas Services. On Christmas Day
the dawn is greeted with church bells ringing and sometimes firing
guns into the air! The first person to enter a house on Christmas
Day is called a polaznik and it's thought to bring luck to the
house and family. At Christmas a special kind of bread is eaten.
It's called 'esnica' and is made in a round shape. Each member of
the family gets a piece (and the house does too). There is a coin
hidden in it and whoever gets the coin will be particularly
fortunate in the next year!
Other popular Christmas dishes include peenica (roast pork),
sarma(cabbage stuffed with rice and ground meat) and lots of
cakes!
Traditional Serbian customs have also mixed with western
customs. For example people also have Christmas Trees but they
are decorated on New Year's Eve, not at Christmas!

esnica

Caption describing picture or

graphic.

The words can be in any direction and backwards

ANGELS
BABY
BETHLEHEM
BIRTH
DAY
GOLD
JESUS
MARY
MYRRH
SHEEP
SHEPHERDS
STAR
STABLE
WISEMEN