4Real Forums: Celebrating Holidays the montessori way

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Nurturing the Years of Wonder
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Topic: Celebrating Holidays the montessori way

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Anya
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Joined: Sept 10 2006
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Posted: Sept 24 2007 at 10:37pm \| IP Logged

With the Thanksgiving holiday coming up could someone explain how to celebrate it the montessori way?

Would you cook a simple dinner and not decorate the house at all. The focus of the holiday would be on family and friends? Going to visit and having them come to our home?

Am I close?

Blessings

montessori_lori
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Posted: Sept 25 2007 at 9:14am \| IP Logged

I think the "Montessori" way is whatever you and your family are comfortable with. Why not decorate the house? Have the kids make the decorations as an art project. It probably differs by family.

I should add that MM was very much against telling kids that Santa was real - so if you're going to have a "Montessori" Christmas, you'll want to skip that. My kids know Santa isn't real, but they do enjoy seeing him at the mall, etc. After all, they like the Backyardigans even though they know they're not real either.

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Anya
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Posted: Sept 25 2007 at 9:07pm \| IP Logged

Thanks Lori,

I am new to montessori and just learning and reading about it, so I may make a few mistakes for awhile in understanding how to implement it. One thing that seems to be common though, is to keep things simple and well made. That is why I am wondering how the holidays are addressed. I agree that some homemade decorations would be nice. As for santa, I haven't decided which way to go yet, but I still have time to decide that.

I appreciate having this board to come to to learn and share ideas with others.

Bessings

montessori_lori
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Posted: Sept 25 2007 at 9:23pm \| IP Logged

Sorry, didn't mean to be rude. I live and breathe Montessori, but if I have to start thinking about how to have a Very Montessori Christmas, I might overload!

From looking at the blogs of all the posters here - just a small sampling of Montessorians from around the world - the basic principles of Montessori look like they translate differently for everyone in "real" life.

So you could take basic ideas of Montessori - following the child's interests, using real materials rather than fake, respect for the developing mind of the child, etc. and apply them to your own family's traditions and end up with your own tailor-made Christmas celebration.

Celeste
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Posted: Sept 25 2007 at 9:57pm \| IP Logged

Thanks, Lori, I really like the way you phrased that!

Celeste

Anya
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Posted: Sept 27 2007 at 7:19pm \| IP Logged

Well said Lori!

I'm starting to get montessori, slowly.

Anya

montessori_lori
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Posted: Sept 28 2007 at 9:23am \| IP Logged

You're doing great, Anya, especially because you found this board! One of the most important things for any holiday celebration, regardless of your beliefs or educational method, is to have yearly traditions for your children to really create family memories.

Also, start early (Dec. 1st) so that you don't have that "it went by so quickly we hardly knew it was here" feeling on Dec. 26th.

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