Christmas in Latvia. CHRISTMAS AT SCHOOL At the begining of December we light the Christmas tree in front of our school. We start waiting for the Christmas four Sundays before it- on the first Advent. Then we make Advent wreaths, decorate them, put four candles in the wreath and light the first candle. Every next Sunday we light one more candle. At school we do it on Mondays mornings during the first lesson. ADVENT TIME Christmas in Latvia is celebrated according to the church traditions and also ancient customs of the winter solstice.On 21st December we roped the log around our school and through all the village. Teachers and students dressed up in different traditional masks, played games and sang folksongs. In the log we gathered all the bad things from the old year and then we burnt the log.Its an old Latvian custom. On 22nd December we had Christmas celebration at school. There was a concert and Christmas performance. CHRISTMAS EVE On the Christmas Eve people in Latvia go to the church to pray and sing Christmas songs: Silent Night, OChristmas Tree and other well-known church songs. After families have Christmas dinner. On the table have to be at least 9 dishes. Grey peas with the bacon Meat pies Our traditional Christmas food : Gingerbread Sauerkraut After the dinner children wait for the Father Christmas. If children recite a Christmas poem or sing a song, they get the gifts. For many people in Latvia Christmas is a deeply religious occasion celebrating the birth of Christ. For others, it is simply a time to be with family, to feast, and to be merry. This year we had Christmas holidays from 23rd December to 7th January! Happy New Year! eTwinning team of Ple Primary School, Latvia CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS