Christmas Around The World: Italy

Today the boys and I began a study of the way other countries celebrate the holidays.  We are using a unit I found on the internet of course, and I wish I could link to it but I’m not sure where I got it and don’t see any site or person to give credit to in the document itself other than “Holly.”  Sorry.

The first country we “visited” was Italy.  We learned how to say Santa Claus and Merry Christmas in Italian, how Christmas in Italy focuses a lot on the nativity and about the story of La Befana, the kind old woman who flies around on a broomstick and leaves candy and treats in the shoes of good children.

We found Italy on the world map and flagged it with the Italian version of “Merry Christmas.”

I made a really impromptu flannel board and the boys acted out the nativity story as I read it out loud.

Here is ds4 with our La Befana puppet.  Just when I think he is getting too old for these kinds of things he surprises me with how much fun he has.  :)

In fact, La Befana’s little helper left some treats in my shoes!  Too cute.  The little helper, not the shoes.  ;)