How to Experience Different Holiday Traditions with Your Au Pair

2-Minute Read

Though every season offers ways to learn about culture, the holiday season is one of the best. Here at Au Pair in America, we love hearing about the many different holiday traditions that our Community Counselors and host families celebrate with their au pairs.

If you’re currently hosting an au pair, we’ve put together some quick and easy tips for you to check out this holiday season.

Here’s how you can experience different holiday traditions with your au pair:

Holiday Parties – Both Big and Small

Hosting a holiday party is a perfect opportunity to celebrate with your au pair.

Cindy, a Community Counselor in Atlanta, recently hosted a holiday party with au pairs (pictured above) from 13 countries: Brazil, Germany, Mexico, South Africa, Austria, Costa Rica, England, Poland, Israel, Hungary, Thailand, the Czech Republic, and El Salvador.

At the party, they explained and demonstrated their different holiday traditions. Each au pair brought a traditional holiday treat to share, too – from British mincemeat tarts to German cakes.

Though holiday parties are great for Community Counselors like Cindy, host families can also benefit from them. By hosting a holiday get together with loved ones, your au pair will fully experience American holiday festivities and can share traditions from home, too.

Music, Conversation, and Cooking

Besides parties, there are plenty of simple ways to learn about different holiday traditions. To start, experiencing the holiday season with your au pair can be as easy as 1, 2, 3:

1. Music: Playing some of your favorite holiday songs and learning about your au pair’s traditional songs from home
2. Conversation: Explaining different holiday traditions while encouraging your au pair to share a few with your family, and
3. Cooking: Exchanging seasonal recipes.

Making time to learn about your au pair’s different holiday traditions – and to also share your own – will make a lasting impact on your cultural exchange journey. It’ll bring the “season of giving” to a new level – as you give, and receive, the gift of global understanding.

How have you celebrated the holidays with your au pair? Share a story or some tips to be featured on our blog! Click here to learn more.