Winter Holidays

Resources for teachers, parents, and students

As we observe the holidays during the winter season, we are continuously searching for additional educational web sites containing resources. If you know of any, please send us a note.

Additional Holidays

• BBC Religion and Ethics

  The BBC's Religion and Ethics website provides information on many of the worlds major belief systems. Each includes an "At a Glance" section; history; belief overview; holy days; customs; subdivisions; rites & rituals; worship; texts; living; people; and ethics. An excellent resource for learning and teaching about world religions and belief structures as a whole

Thanksgiving

• Thanksgiving in American Memory

  Features primary documents, teaching resources, and ideas for activities from the Library of Congress

• The National Archives Celebrate Thanksgiving

  A brief overview of the Thanksgiving holiday from the National Archives and Records Administration, including links to more primary resources relating to Thanksgiving

• You Are the Historian: Investigating the First Thanksgiving

  An online virtual historical investigation module that allows visitors to use primary sources to learn about the first Thanksgiving

• Thanksgiving Day

  Anecdotal facts about the celebration of the Thanksgiving holiday in the United States from the U.S. Census Bureau

• The History of Thanksgiving

  An online interactive exhibit from the History Channel detailing the history of Thanksgiving including textual background and video

• The Plymouth Plantation Archive Project

  An online exhibit providing access to a variety of documents pertaining to the social history of the Plymouth Colony from 1620 to 1691

• Thanksgiving on the Net

  Good, clear information, mostly text (there are few pictures)

• MayflowerHistory.com

  By Caleb Johnson. Great information and Teachers Guide!! There is a lot of text, best for fluent readers Grade 3 and beyond

Chanukkah

• The History Channel: Hanukkah

  An online interactive exhibit from the History Channel detailing the history and traditions of Hanukkah including textual background and video

• Hanukkah

  From the BBC's Religion and Ethics section, this website provides an overview of the Hanukkah (Chanukkah) holiday

• Chanukah

  A variety of resources discussing the history, story, and other facts about Chanukah

• Chanukah Resources and Activities

  From the Jewish Agency for Israel, a collection of resources to learn about and celebrate Chanukah

• Chanukkah

  From the Judaism 101 website, this page provides a basic overview of the Chanukkah celebration and history

• From Haven to Home

  A Library of Congress exhibition documenting 350 years of Jewish life in America featuring more than two hundred sources detailing Jewish life and history in the United States

• Jews in America

  A history of Jews in America from the 17th century to the present provided by the Center for Jewish History and providing a variety of resources including text, images, audio, and video

New Year

• New Year

  Most cultures in the world have a New Year celebration marking the start of the new year based on that particular culture's calendar. This Wikipedia entry does a uniquely impressive job of detailing the incredibly diverse range of New Year's traditions and celebrations across the world

Christmas

• The Story of Christmas

  From the BBC's Religion and Ethics section, this website provides an overview of the Christmas holiday

• LOC Christmas

  Search results from the Library of Congress including primary sources from past Christmas celebration in the United States

• Franklin D. Roosevelt and Winston Churchill's Christmas Eve Greeting

  Delivered December 24, 1941 at 5:10 p.m., this is a transcript of President Roosevelt and Prime Minister Churchill's 1941 Christmas Eve address; from the National Archives

• Christmas

  An online interactive exhibit from the History Channel detailing the history and traditions of the Christmas holiday

• How Christmas Works

  From the Discovery Channel's How Stuff Works, a collection of articles and resources providing an introduction to the Christmas holiday as well as other background

• Ten Ages of Christmas

  From the BBC's British History website, a history of the Christmas celebration through "ten ages," including Medieval, Elizabethan, Mid Victorian, World War Two, etc.

• Christmas Around the World

  Visit over 30 different countries and see how they celebrate Christmas

Kwanzaa

• Kwanzaa

  The official Kwanzaa website, from Dr. Maulana Karenga, the creator of Kwanzaa and Professor of Africana Studies, California State University--Long Beach and Chair of The Organization Us and The National Association of Kawaida Organizations (NAKO)

• Kwanzaa

  An online interactive exhibit from the History Channel detailing the history of Kwanzaa and the 7 symbols

• iKwanzaa

  An online community website dedicated to educating the public about Kwanzaa and providing a venue for education, discussion, and celebration of the holiday

• The Story of Kwanzaa

  An article from The Dartmouth Review explaining the history and tradition of Kwanzaa; by J. Lawrence Scholer, published Monday, January 15, 2001

• Everything About Kwanzaa

  An overview of the Kwanzaa holiday from the International Kwanzee Exchange (TIKE)

• Kwanza Welcome Page

  A brief definition and other information about Kwanzaa

Winter Solstice

• Winter Solstice Celebration

  An overview of the traditional Solstice celebration including science and folklore surrounding the winter solstice (December 21)

• Celebrating Winter Solstice

  An overview of the history and customs surrounding the Winter Solstice

• Winter Solstice

  A very basic overview of the history of the winter Solstice celebration; dating back to before the Roman Empire