One corner of learning that young children really enjoy and want to learn more about is how other children in different cultures celebrate Christmas and the holiday season. Around the world children celebrate Christmas and the holidays in many different ways. Keep in mind there is a world of activities and Internet sites focused on the cultures, traditions and spirit of Christmas.

Buckle up your seatbelts as we travel to Mexico, China, Norway, France and Sri Lanka. Knowledge of the world is a gift for a lifetime!

Here is a simple way to make a piñata at home: Start with a large brown paper grocery bag. Decorate the bag with paint, streamers, yarn and colored paper. Fill the bag with candy, nuts, fruit, popcorn and small toys. Tie a cord or fasten a strong rubber band around the opening of the bag. Hang the piñata from a hook or put it on the end of a broomstick. Blindfold a person at a time, turn them around once or twice, let them hit the piñata with a wooden spoon or stick.

Here is how to say Merry Christmas in Spanish: “Feliz Navidad.”

The way to say Merry Christmas in Chinese is “Kung Hei Shing Taan”; phonetically it’s “goong-hoh-sheng-tahn.”

Merry Christmas in Norwegian is “God Jul”; phonetically “good yool.”                                                                                                                                                                                      

The French say Merry Christmas like this: “Joyeaux Noel”; phonetically “Zwah-Yuh-noh-Ehl.”

“Merry Christmas” in Sri Lanka is “Kirusmas Vazphuphal”; phonetically, “Krooz-ma FAR-too-dal.”

We can say “merry Christmas” in many different languages.

Russian “merry Christmas” is “S Rozhdestvom Khristovym” (z’roh-desht-vohm Kris-too-vim); African in Swahili is “Sikukuu ya Kuzaliwa Kristo” (see-koo-koo yah koo-zah-lee-wah kree-stow); Brazil  it is almost like Mexico but slightly different as “Feliz Natal.”

Of course other ways to wish everyone a season of happiness is “season’s greetings” and “happy holidays.”

Happy Hanukkah to our Jewish children and Happy Kwanzaa to our African children who celebrate this holiday season.

Of course, we’ve only skimmed the surface of different cultures and holiday celebrations!  That is your homework as you enrich your child with knowledge, celebration and fun during this season of the year.

Beth Pinyerd lives in Daphne and serves as director of younger children at Faith Family Fellowship in Spanish Fort.

Her column appears every other week in the Daphne Bulletin and Spanish Fort Sun.