Students discuss favorite family traditions and holidays with their family and then share these with their Bobcat Time class. They will discuss the history of their family tradition and how long their family has had that tradition. Students will decide on one tradition from another student’s family to try with their own family. We will have students and staff share these in several videos we can show on our FCTV morning announcements for everyone to see.

Students will discuss how we all have traditions within our families. Some are from our heritage, some are ones our parents or guardians created for fun, some are traditional. We can learn to respect each other’s backgrounds when we can find out more about each other. Students will view videos about holidays and traditions celebrated around the world to discuss sililarities and differences.

The coalition understands that discussing holidays may be difficult. We are focusing more on the traditions and will enhance respect for religions and traditions different from one’s own, but stress common themes, as well. The ADL states “Many religions focus on festivals of light, including Christmas, Chanukah, Kwanzaa, Santa Lucia Day and Diwali. Liberation is the theme of such holidays as the Fourth of July, Passover, Cinco de Mayo, Juneteenth and Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Birthday.2

By connecting holiday themes, you communicate that holidays are a valid expression of cultural and religious pride. You also convey that it’s okay to be different.”

Bobcat Family Traditions and Holidays from Around the World Bobcat Time Presentation