Adam Woolfolk

        Every year, Christmas trees appear, carols play in every store, and children begin wondering whether Santa Claus is keeping score. Some families even rely on modern inventions like the “Elf on the Shelf,” a toy that supposedly watches children and reports back to the North Pole. With all this holiday excitement, it is easy to forget that Christmas did not begin as a worldwide season of decorations and discounts. In Taiwan especially, the holiday offers a fascinating case study in how traditions travel across borders and evolve into something far removed from their origins.

        The word “Christmas” is derived from “Christ's Mass,” a Christian church service celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. For Christians, it is a religious holiday centered on worship and reflection. In Taiwan, however, only a small percentage of the population is Christian, yet the holiday is highly visible. Shopping malls glow with lights, cafes offer “Christmas specials,” and schools host themed events. This popularity is driven less by theology and more by the twin forces of globalization and commerce. Events like Black Friday and Cyber Monday—originally rooted in American consumer habits—have spread through online shopping and international brands. As a result, the season often feels less like a spiritual celebration and more like a carefully marketed invitation to spend money.

        Even many of the symbols we consider “traditional” are surprisingly Modern and commercially driven. While the character of Saint Nicholas is ancient, the cheerful image of Santa Claus in a red suit was cemented in the global imagination through Coca-Cola advertisements in the 1930s. Similarly, the “Elf on the Shelf” tradition was created as recently as 2005 specifically to sell books and toys. These examples show how easily new customs can be packaged, marketed, and accepted as if they had always existed. Christmas is not alone in this transformation; Halloween followed a similar path, shifting from a solemn religious observance into a colorful, high-revenue event focused more on entertainment than history.

        At the same time, we should consider how celebrating a religious holiday without understanding its depth might feel to those within that faith. Christmas is tied to a religion that most people in Taiwan do not practice. To gain perspective, imagine how it might feel if people in other countries began holding “Ghost Month sales” or burning joss paper simply as trendy decorations, without understanding the beliefs about ancestors, respect, and the afterlife behind those customs. Many Taiwanese people might find such practices hollow or even disrespectful. This comparison reminds us that cultural exchange is most meaningful when it comes with awareness. Enjoying the festive atmosphere is not wrong, but learning about a holiday's origins helps us celebrate thoughtfully and with genuine respect for the traditions of others.

鄭皓澤

        Last time, we had a Christmas party at Tr. Jam's class. Tr. Jam first told what the Philippines' Christmas was like. Then, he played games with us. For the first game, we needed to type the correct spelling of the Christmas pictures. The first one who showed the answer could have candy. For the second game, we needed to choose a number, an alphabet, a month, a color, and then Tr. Jam would say an answer. If the answer was the same as our answer, we could have candies. The last activity was exchanging gifts！ We picked a piece of paper with a number, and we could get the gift with the same number！ We all had a great time in Tr. Jam's Christmas class！

曾柏宸

        In our English class, we had to celebrate Christmas. We learned how Christmas is celebrated in the Philippines, so there were some activities we did. We had some English word games. Students needed to guess the words related to Christmas that the teacher thought of. If we guessed correctly, we would be rewarded. Next, we played Christmas games, and there would also be a reward if we won. Lastly, we played traditional games from the Philippines. I think the games that we played were very, very fun, so I want to have this kind of class again next Christmas.

李宇婕、簡澂槿

        The once-a-year, highly anticipated Christmas is here！ During Christmas, people exchange gifts, have big meals, and celebrate in different ways. This is how we celebrated in Jam's class.

        In the first lesson, the teacher had us play some fun games. The first game was guessing Christmas-related things. The teacher put pictures on the whiteboard, and we guessed. This game really tested our vocabulary. Especially the last one, “poinsettia”, which we didn't even know！ But because of this game, we learned quite a few words we'll use at Christmas！ The second game was lucky numbers, fruits, and cities. The teacher thought of a number, and we wrote it on our pads. Students who had good teamwork with Jam could get small candies. This game really tested our teamwork with the teacher; the words we wrote could be used later.

        The third game was “step on the Newspaper.” Two people formed a team, and during the music, everyone's feet must be inside the newspaper. If we failed, you would be eliminated. After passing the level, we had to fold the newspaper in half. This continued until a champion was chosen, who then got candy.

        The second period was our most anticipated activities: exchange Christmas gifts. We placed our carefully chosen gifts in front of us, and the teacher had us draw numbers to receive the corresponding gifts. After receiving our gifts, every student's face beamed with surprise and joy.

        This Christmas celebration will be one of our most memorable. Not only did we exchange gifts, but we also played many games. Correct answers earned us candy, leaving each of us with a hearty heart and boundless joy. Thank you, Teacher Jam, for your thoughtful arrangements, which created such unique

memories for us this Christmas.

        The second period was our most anticipated activities: exchange Christmas gifts. We placed our carefully chosen gifts in front of us, and the teacher had us draw numbers to receive the corresponding gifts. After receiving our gifts, every student's face beamed with surprise and joy.

        This Christmas celebration will be one of our most memorable. Not only did we exchange gifts, but we also played many games. Correct answers earned us candy, leaving each of us with a hearty heart and boundless joy. Thank you, Teacher Jam, for your thoughtful arrangements, which created such unique memories for us this Christmas.