Christmas traditionsIn the middle 19th century, a nostalgic interest in pre-Cromwell Christmas traditions swept Victorian England. Dickens’ A Christmas Carol was one of the greatest influences in rejuvenating the old Christmas traditions of England. Can you match the following Christmas traditions with their country?

A. Hawaii B. Venezuela C. The United Kingdom

D. India E. The Netherlands F. Wales G. The Bahamas H. Mexico I. Canada J. Denmark

1. Children traditionally set bowls of rice pudding in the attic on Christmas Eve to pacify the Nisse, a mischievous old man who dresses in grey pants, wooden shoes, and a red pixie hat. Children who want their presents to be delivered and their decorations to remain intact give the Nisse pudding every year to keep his usual pranks under control!

2. Residents attend a daily early morning church service between December 16th and 24th called Misa de Aguinaldo. In the capital city, it is customary to roller-skate to this service and many neighborhoods close the streets to cars until 8 a.m. Before bedtime children tie one end of a piece of string to their big toe and hang the other out the window. The next morning, roller skaters give a tug to any string they see hanging. After Mass everyone enjoys tostadas and coffee.

3. The holiday celebrations, called Junkanoo, take place on December 26th and January 1st. Between 2 am and dawn, an enormous parade presents hundreds of people along with dancing, music, and vibrant costumes. Participants are organized into troupes that can have up to 1,000 members, each with its own special theme and decorations competing for cash prizes. Costumes are prepared in absolute secrecy, and participants often spend all year arranging their big and colorful creations of feathers, crepe paper, fabric, wood and tissue. Music accompanies the groups as they dance through the streets in their carefully practiced formations.

4. Public parks and buildings across this country are traditionally lit for the holidays at the same moment: 6:55 on the first Thursday in December. This tradition began in 1986 and is one uniting aspect of the country’s many Christmas celebrations.

5. The primary decoration of this country’s tree is mistletoe. In ancient times, the Druid Celts considered mistletoe to be a magical plant. The Celts believed that mistletoe held the soul of the tree it was attached to. Hanging a branch over the doorway protected the house from storms. Hung over a cradle, it would protect the child within. Mistletoe was associated with childbirth. Love would be brought to anyone who entered a house where there was the scent of mistletoe. Mistletoe is also a plant of peace, it was decried that enemies who met under a mistletoe could not fight but rather embrace one another. It was in the British Isles that kissing under the mistletoe originated. A “Kissing Bow” made up of evergreens and mistletoe was hung from the rafters. Candles illuminated it. After Christmas, the “Kissing Bow” is buried, those that kissed under it would marry in the coming year.

6. Most Christmas traditions practiced here come from the traditions brought to the islands by the missionaries of the 19th century. One unique tradition is the Christmas luau, which features the Kalua pig as its main course. The poinsettia, which grows on the islands, is considered the Christmas flower.

7. On Christmas Eve, Christians go for Christmas shopping and buy new clothes and shoes. It’s a tradition to attend midnight mass with a new appearance to bring the Christmas spirit to families and communities. Once they reach home, they celebrate Christmas by lighting fire crackers.

8. The Christmas season begins on December 16th. Households are decorated with flowers, evergreens and colored paper lanterns. A nativity set (Pesebre) is also set up in the house. The pesebre or El Nacimiento is the focal point of the household’s Christmas celebration. Pesebre can be as simple as three figures making up the holy family or as complex as the entire city of Bethlehem. Each night a procession (La Posada) commemorates the journey of Mary and Joseph and their search for lodging for the night. In some areas, groups of villagers (Santos Peregrinos) or Holy pilgrims assemble each night. Carrying candles and chanting songs, they go from house to house looking for lodging. At every house the pilgrims are refused. When they have finished the procession they return home to kneel at the Pesebre.

9. On the Christmas dinner table are noisemakers called crackers. Tom Smith invented these traditional favors in 1850, as a way of selling more of his confections. Crackers are wrapped in fancy paper and at each end there are pull-tabs. When the tabs are pulled a loud noise or crack with some sparks is produced. Inside the cracker there may be a paper hat, a toy and some candy. In most homes when the crackers are open, you must put on the hat and enjoy the contents of the cracker.

10. St. Nicholas (Sinterklaas), who is dressed in red Bishop’s robes, arrives either on a white horse or in some areas in a boat from Spain and gives gifts to children on December 6th. Black Peter (Zwarte Piet)accompanies him. Black Peter carries a birch rod to punish those children who have been bad in the past year. The children leave their wooden shoes filled with hay and a carrot in anticipation of St. Nicholas. If they have been good they will find small toys, nuts and candy in their shoes. Sometimes St. Nicholas will visit the house and will question the children on how they behaved in the past year.

What traditions do you have in your household?

Research Christmas traditions in other countries and maybe you and your family will find a new tradition to enjoy!

the diCkensian times Published by Aurora TheatreAll the Entertainment That’s Fit to Print

Christmas EditionFun for the Whole Family

other novels by Charles diCkensCharles Dickens published over a dozen major novels, countless short stories, a few plays, and several non-fiction books. If you enjoyed A Christmas Carol, here are some other books by Dickens you might want to try:

oliver twistDickens’ second novel and the first English novel to use a child protagonist. This is an early example of the social novel which calls the public’s attention to various contemporary evils: the Poor Law that said that poor people should work in workhouses/poorhouses, child labor, and recruiting children to be criminals. It tells the story of a young orphan forced to endure the horrors of a workhouse until he is apprenticed to an undertaker. When he escapes the abuse there, he is made to join a band of young pickpockets.

Great expeCtationsIt is regarded as one of Dickens’ most popular novels. It has been adapted for

the stage and screen over 250 times, including a film starring Ethan Hawke and Gwyneth Paltrow set in modern day New York City. The novel follows the journey of Pip in his quest for maturity starting from childhood and ending with his adulthood. Along the way Pip tries hard to be the gentleman he believes he is. Throughout his life, Pip is mentored by a number for people including an escaped convict, a gentleman, and an eccentric old woman whose ward Pip falls in love with.

a tale of two CitiesThis novel is set in London and Paris before and during the French Revolution. It depicts the plights of the French peasantry under the oppression of the French aristocracy in the years leading up to the Revolution, the corresponding brutality demonstrated by the revolutionaries toward the former aristocrats, and a number of unflattering social parallels with life in London during the same time

period. The opening line of this novel is perhaps the most famous opening line of any novel: “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…”

Charles diCkens’

A Christmas Carol

p r e s e n t s

W O K C N F T I I L Y H F H E U S E W X L T F S NC H R I S T M A S P R E S E N T M C V I I U D P OI T N I U M C J S F Z X L R O O B M R D G K E I DG L L P R E L O R A C V L R C P E B Z O P F G R NU B W H K I C Q K F C Y Y O A G L M U N O I J I OY E M P M E L A O C B H T I U M L R U P W G R T LD C T O E C H M O Q T T A A G Q E V C I R X E S RO H N Z S X F C T Z E L Q I R B F V Z Z W W V F KC E S V X U O Y H Y S V C Z N Z V Z H P N C O J KY B V Q I P N Y S A S H U G D S E W E H E O E N VK Z U F C U R A O C R Z X R N F H H S V J U F L SC U Q Q J S M U H I E L D I N B Y U U X B N P B QM T M U X T G Y S W M H E D V I V I O X M T M F BV G A Q S G U T A Z J Y Z S U E L G H D Z I R T HW D K I M A M S W Y T Q L G D D V M K M Q N Z H MR F R C R A T C H I T B X G D I N B R P Y G S Y SO H J T S B F H N M W S H Z T E C F O U A H T T WC Y O P O W C Y E X K R A W U N H K W W G O B K AF Z A E C I T N E R P P A M O M N V E B O U L V BB S X B D I H U M B U G Y S T F J M F N V S T B NT X O P M G T C X Q Z P I H F S G A L O S E E S IF J S P X A S Z A J C R B G N I I J O X K Q L J VG J X P Y J Q O D D P U Y T E F H R C F Z K M Z IW E C Q I V H A Q U W V R D K R Y K H T J V B E MS W S A V V E B U Z U E A X N R P B P C H M O C B

ScroogeChristmas

MarleyCharles DickensCounting House

Coal

LondonSpirits

FezziwigApprentice

BelleCratchit

Tiny TimChristmas Yet To Come

Christmas PresentWorkhouse

PrisonChristmas Past

MoneyHumbugChainsCarolerSnow

A ChristmAs CArol word searChUse the words below to solve the puzzle:

1812, February 7Charles Dickens is born in Portsmouth, Hampshire, on the south coast of England.

1821Charles and his family move to Camden Town, a district in London. He begins school.

1824Dickens’ father, John, was sent to the debtors prison Marshalsea. A 12 year-old Charles was forced to find housing nearby, pawn his collection of books, leave school and work in a shoe polish factory. His father and family were released after three months, but Charles was forced to continue working in the factory.

1827At age 15, Charles began work as a junior clerk at a law office; after a year, with the help of a relative, he became an apprentice reporter in a court of law.

1833By age 21, Dickens had become a journalist of a newspaper covering election campaigns and political matters. This soon led to his creation of a series of short stores and sketches and then a novel, The Pickwick Papers. He often wrote under the pen name of Boz.

a diCkens timeline

solutions

role on the wallIn this production of A Christmas Carol, the actor Anthony Rodriguez uses a myriad of voices and mannerisms to bring to life Ebenezer Scrooge, Bob Cratchit, Jacob Marley and all of the remarkable ghosts found in the greatest Christmas story of all time. Playing one character is quite a task for any actor, but for one man to play so many roles is incredible.

Using the character outline below, choose one character from A Christmas Carol and compile all of the information that you know about this character. Your diagram can include:1. How the character feels about him/herself.2. How the character feels about other characters.3. What the character thinks about his/her life and/or events.4. What other people think about the character.5. His/her likes and dislikes.6. His/her history.7. His/her dreams.

Use the inside of the outline to list details that the character knows/feels himself or herself. Use the outside of the outline to list details other characters might think/know about this character.

CharaCter: ________________

Portsmouth

enGland

sCotland

ireland

wales

1.2.3.4.5.6.7.8.9.10.

j.b.G.i.f.a.d.h.C.e.

1836Charles married Catherine Hogarth, daughter of a newspaper editor. They eventually had 10 children.

1840Dickens, at age 28, had already written five successful novels, including Oliver Twist. All of them had first been published as monthly installments in literary magazines.

1842Dickens made his first visit to the United States and Canada. He gave lectures to adoring audiences and raised support for copyright laws and the abolition of slavery.

1843, October 3In a fundraising speech at the Manchester Athenaeum—a charitable institution serving the poor—Charles urged workers and employers to join together to combat ignorance with educational reform. He realized in the following days that the best way to reach the broadest part of the population with his concerns was to write a Christmas narrative rather than politically-based pamphlets and essays. During these three days in Manchester, Dickens conceived the plot of A Christmas Carol.

1843, DecemberCharles Dickens wrote A Christmas Carol in 6 weeks. Due to a dispute with his publisher over previous earnings, Dickens chose to publish Carol at his own expense in the hopes of making more money.

a diCkens timeline

A ChristmAs CArol CrosswordaCross

4. Scrooge tells the Solicitor “If they would rather die, they had better do it, and decrease the_____ _______.”

7. In his youth, Scrooge worked for a kind, loving man who was very good to him. What was his name?

8. Three people steal from Scrooge’s dead body and sell it to someone when Scrooge and the Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come see the future. What is the name of the man who buys Scrooge’s things?

13. At Christmas dinner, Tiny Tim shares this sentiment with his family.15. Scrooge is described as a “tight-fisted hand at the_______.”16. How many ghosts does Marley say will visit Scrooge?

down1. Which one of the ghosts was a giant among men?2. How many years ago did Marley die?3. Mr. Scrooge is “Founder of the______.”5. The boy who clings to The Ghost of Christmas Present is said to be________.6. The author of A Christmas Carol.9. Marley is described as being “dead as a_____–_____.”10. The name of Scrooge’s nephew.11. The girl who clings to The Ghost of Christmas Present is said to be_____.12. What word is written across the boy’s forehead who was revealed from under the robe of the Ghost of

Christmas Present?14. A girl that Scrooge once loved in his youth.16. The turkey that Scrooge buys is “Twice the size of______ ____?”

A ChristmAs CArol GamesThere are a few games mentioned in A Christmas Carol. Did you catch their names? Along with music and dancing, parlor games entertained friends and family at holiday gatherings in Victorian England. Here are the rules to the games this production mentioned:

forfeitsForfeits is an old, old game. It has been popular for centuries because it’s such fun. The players each put a piece of clothing, jewelry or some personal belonging into a pile on the floor. These are the “forfeits.” One person is chosen to be the judge, and another holds up the forfeits over the judge’s head. The judge sits in front of the pile and cannot see what is being held overhead. As the sock or necklace or belt is held over the judge’s head, the other player says: “Heavy, heavy hangs over thy head. What shall the owner do to redeem the forfeit?” Then the judge (without looking up) commands the owner to do some act or stunt in order to get back the property such as kneeling to the prettiest, bowing to the wittiest, kissing the one you love best, making at least three people laugh or reciting a poem.

blindman’s bluffOne player is blindfolded. The others spin the blindfolded player around, and then they scatter throughout the room. The blindfolded player tries to catch and identify someone. If the blindman guesses correctly, the player who is caught becomes the next blindman. As the blindfolded player tries to catch other players, they often tease him or her by tapping or tickling them.

yes or noA game like Twenty Questions. One player thinks of a person, place or thing. The other tries to guess what he or she is thinking by asking questions that can only be answered by “yes” or

“no.” When someone guesses correctly, it is his turn to think of a person, place or thing.

Can you guess the rules of these other Victorian parlor games?

snapdraGon _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

hunt the slipper ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

the ball of wool ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

1843, December 17A Christmas Carol is published and released in London by Chapman and Hall. The first run of 6,000 copies sold out by Christmas Eve.

1844, MayA seventh edition of A Christmas Carol had sold out. In all, twenty-four editions ran in its original form.

1858Charles and his wife separate. While his separation was very public, many did not know that Dickens had a mistress. Her name was Ellen Ternan and she was an actress who was much younger than Dickens.

1865, JuneCharles Dickens has a brush with death during the Staplehurst Railway accident. While he survived, ten people died and forty were injured. The train track was being repaired near Staplehurst. Workmen did not signal to oncoming trains that there was a gap, 42 feet long, in the tracks over a bridge. The train’s engineer spotted the problem at the last minute, but it was too late. Momentum carried the engine and the first part of the train across the breach. However the coaches in the center and the rear of the train fell into the river bed below. All but one of the first-class coaches went into the ravine. That was the coach that carried Dickens

1870, June 9Charles Dickens died of a cerebral hemorrhage at his country home, Gad’s Hill, in Kent, England. He is buried in Poets’ Corner of Westminster Abbey, London, with the inscription on his tomb reading: “He was a sympathizer to the poor, the suffering, and the oppressed; and by his death, one of England’s greatest writers is lost to the world.”

a diCkens timeline

Caption aCtivityToday, it is not uncommon for some children and teenagers to work. They may earn extra money by baby-sitting, doing yard work or maybe even walking dogs. However, in the Victorian Age, it wouldn’t seem at all strange to see children as young as five or six go to work full-time. Charles Dickens was deeply touched by

seeing such young children working and A Christmas Carol was written in response to some of the horrible conditions that the poor of the Victorian era, including children, faced. Fill in the talk bubbles below with what you think happened ten minutes before each image, or what happened two days afterward.

Create your own ComiC strip Choose your favorite scene from A Christmas Carol and create a comic strip to show the events.