This December the Party Planning Committee made its long awaited return with its Christmas party! We took a tour around the world and made it home in time for Christmas whilst juggling a number of events and activities to fill our time. Not just an ordinary winter wonderland, this was the Worldly Winter Wonderland (if Gabi had a dollar for every time she wrote wordly instead of worldly, lets just say she would be very, very rich).
Read on to find out more about the party and how it went!
The Announcement
On Sunday 17 December, our trip was announced. The rebels would be hedding towards the Worldly Winter Wonderland! There were plenty of fun activities in store, with anyone who completed our checklist earning the Santa’s Helper role!
You can read the full party announcement here!
Event Recaps
A PPC party means a week full of themed events! This week all our events were Christmas themed, including two Christmas breakdays! Read on to see a recap of all of our events between 18 December to 23 Decemer!
On Monday we had our first breakday event! Major General Cy kindly hosted some rounds of Skribbl to get everyone feeling festive! A number of rounds were played and the rebels found themselves in good spirit for the week ahead!
For Tuesday’s US event, the rebels took part in Operation: Nipping at your Nose. Everyone dressed up in blue and white for this Jack Frost themed event!
Event Picture from Operation: Nipping at your Nose [US].
Thursday saw us all channel our inner tourist with cameras and an iron curtain! Since its winter we made sure to dress up warm in our sweaters too. Operation: Take the Pic! was another success!
Event Picture from Operation: Take the Pic! [EU].
We rounded off our breakdays on Friday with Second in Command Gabgeirl hosting a cozy stream of Rise of the Guardians for everyone to watch.
The final event of our week of parties came on Saturday, with Operation: Find Santa where we all dressed up as Santa before engaging in a game of hide and seek! In the end it was the troops who came out victorious! Congratulations!
Event Picture of Operation: Find Santa [EU]
The Tree
Throughout the week we collected bauble submissions, which have now been compiled into a tree! Thank you to everyone who submitted a design!
Traditions and Culture
PPC spent the week surveying RPF members for their Christmas traditions, and how to say Merry Christmas in their native language! If a rebel doesn’t celebrate they were also welcome to share something which they do celebrate in their culture! Read on to see some of the responses!
Languages
Merry Christmas – English
كل سنة وانت طيب – Arabic (Season’s Greetings)
Shabe Yalda Mobarak – Arabic (Happy Winter Solstice)
Feliz Navidad – Spanish
Nadolig Llawen – Welsh
메리 크리스마스 – Korean
Buon Natale – Italian
圣诞节快乐 or 圣诞快乐 – Chinese
Maligayang Pasko – Filipino
Nollaig Shona – Irish
Feliz Natal – Portuguese
Joyeux Noël – French
Καλά Χριστούγεννα – Greek
Traditions
Giving back to the community (Egypt)
Making tamales with family (Mexico)
Opening presents at midnight (Argentina)
Giving out red gifts (apples, paper chains, etc) because they signify luck or being happy
Reading Christmas stories as a family and drinking hot chocolate
Making gingerbread houses
Baking Compeition
Watching Christmas movies together/Christmas TV specials
Family brunch followed by lasagna and ham dinner (Italian American)
Baking a cake with orange and almonds, which has a coin placed inside. The cake is cut on New Year’s morning, and whoever gets the coin is considered to be lucky for the whole year. (Cyprus)
Playing wii as a family
Ugly Sweaters
Secret Santa/White Elephant/Gift exchanges
Celebrating the Winter Solstice with parties, poetry, and traditional food. This includes decorated watermolin, pomegranates, nuts, and dried fruits. The watermelon and pomegranate are important because the red hues symbolise dawn and life. (Iran)
Singing
Sending Christmas Cards
Opening a single present on Christmas Eve
A decorated horse skull (Mari Lwyd) knocks at your door and you have to sing back and forth at each other. If Mari wins then you have to grant entry and give food and drinks. (Wales)
Thank you to everyone who contributed an answer! A total of 22 submissions were recieved overall, and we loved reading all the responses!
The Tour
As part of our celebrations, we shared three facts a day from a different country in each inhabited continent, following the route of Santa’s Sleigh! If you missed them you can catch up below!
New Zealand – Oceania
- In the Maori Language, Santa is called Hana Kōkō!
- A popular present are ‘jandals’ (flip flops) and have been popular since the 1950s!
- Many New Zealanders decorate their own unique Christmas tree, the Pohutukawa. The tree has bright red flowers.
The Philippines – Asia
- One of their traditions is called Parol. This is a bamboo pole or frame with a lighted star lamp upon it. (Used to represent the star that guided the Wise Men)
- Part of the festivities is called Simbang Gabi – a series of nine dawn masses in the lead up to Christmas. It begins on the 16th of December!
- One popular Christmas dish is Lechon – This is a roasted pig stuffed with a number of aromatics
South Africa – Africa
- A popular Christmas dessert is malva pudding. This is a soft cake filled with an apricot jam.
- Santa is known as either ‘Sinterklaas’ or ‘Kersvader’.
- Camping is a popular activity during Christmas due to the holiday being celebrated in summer.
Germany – Europe
- Mulled wine is a popular drink at Christmas – it’s estimated that they drink 50 million litres of it each year!
- Germans know the 25th of December as ‘Erster Feiertag’ which means first celebration day.
- Many children in Germany look forward to the 6th of December (Nikolaustag) when St Nicholas brings small presents such as sweets and chocolates.
Brazil – South America
- In Brazil, Santa is known as Papai Noel & Bom Velhinho (good old man).
- In Brazil, many people like to go to the beach on Christmas Day.
- The epiphany (when people remember the Wise Men visiting Jesus) is also celebrated widely in Brazil.
Mexico – North America
- On Christmas Eve, the majority of Mexican families attend church masses called Misa de Gallo.
- From December 16th to Christmas Eve, children often perform the ‘Posada’ processions or Posadas. (this is a reenactment of Mary and Joseph finding an Inn to stay in).
- Nativity scenes, known as the ‘nacimiento’, are very popular in Mexico. They are often very large, with the figures being life size!
A big thank you to Major General Cy for gathering the facts!
Conclusion
Overall, the rebels got very involved with a lovely Christmas party! We learnt a lot about a number of different cultures, as well as languages! Thank you so much to everyone who took part, and PPC hopes you all had a very happy holiday season. If you don’t celebrate any holidays at this time PPC hopes you had a great week anyway! A big congratulations to everyone who earnt the Santa’s Helper role too!
Gabgeirl, Lance, and the Party Planning Committee
Nadolig Llawen a Blwyddyn Newdydd Dda
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year
