Au pairs are college-aged people who are spending a year in the U.S. learning about our traditions and sharing their own. (Along with childcare and classes!) So is it any wonder that many of them develop a small touch of homesickness around the holidays? So talk about holiday traditions and expectations. She may have some fun ideas about things to add to your family’s celebrations. Putting little gifts in children’s shoes on St. Nicolas Eve can bring a rush of fond memories of all the things happening back home. It gives her a connection to the things she’s used to, and it give your kids a connection to a new way to commemorate a holiday.
Monthly Archives: November 2013
Thanksgiving craft ideas!
Thanksgiving is an American holiday (as well as other countries) where we, naturally, give thanks for our family, friends, etc. It is always on the fourth Thursday in November. It originally celebrated a good harvest, which explains why it is in the end of fall. Now it also signifies the beginning of the ‘holiday season’, which includes Christmas, Hanukkah, New Year’s, and probably a whole bunch I can’t think of.
Most Americans that celebrate Thanksgiving have a roast turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, green beans with fried onions, pumpkin pie – my mouth is watering just thinking about it! It’s my favorite holiday, mainly because I’m a big foodie, but also because it seems to be the most easy-going holiday, where families spend most of the time hanging out with each other talking – and cooking, and watching football games. What more could you want?
Here are some links to websites with great ideas for crafts you can do with your kids with a Thanksgiving theme:
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/thanksgiving/
http://www.parenting.com/gallery/thanksgiving-crafts-ideas
http://www.buzzfeed.com/mikespohr/23-clever-crafts-to-keep-the-kids-busy-on-thanksgiving
Happy Turkey Day!
Holidays and cultural exchange
Holidays are exciting times for children! There are special foods, clothing, decorations, music, and gatherings. With an au pair, the excitement becomes even greater because they get to share the au pair’s traditions as well as their own. For example, Northern European traditions include celebrating St. Nicholas Day (Dec. 6th) when children put shoes outside their bedroom door in hopes of getting a small wrapped gift, or a special piece of candy. So having an au pair from Germany or Sweden can mean that this becomes part of your family tradition! Children in Israel celebrate Hanukkah with special crafts and songs that we may not be familiar with in the U.S., but I’m sure many of us would love to learn. Mexican children enact a Posada, seeking ‘room at an inn’ and get their gifts on Epiphany Day. So an au pair from Mexico could make a Three Kings Cake on January 6th, and this could become something your family keeps.
This is one of the many benefits that au pairs can bring to your family. Children exposed to different traditions grow up to be adults with a broader world view. And this is a pretty fun way to slip a little education into their lives!
For more information about Christmas around the world, visit http://www.whychristmas.com/cultures/
For more information about Hanukkah around the world, visit http://unitedwithisrael.org/jews-celebrate-hanukkah/