Christmas activities and tasks for (Greek) EFL senior high school teachers: Theme-based syllabus design

1. Celebrating Christmas in
Greece!
Theme-based syllabus
design for EFL senior
high school teachers
B1 ,B1+, B2 (Intermediate level)
Christmas activities and tasks
Vasiliki Papaioannou, EFL teacher
EdD in Teacher Education, MA in ELT, BA in English
Language and Literature, QTS

2. Introducing Christmas Expressions
- How many expressions do you know for
Christmas and New Year?
• Merry Christmas!
• Happy Christmas
• Happy New Year!
• Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
• Wishing you a prosperous New Year!
• All the best for the coming year!
• Seasons Greetings!
- Can you think of any more seasonal
expressions?

3. -How much do you know about Christmas?
- Can you think of any local or
international Christmas customs and
traditions?
- Can you answer the following questions
about Christmas traditions all over the
world?
- In the Christmas vocabulary which
follows, how many words do you know?

4. So… how much do you know about Christmas?

5. Answer key
http://a4esl.org/q/h/vc-traditions-lb.html

6. Christmas Vocabulary introduced
(alphabetically) http://www.englishclub.com/vocabulary/festivals-
christmas.htm (4/12/2012)

10. Activity with Vocabulary words
Match the columns:

11. Answer Key

16. Activity: Create your own word
search using the following words

20. http://www.superteacherworksheets.com/christmas/christmas-
scramble2_WMBTD.pdf (4/12/2012)

21. Writing a Christmas
Poem
Instructions:
• Get children to think about and brainstorm
things that remind them of Christmas.
• Then ask them to write a two-verse poem,
verse one starting with the words "Outside at
Christmas...." followed by several descriptive
sentences, and the second verse starting
"Inside at Christmas..." and followed by more
sentences.
http://www.teachingideas.co.uk/themes/christmas/christma
(4/12/2012)

22. Tips for poem writing:
Students can try and link their lines
between verses to show contrast, e.g.
(outside at Christmas) trees are bare
and branches thin/animals search for
food in the cold and in the second verse
(inside at Christmas) trees are laden
with baubles and lights/people are
eating mince pies around the fire etc.

23. Example of Christmas
poems with activities:
-‘What kitten sees’
-‘Long, long ago’

27. Long Long Ago – Christmas poem!
Author Unknown
http://www.teachingideas.co.uk/themes/christmas/_files/nightbef
orechristmasassembly.pdf (4/12/2012)
Winds thro’ the olive trees
Softly did blow,
Round little Bethlehem
Long, long ago.
Sheep on the hillside lay
Whiter than snow;
Shepherds were watching them,
Long, long ago.
Then from the happy sky,
Angels bent low,
Singin their songs of joy,
Long, long ago.
For in a manger bed,
Cradled we know,
Christ came to Bethlehem,
Long, long ago.

28. Can you write your
own Christmas poem
now?
-What is the ‘Long, long ago’ poem
about?
-Who is going to read your poem?
-Which words related to Christmas do
you want to use?

29. Before you take a look at the acrostic
poem below, try to answer the questions:
• Do you know what an acrostic poem is? Can you guess?
• Are there any seasonal/festive words you would like
to use in order to write an acrostic poem?
• Would you prefer to write an acrostic poem alone or
as part of a group?
• Can you think of some of the features of an acrostic
poem?
• Have you ever written an acrostic poem in English or
in your mother tongue?

31. Can you write your
own Christmas
acrostic poem now?
You can get help from the following
Christmas vocabulary word list
GOOD LUCK!

32. Christmas Vocabulary Word List
http://www.myvocabulary.com/word-list/christmas-vocabulary/ (4/12/2012)

34. Writing task: Write to Santa!
Compose a letter to Santa and
personalize it with information about
yourself.
Tip: You can have a discussion session first
to decide what kind of questions students
want answers to.

35. Have you ever decorated a
Christmas tree?

36. Can you follow the instructions? (1)
• 1. Draw a square blue present under the
tree to the left of the bucket.
• 2. Colour the bucket in red.
• 3. Colour 5 baubles in purple.
• 4. Draw a star on top of the tree.
• 5. Hang a small red stocking from the
bottom branch.

37. Can you follow the instructions? (2)
• 6. Colour 5 baubles in orange.
• 7. Draw a triangular green present under
the tree to the right of the
• bucket.
• 8. Draw a candy cane on the top branch
of the tree.
• 9. Colour 5 baubles in blue.
• 10. Finally, colour the rest of the tree in
green.

38. CHRISTMAS TREE: ORIGIN AND
MEANING
- How much do you know about the
Christmas tree?
• The Christmas tree is one of the most popular
and cherished Christmas customs.
• Each year, 35-40 million live trees are
purchased and decorated in the United
States alone.
• But when, where, and how did this custom
begin? What is the origin of the Christmas
tree? What does it mean?

39. Is the CHRISTMAS TREE
related to the Greek Orthodox Church?
• The Christmas tree comes to us from the
Gospel from the family tree of Jesus Christ,
which is read the Sunday before Christmas in
the Orthodox Churches.
• During Byzantine times as the manuscripts
testify, Christmas trees were placed in the
churches in state of the ornaments they had
the prophets icons. On the bottom of the tree
the icon of Prophet Jesse on the top a star
and in the middle of it the icon of Christ
blessing with His two hands.
http://www.stdgocunion.org/christmastraditions.html
(4/12/2012)

40. How much do you know about the
Christmas tree in the West?
In the West though the tradition of
Christmas Tree flourished especially during
Renaissance. Not only churches decorated
Christmas trees but also the town squares
shops and houses. The pine tree was chosen,
imitating the Cedar of Lebanon, that is a
tree that never throws its leaves but stands
still during the strong winds of winter, so to
be strong during the New Year facing any
problems that we are going to face.

41. CHRISTMAS preparation &
celebration in Greece
• Who is St. Nicholas?
• St. Nicholas is important in Greece as the patron
saint of sailors. According to Greek tradition, his
clothes are drenched with brine, his beard drips with
seawater, and his face is covered with perspiration
because he has been working hard against the waves
to reach sinking ships and rescue them from the
angry sea. Greek ships never leave port without some
sort of St. Nicholas icon on board.
• When is Christmas celebrated in the Greek
Orthodox church?
• The Greek Orthodox Church is celebrating
Christmas on December 25th, on the same date
as the Catholic and Protestant Churches.

42. - How is Christmas celebrated in
Greece?
After 40 days of fasting, the Christmas feast is looked forward to
with great anticipation by adults and children alike.
Pigs, lambs and goats are slaughtered, women usually bake
ceremonial pastries during this time for the big family meal, served
after church services on Christmas Day.
Melomakarona are honey-dipped cookies often stuffed with nuts.
Kourambiedes are cookies dusted with powdered sugar and very
white, Diples are fried dough cookies, dipped in honey.
On almost every table are loaves of Christopsomo ("Christ Bread").
It is a round loaf, decorated on the top with a cross, around which
people will also make symbols shaped in dough that represent
whatever it is they do in life.

43. - What do you know about Christmas
decorations in mainland and Athens:
Christmas trees are decorated in homes and
colourful lights strung outside on balconies and in
gardens. Towns and villages are lit up with
Christmas lights and displays. Boats are also
decorated - not just those in the harbours, but
small boats placed in town squares and in gardens -
in honour of St Nicholas, the patron saint of sailors
in Greece.
Christmas in Athens is enchanting with the main
Syntagma Square being transformed into a winter
wonderland of Christmas lights, decorations, a
carousel and Christmas stalls.

44. - What happens during the Twelve Days of
Christmas?
• The 12 days of Christmas run from Christmas
Day to January 6th, Epiphany.
• There are a number of special traditional
Greek Christmas and New Year customs.
• Christmas Day is celebrated on the 25th
December, while Santa Claus or "Agios
Vassilis" (St. Basil) as he is known in Greece,
visits Greek children on New Year's Eve
rather than Christmas Eve.
• Christmas Carols (the 'Kalanda') are sung by
children on Christmas Eve, New Year's Eve
and the the Eve of Epiphany.

45. - How is the New Year
celebrated in Greece?
• New Year in Greece is celebrated with
large outdoor parties in the town and
city squares, usually with live music,
dancing and fireworks.
• Greeks also love to gamble on New
Years Eve and play a game of dice
'zaria'.

46. - Who’s St Basil in the Greek
Orthodox Church?
• On New Year's Day, a special cake called
Vasilo Pitta the cake of Saint Basil is cut at
every house hold. A gold coin is placed in the
cake and is cut into triangle pieces for Christ,
for Virgin Mary, for St. Basil, for the house,
for the business, for the father, for the
mother, for the children, an so on.
• Who ever gets the coin is the lucky person of
the year. This tradition comes from St. Basil
when he was distributing loaves of bread to
the poor he was putting in a gold coin to help
them.

47. - What is Epiphany ?
• Ephiphany, "Ta Fota" or "Theofania" in Greek,
on the 6th January commemorates Christ's
Baptism and is another important Greek
national and church holiday.
• The Blessing of the Waters is symbolised by
the throwing of a cross into the sea by a
priest, while swimmers brave the chilly waters
to retrieve it.
http://carolinacrete.hubpages.com/hub/Christmas-in-Greece
(4/12/2012)

48. Name days in Greece for some of the
most popular Greek names around
Christmas days

49. A thoughtful Powerpoint presentation
follows encouraging children to think of
others at this time of year.
Contributed by Lisa Daniels.
http://www.teachingideas.co.uk/themes/christmas/ind
ex.htm (4/12/2012)

50. Our Christingle
Today we have made a Christingle to
remind us that Jesus is The Light of
the World. Here are some images to
help us focus our prayers today. After
each prayer read by your teacher we all
say:
“Jesus shine your light.”

51. The War In Iraq
Lord we
pray that you will
help to restore
peace in
Iraq soon.
“Jesus shine your light.”

52. Poverty
Lord, around the
world there are so
many people who
have no homes
or money. Please
help them this
Christmas time.
Amen.
“Jesus shine your light.”

53. Hunger
Lord, we’re so lucky
that we have plenty to
eat. Please help us to
remember all those
children in Africa who
will die this year
because they have
nothing to eat.
Amen.
“Jesus shine your light.”

54. Your Prayers
Think about somebody you know that needs help from
Jesus at the moment. Maybe you know someone who
is poorly or upset.
Ask Jesus to shine His light into that situation.
You can take your Christingle home tonight. When you
look at it remember that Jesus is always with you,
shining His light into your life, helping to show the way.

55. - Can you write your own prayers
for Christmas?
Think of a
person/relative/family/country etc.
in need and write down a prayer!

56. Reading
Comprehension
Christmas Activities
Read the following texts
carefully and answer the
questions:

59. Famous Greek Christmas
recipes

60. Melomakarona (honey cookies with
walnuts)
• INGREDIENTS • Preheat oven to 200c
• 2 cups oil • Beat oil well with mixer, then add
the sugar, both zests, orange
• 1 cup sugar juice, semolina, and then, a little
• 1 cup orange juice at a time, the flour mixed with
• 1 cup fine semolina the baking soda.
• 1 kilo soft flour • Form the dough into small
shapes, as the pastries will get
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda quite big while baking. Make sure
• Lemon and Orange zest the oven is hot before baking,
otherwise the pastries will
• Simple syrup: (In a pot, mix flatten. Bake for about 30
together 1 cup each of water, minutes until pastries are firm
honey and sugar and bring to and golden brown.
boil while stirring • When completely cooled, arrange
constantly.) in rows in a pan and pour warm
• Crushed walnuts syrup over them. Sprinkle with
crushed walnuts.

61. Fill in the blanks in the following recipe:
• Melomakarona
INGREDIENTS
2 cups oil
1 cup sugar
1 cup orange juice
1 cup fine ………………
1 kilo soft ………………………..
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
Lemon and Orange zest
Simple syrup: (In a pot, mix together 1 cup each of
water, honey and sugar and bring to boil while stirring
constantly.)
Crushed ………………

62. http://www.polkadotbride.com/2012/04/greek-easter-
melomakarona-recipe/ (4/12/2012)

63. Kourampiedes
INGREDIENTS: • Preheat oven to medium
(175c).
• 2 kilos soft flour • Whiten the butter by
• 1 kilo butter beating by hand for ½ hour.
Add the sugar, cognac,
• 300 grams powdered almonds and finally the flour,
sugar mixed with the baking soda.
Continue to beat until all
• 300 grams crushed ingredients are well mixed.
roasted almonds • Mold into the familiar
• 1 small glass cognac shapes of
the kourambiethes and place
• 1 teaspoon baking soda on a cookie sheet. Bake for
20 minutes until golden.
• Rosewater Remove from oven and
immediately sprinkle with
rosewater, then roll in the
powder sugar.

64. Fill in the blanks in the following
recipe:
‘Kourampiedes’ INGREDIENTS:
• 2 kilos soft flour
• 1 kilo ……………
• 300 grams …………………
• 300 grams crushed roasted …………….
• 1 small glass cognac
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• Rose………………………

66. Kataifi (dessert)
INGREDIENTS
• 1 lb. kataifi dough
(shredded phyllo dough)
• 1 lb. chopped walnuts
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. ground cloves
• 1 lb. butterSyrup:
• 1/2 lb. honey
• 3 cups sugar
• 3 cups water
• 2 T. lemon juice

67. Can you guess the preparation for
‘Kantaifi’?
In a large bowl, mix the walnuts, sugar, cinnamon and
cloves. Melt the butter. Brush the bottom of a 9 x 13
inch pan with melted butter. Open the kataifi dough,
divide into 5 parts. Take one part, loosen the dough and
fluff. Spread on bottom of pan. Sprinkle with walnut
mixture. Repeat this three more times. Spread kataifi on
top. Pour butter with a spoon evenly over whole pan. Cut
into pieces. Sprinkle a few drops of cold water on top.
Bake at 375 degrees for 35 minutes until golden light
brown. Let cool for 10 minutes. Slowly pour hot
syrup over the kataifi letting it soak in before pouring
more. Cover tightly.
http://cordelia.typepad.com/anastasia/2009/11/mondays-greek-recipe-
kantaifi-soropiasto-kataifi-in-syrup.html (4/12/2012)

68. Stuffed Turkey
Ingredients for Stuffing
• 3 medium onions, finely sliced
• 1 clove garlic, peeled and
crushed
• 5 tablespoons olive oil
• chicken liver and heart, rinced
and thinly sliced
• 90 gr. long-grain rice, rinsed and
drained
• 200 ml hot water
• salt and black pepper
• 90 gr. pine nuts, browned in a
frying pan
• 45 gr. sultanas (optional)
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon thyme

69. Can you guess the preparation for
turkey stuffing?
Melt 1/4 cup of butter in a large skillet
over medium heat. Add the onion, and
cook for about 5 minutes, until tender.
Add the chopped livers and ground lamb.
Cook, stirring to crumble, until evenly
browned. Stir in the rice, cinnamon,
mint and tomato paste. Mix in 1 cup of
the water, and season with salt and
pepper. Cook over low heat for 10
minutes, stirring constantly.

70. Tips about…the Christmas
turkey
• Remember that a fresh Turkey can be
recognized by the following:
The chest has to be long and broad, the skin
shiny and stretched.
The legs should be fat, full of meat.
If you press the meat it should be soft and
the legs shiny
• Choose a seasonal salad. You can easily
prepare a vegetable soup out of the Turkey's
broth. Just boil the Turkey and don't waste
the broth. Use it for cooking the soup.

71. Xristopsomo
http://greekfood.about.com/od/greekbreadspitas/r/christopsomo.htm
• Ingredients:
• 8 cups of all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 1 1/2 tablespoons of dry yeast
• 1 cup of warm water (105F, 40C)
• 1 cup of warm red wine
• 1/2 cup of olive oil • 1/3 cup of pine nuts
• 1 tablespoon of grated gum mastic or 1
• 1/4 cup of orange juice tablespoon of crushed anise seed
• 1/4 cup of brandy • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• grated peel of 2 oranges • 1 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 cup of sugar • ----------
• 1 1/2 cups of raisins • For the Topping
• 1 1/2 cups of walnuts, coarsely • milk
chopped • 2 whole walnuts in shells
• sesame seeds

72. Can you guess how
‘Christopsomo’ is
made?
Can you guess how the
following chicken soup is
made?

73. Chicken (egg-lemon) soup
http://greekfood.about.com/od/greeksoups/r/Chicken-Soup-
Avgolemono-Greek-Egg-Lemon-Chicken-Soup.htm (4/12/2012)
Ingredients:
• 1 whole chicken, about 3 1/2
lbs. with excess fat trimmed
and breast skin removed
• 12 cups water
• 2 carrots cut in half
• 2 celery stalks, cut in half
• 1 large onion, peeled and cut
in half
• 2 bay leaves
• 5 whole black peppercorns
• 2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup orzo pasta, or rice
• 3 eggs, at room temperature
• 1 tsp. fresh lemon zest

74. Chicken soup - Preparation:
Add first eight ingredients to a large stockpot. Bring the water to a rapid boil,
lower heat to medium low and simmer partially covered for approximately an
hour to an hour and a half.
Remove the chicken and vegetables to a bowl and carefully strain the broth
through a fine sieve into a large bowl. Return the strained broth to the
stockpot and bring to a boil.
Add the orzo pasta and cook, uncovered for approximately 10 – 12 minutes until
tender.
While the pasta is cooking, prepare the egg-lemon mixture. Using a whisk beat
the eggs until nice and frothy. Add the lemon zest and the lemon juice in a
steady stream while continuing to whisk.
When the pasta has finished cooking, turn off the heat. Ladle about two cups
of broth into a bowl or large measuring cup. Slowly add the hot broth to the
egg-lemon mixture while continuing to whisk. This will temper the eggs and
prevent them from curdling once they are added to the hot broth.
Stir the egg-lemon mixture into the pot and heat over very low heat for
approximately 5 -10 minutes until heated through. Be careful not to boil the
soup once the eggs have been added.
Adjust your seasoning for salt and pepper and add more as desired.
Traditionally, this soup is served without the chicken meat or vegetables. You
can add them back or serve on the side as you prefer.

75. Can you describe your favorite
(Christmas) recipe?
-Is it food or a dessert?
-Is it complicated or simple?
-What are the main ingredients?
-How often do you cook it at home?

76. MERRY CHRISTMAS!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Vasiliki Papaioannou
elryab@gmail.com