A central item of Christmas is the Christmas tree. Provide your preschool students with an understanding of how these trees came to be a tradition of the holiday by visiting a Christmas tree farm. These farms are dedicated to the sole purpose of growing coniferous trees that are intended for use as Christmas trees. Before visiting one of these farms for a class trip, see if you can arrange for someone to take you and your students on a tour of the farm to provide you with information about the process of farming Christmas trees. Also important---provide your students with background information about the tradition of these trees prior to going on the trip.
An important part of Christmas is helping those who are less fortunate. Have children help spread holiday cheer to elderly people in a nursing home. Explain to children that one of the most important things about the holiday is bringing happiness to others and inform them that they are going to be bringing happiness to elderly people who cannot be home to celebrate Christmas. During class time, have children make cards and decorations for the residents of the nursing homes. Also, teach them a few Christmas carols that they can sing on their trip. During their visit to the nursing home, have students distribute the cards they made, display their decorations and sing the carols they have learned. The residents of the nursing home will be delighted by their visitors and the children will gain a valuable Christmas lesson.
Baked goods---cookies, cakes and pastries---are commonly eaten during the Christmas season. Families often gather around kitchens and dining rooms, enjoying each other's company while indulging in sweet holiday treats. Bring your students to a bakery, where they can learn how some of these goodies are made. Before your visit, discuss holiday treats that children enjoy eating and inform them that they will be taking a trip to a bakery to learn how some of these treats are made. See if the bakery will allow students to help make some of their own Christmas treats to take home.