Like many customs and traditions associated with the Christmas season, stories vary as to their exact origins. The following information about the traditional Christmas song, “The Twelve Days of Christmas”, was found on an internet website: “The 12 Days of Christmas” was originally published as a Christmas Carol in 1780. But some say its origins […]
The Christmas Truce refers to the events in and around Christmas Day in 1914, during World War I, when enemies laid down their arms. They sang carols to each other and met on “no man’s land” and exchanged Christmas greetings. Many teachers will be familiar with The Literacy Shed website which focuses on videos as […]
“Christmas Is For Sharing” is the 2014 Christmas advert from the Sainsburys store in the UK. It commemorates an extraordinary event which took place during the First World War one hundred years ago: the Christmas Truce. On Christmas Day 1914, the opposing troops laid down their arms, crossed “no-man’s land”, shared some food and played a […]
This website offers a guide to resources available online which deal with the origins, evolution and lore of Santa Claus and Father Christmas. The main part consists of links to other sites, with some commentary describing the contents and quality of these sites. However, you will also find a brief overview of each stage in […]
This website from the BBC gives some history associated with the Christian festival of Christmas. For example, did you know that the date of December 25th was only set as the day of Jesus’ birth in the 4th century AD? The site also gives details about early and modern celebrations of Christmas. Visit Website
This website from the BBC gives information on how Christmas was celebrated in ten different eras throughout history including Medieval, Victorian, during World War II and the post-War period. Visit Website
This website gives a broad overview of Christmas ornaments over the years and the impact they’ve had on our memories of Christmas. It deals with the origins of the Christmas Tree, early Christmas ornaments from the 1800s and the ornaments from modern times. Visit Website
Find information, articles and videos about the history of Christmas from the History Channel. Visit Website
This website gives a great insight into the celebration of Christmas during Victorian times. It will give pupils great information on seasonal decorations, Christmas music, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, presents, food and lots more. Visit Website
Charles Dickens had a profound influence on the way we celebrate Christmas today. This site details the revival of Christmas during Victorian times, including the beginning of what we now accept as traditions of Christmas – Christmas Cards, Christmas Carols, the Christmas Tree. The site also makes reference to some of Dickens’ novels, especially A […]