Here’s a little Christmas gift for you this year: fun, festive vocabulary activities that are ready to be used in your classroom.

The word “Christmas” means “Mass of Christ,” later shortened to “Christ-Mass.” The even shorter form “Xmas” – first used in Europe in ...

Though lights, ornaments and tinsel are popular Christmas decorations, there is still room for holiday greenery. As their name suggests, evergreen plants are green all the time, and because of this, people throughout history have regarded them as special symbols of eternal life or rebirth. Such plants also offered medicinal benefits as well. During the season with the darkest days of the year (at least in the Northern Hemisphere), evergreens present a vibrant contrast to the natural world outside.

• The 26th of December is traditionally known as St. Stephen’s Day, but is more commonly known as Boxing Day. It is called Boxing Day because it was the day the family opened a gift box for the poor.

1 Halloween history

Long ago, people believed that evil spirits stole the sun at the end of summer. These spirits hid the sun during winter, making the days short and the nights long. People dreaded this dark and dreary time of year.

The worst night of all was October 31.