December is one of my favorite times to take students on a trip around the world. A Holidays Around the World unit, often called Christmas Around the World, lets students explore how families celebrate this season in different countries and cultures, all without leaving the classroom.
In this post, I’m sharing everything you need to plan your unit: read-alouds for 11 holidays, hands-on crafts, a student passport, learning charts, a simple 2-week plan, and ideas for a celebration day to wrap it all up.
Why Teach Holidays Around the World?
Students come to school with their own traditions, and they love seeing how other families celebrate. A Holidays Around the World unit builds that curiosity into real learning.
- Reading comprehension: students read informational text about each holiday and answer questions about it.
- Social studies: they locate countries on a map, learn about flags, and compare traditions.
- Cultural awareness: they see that holidays like Christmas look different around the world, and learn about celebrations like Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and Diwali.
- Engagement in December: hands-on crafts and a passport keep students focused during one of the busiest months of the year.
The ideas below cover Christmas in Mexico (Las Posadas), Italy, Germany, Sweden (St. Lucia’s Day), France, England, Australia, and the Philippines, plus Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and Diwali.
Want to try it before you plan the whole unit? Grab my free Christmas in Italy lesson below, with a reading passage, craft, map, and comprehension questions.
Disclosure: Affiliate links have been used in this post, but I only share items I use and enjoy!
Start with Read-Alouds for Each Holiday
A great picture book is the easiest way to build background knowledge before students read and research. Here are my favorite read-alouds for each holiday in a Christmas Around the World unit:
- Christmas in Mexico: The Legend of the Poinsettia and Too Many Tamales
- Diwali: My Diwali Light and The Best Diwali Ever
- Christmas in Italy: The Legend of Old Befana
- Kwanzaa: The Night Before Kwanzaa
- Christmas in Germany: Christmas Around the World Germany
- Christmas in Sweden: Lucia Morning in Sweden
- Christmas in France: Madeline’s Christmas
- Christmas in England: Father Christmas
- Christmas in Australia: Wombat Divine
- Christmas in the Philippines: Time to Shine
- Hanukkah: Little Red Ruthie
Here’s a look at a few of my other holiday book recommendations! You can find all the titles listed here.
Expert Tip: Discuss the main themes and elements of each holiday after reading. Ask students questions to check for understanding such as “What surprised you about this holiday?” or “How is this holiday similar to holidays we celebrate?”
Looking for more Las Posadas ideas? My Las Posadas post pairs The Legend of the Poinsettia with a free suitcase craft.
Read, Research, and Create: Holidays Around the World Activities
After the read-aloud, students dig into each holiday with a short informational passage. A simple routine for each holiday keeps the unit easy to teach and lets students know exactly what to expect:
- Locate it. Find the country on a map and color or build its flag.
- Read about it. Read an informational passage about how the holiday is celebrated, then record key facts on a recording sheet. A short video adds a quick visual for students who need one.
- Make it. Complete a craft that connects to a symbol of the holiday.
- Check it. Answer a few comprehension questions to show what they learned.
Hands-on crafts are what students remember most. For Diwali, students can make a diya, a small oil lamp that stands for light overcoming darkness. For Las Posadas, a poinsettia ties right back to The Legend of the Poinsettia. Look for a meaningful symbol for each holiday, and the craft becomes part of the learning, not just decoration.
Stamp Their Passports
A student passport turns the unit into a trip around the world. Each time students finish a holiday, they add a country stamp to their passport. They love watching it fill up, and it gives you an easy way to see who has completed each stop. A suitcase craft makes a sweet place to store their work and passport until the end of the unit.
Use Learning Charts to Compare Traditions
As students learn about each holiday, add the key facts, symbols, and traditions to a class chart or graphic organizer. By the end of the unit, the chart becomes a visual summary students can use to compare celebrations, notice what holidays have in common, and write an informational piece about their favorite country.
Teacher tip: Keep the chart up all month. Students will refer back to it during writing, and it makes a great anchor for your celebration day.
A Simple 2-Week Christmas Around the World Plan
Here’s an easy way to fit all 11 holidays into the first two weeks of December. Each day takes about 45 to 60 minutes with a read-aloud, a passage, and a craft.
| Day | Holiday | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Christmas in Germany | Launch the unit, hand out passports, and stamp the first country |
| 2 | Christmas in Mexico (Las Posadas) | Read The Legend of the Poinsettia and make a poinsettia craft |
| 3 | Christmas in Italy | Meet La Befana and compare her to Santa Claus |
| 4 | Christmas in Sweden | Learn about St. Lucia’s Day, celebrated on December 13 |
| 5 | Kwanzaa | Learn the seven principles and add them to the learning chart |
| 6 | Diwali | Make a diya craft and talk about light overcoming darkness |
| 7 | Christmas in France and England | Compare two European traditions side by side |
| 8 | Christmas in Australia and the Philippines | Talk about Christmas in summer, and make a parol star lantern |
| 9 | Hanukkah | Learn about the menorah and play the dreidel game |
| 10 | Celebration Day | Rotate through holiday stations and share favorite facts |
Short on time? Teach the six Part 1 holidays in one week by pairing two holidays on two of the days, and end Friday with a mini celebration.
Host a Holiday Celebration Day
Wrap up your unit with a celebration day. Set up a station for several holidays, each with a craft, a game, or a snack, and let students rotate in small groups with their passports in hand.
- Germany: decorate a gingerbread ornament
- Mexico: make a paper poinsettia
- Sweden: make a St. Lucia crown
- Hanukkah: play the dreidel game
- Diwali: decorate a paper diya
Expert Tip: Invite students to share their favorite fact about each holiday as they travel through the stations.
Optional: Include a small food sample or traditional snack from some of the holidays. Here are some ideas: Germany → Gingerbread, Kwanzaa → Cornbread, Italy → Panettone, Mexico → Ponche (fruit punch)
Everything You Need in One Bundle
If you’d like all of this ready to go, my Holidays Around the World BUNDLE includes everything in this post for 11 holidays:
- Informational reading passages and recording sheets
- Maps, flags, and 2 video links for each holiday
- A hands-on craft for every holiday
- Comprehension assessments
- A student passport with country stamps
- Directed drawings with writing pages
- Printable pages plus Google Slides and PowerPoint versions
Get the Holidays Around the World BUNDLE here.
Only need a few holidays? Part 1 covers Germany, Italy, Mexico, Sweden, Kwanzaa, and Diwali:
Holidays Around the World | December Reading, Crafts & Maps for Christmas, Kwanzaa & Diwali, Printable & Digital
Take your class on a trip around the world this December. Students learn about Christmas in Germany, Sweden, and Mexico, Kwanzaa, and Diwali with informational reading, a map, a recording sheet, a holiday craft, and a short assessment for each holiday. Use the printable booklet in class or assign the digital version in Google Slides, PowerPoint, or Seesaw.
Holidays Around the World FAQ
What grade levels is a Holidays Around the World unit best for?
These activities work best for 1st through 4th grade. Younger students can listen to the read-alouds and complete the crafts with support, while older students can read the passages independently and write about each holiday.
What is the difference between Holidays Around the World and Christmas Around the World?
Christmas Around the World focuses on how Christmas is celebrated in different countries, like Las Posadas in Mexico or St. Lucia’s Day in Sweden. Holidays Around the World also includes other December celebrations, such as Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and Diwali. Many teachers use the names interchangeably.
How long should a Holidays Around the World unit take?
Plan on one to two weeks. Teaching one holiday a day fits all 11 holidays into two weeks, with a celebration day at the end.
Which countries should I include?
Mexico, Italy, Germany, and Sweden are classroom favorites because their traditions are so easy for kids to picture. Adding France, England, Australia, and the Philippines shows students that Christmas looks different all over the world, even in summer.
More Holiday Ideas You Might Like
- Holidays Around the World with a Freebie
- Las Posadas {with a freebie}
- 10 Easy Christmas Ornaments to Make with Kids
Save the image below to use these Holiday Around the World Activities later!
