Red and Green as (Universal) Colors of Christmas

I had no idea how universal the "Christmas colors" are (RED and GREEN) until I did an art project inside a detention center with immigrant women from Central America. I wanted to find out what their Christmas traditions are so that when I returned a few weeks later to do art with the children I would have prepared somewhat appropriately regarding colors and symbols for my Christmas art supplies. I was super surprised to learn that RED and GREEN seem to be universal Christmas colors-at least for Central and North America.

The instructions included (in Spanish) the following:

1.     Use a pen or colored pencil and describe your favorite Christmas from your childhood or country. What colors remind you of Christmas? What are the favorite foods that are served? Who comes to visit (or who do you go to visit)? What is your favorite Christmas song? What special activities do you do during December? What does your family do in preparation for Christmas Eve? Christmas Day? What do you do as a family? What are the smells that remind you of Christmas? What is the one tradition that is the most important to you about Christmas? What is the one food that you think of as a must have for Christmas?

2.     Choose one, two, or three stamps that remind you of Christmas and cover the background (over the words). Clean the stamps with a baby wipe when you are done.

3.     Use pretty papers and the “punch tools” to punch out shapes that remind you of Christmas. Glue the shapes onto the page.

4.     Add a layer of stamped images that tell the story of Christmas in your country.

5.     What do you want in your new country? What memories do you want to create for special Christmases? What are your hopes and dreams for Christmas 2015? Christmas 2016? (Why did you come here, and what do you dream for yourself and your children?)