A Pioneer Christmas- Hands On History Unit

What was Christmas like for the Pioneers?

It’s 1854… many children have traveled miles and miles with their families to settle the wide open prairies on the American plains.  Kirsten is one of these children.  Her family came all the way across the ocean from Sweden to start a new life!  She wonders if Christmas in America will be much different than the Christmases in Sweden that she remembers. 
Would there be warm, cinnamon bread?  And presents? 
And cheerful Christmas decorations to hang in their new home? 

What do you think?
Let’s find out together what Christmas in Pioneer America might have looked like!

If you want to add even more fun to this Christmas study, you can learn all about Kirsten and what life was like in 1854 in this FREE Pioneer Unit Study!

Kirsten’s Swedish Pioneer Christmas Printable PDF Version
-45 Pages-
This is the full study with live links, planning pages, and a few fun organizers to get you started.

*A Pioneer Christmas Companion- Printable POWER Pack
92 pages- Activities, crafts, copy work, vocabulary BINGO, and lots more!
Grab these & this free unit study and holiday homeschooling is FUN & DONE!

–>???What’s The Difference Between The PDF Version and The Printable POWER Pack???
Click the link above for a full video explanation!

If this is the first Hands-On History Holiday unit you’ve tried, be sure to check them all out!
You can start with the first post, “A Colonial Christmas- Hands-On Holidays“.
The goal of these units is to keep your kiddos learning through the holiday season, but do it in a way that incorporates all the fun things you want to spend time on like baking Christmas goodies for friends and neighbors, making some homemade gifts, and making wonderful, warm holiday memories with your kids!   NO STRESS about “getting school done”!!

+A Colonial Christmas  (PDF Version)
+A Colonial Christmas   (Printable Power Pack!)

+A Southwestern Frontier Christmas
+A Southwestern Frontier Christmas  (PDF Version)
+A Southwestern Frontier Christmas  (Printable Power Pack!)

+A Pioneer Christmas
+A Pioneer Christmas ( PDF Version)
+A Pioneer Christmas Printable POWER Pack

+A Civil War Christmas
+A Turn of the Century Christmas
+A World War II Christmas

+An Ancient History of Christmas

—>AND if you’re seeing this before the holidays, and want to give it a try with Thanksgiving too, you can check out-
*FREE* An Old Fashioned Thanksgiving Unit  
(Louisa May Alcott- great to use with Civil War Unit!)

*The History of Thanks-Giving post  (also FREE!)
(This Unit is super to use with the Free History Curriculum, as it touches on Thanksgiving
from Ancient Civilizations to American History)

How to use this Hands-On Christmas Unit Study:

First, go read -> Christmas School   or   An American Girl Christmas

These posts will explain WHY I wrote these Christmas units!

Next, look through this Christmas Unit.  I’ve included reading suggestions online, craft suggestions, recipes, activities, and also a list of books and other fun resources to use to learn about what a Pioneer Christmas might be like! 

Definitely consider making Christmas binders (directions for that in the AG Christmas  post above)!  I still have the ones my children made (my oldest child is in his 30’s now!!).  They really do make the sweetest keepsakes.  Add some of the suggested coloring pages, journals, lists, photos, or anything else you’d like!  I made a video explaining how to make a history binder, and the process is similar-  How To Make a History Binder.
You can also find extra printables and ideas to use in the binders, in the Pioneer Christmas Printable POWER Pack.

Finally, choose which books you want to check out from the library or ones you want to purchase.  Make a list of which crafts, gifts, and recipes you want to try, and what you’ll need for them. 
Then… GO ENJOY THE CHRISTMAS SEASON TOGETHER!

**REMEMBER you do NOT have to complete all of these activities.

I intentionally add a large list of ideas so families can choose which ones they like best!
Choose the stories, activities, and projects you want, and the ones that will help you get your Christmas baking and gift making done too!

Close your eyes and imagine the biggest and best Christmas you can.
Do you see piles and piles of presents, tables full of treats, the tallest Christmas tree covered in twinkly lights and shiny tinsel?  Or maybe you imagined all your friends and family gathered together, matching pjs, cups of hot cocoa, plates of cookies, and all things cozy and warm!

Now that you have that picture in your mind…
That is NOT what a Christmas during the days of the Pioneers looked like.
A Pioneer Christmas explained in one word would likely be- SIMPLE.
The families that trekked west across the plains and prairies in wagons to settle this new land had only been able to carry a very few belongings with them.  When they stopped to homestead, houses had to be built, the ground had to be prepared, and crops had to be planted. 
They all worked very hard in these days… men, women, children, and even the animals! 

BUT… Christmas still came!
Christmas was a very special day, even if there were chores and work to do, it was a day that everyone looked forward to.  There would be homemade decorations, a few gifts for each person in the family, and if sugar could be found, definitely there would be some traditional sweet treats to be enjoyed.  Christmas in the Pioneer days was a time for giving… a time for sharing what you had to help your neighbors… a time to gather together even if your neighbor was not so close by!
Actually, some parts of the holiday that we enjoy today , perhaps the very BEST parts of the holiday, weren’t really all that different.  Families went to church together, celebrated the coming of Jesus, and thought of bringing that joy to others. 
Perhaps this kind of Christmas doesn’t sound quite as fun as what you first imagined the best Christmas to be.  I hope you will read on… hang some spicy dried oranges and pine in a window…bake a treat or two… make a gift for a neighbor… plan a dinner to gather your family together… and enjoy some SIMPLE pioneer Christmas traditions. 

You might just be surprised at how much you like this kind of Christmas!
Some wise words from a Christmas icon-
“Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn’t before! What if Christmas, he thought, doesn’t come from a store. What if Christmas… perhaps… means a little bit more!”

*Note-
You might like to remind your children that life in the 1800’s for Pioneers, Homesteaders, and others traveling west through America’s wild frontier was very different than life for people living in the cities, like those in the original 13 colony states. 

*Let’s FIND OUT!*

+READ!

*Mini Page Pioneer Christmas
*Christmas 1881- A Pioneer Christmas Story
*Christmas For a Farm Family in 1850   (So interesting!  About 5 minute listen!)
*A Pioneer Christmas In The West
*A Pioneer’s Christmas
*Stories Of A Pioneer Christmas 
*Effie’s Christmas Dream 
(This is written as a play… it would make a good kid led activity!)
*A Country Christmas 
*Christmas On The Frontier
*A Pioneer’s Own Account of Christmas in 1845
(Click the blue arrow on the right to turn the page)
*Minnesota Pioneers Firsthand Christmas Accounts
(This is lengthy, but you could definitely choose a few stories to print out and read together!  You can look at the Table of Contents, enter the page number you want to read in the small box on the upper left hand side of the PDF, and easily find your place!)
*An Account of Christmas on the Wyoming Frontier
*A Merry Christmas at Fort Yuma
*Christmas at Fort Vancouver
(Although this account is from the Pacific Northwest, it is a vivid description of what Christmas in an outpost in the 1840’s was really like!)
*An Old Fashioned Thanksgiving (read online)… or listen to the Audio Version
(I know this isn’t Christmas or necessarily about the Pioneers, but the story is one of my absolute favorites and I think fits in well with this study.  I also have a FREE unit study for this story HERE)

*A Pioneer Christmas In Litchfield
Kirsten’s family, and many other pioneer families, had come from other countries far away to settle in the west.  When we are learning about Christmas traditions from this time we could add so many unique celebrations!   Kirsten came from Sweden, so we will learn about a few of the holiday festivities that her family might have enjoyed!

*First Swedish Settlers In Wisconsin
(This would be a great introduction if you haven’t yet done the Pioneer (AG Kirsten) Unit!  It includes colorful maps of their experience from Sweden to New York and finally to Wisconsin)
*What Was a Swedish Pioneer Christmas Like?
*How Christmas is Celebrated in Sweden
*The 1869 Swedish Christmas Ljuskröna Story
*A Wisconsin Pioneer’s Swedish Christmas

+WATCH!

*Meet Kirsten    (about 3 minutes)
*Listen to “Kirsten’s Surprise” read aloud
(This is a 6 part series, each about 25 minutes.  Each video includes an introduction and some fun historical details! )
*Holidays In The Pioneer Cabin                       (about 5 minutes)
*The Story of the Pioneer Christmas Tree      (about 3 minutes)
*Love’s Christmas Journey
(From the Love Comes Softly series… as always please preview.  The beginning is difficult, but good.  I found this on YouTube so the quality isn’t great.  You can find it here on Amazon Prime-
“Love’s Christmas Journey”  or  the “Love’s Christmas Story” DVD.   These are affiliate links.)
*The Young Pioneers Christmas                       (about 1 1/2 hours)
(NOTE!  The opening of the movie is very sad as a little child has died of fever.  As always please preview this movie to be sure it is ok for your family!   The movie is based on a novel written by Rose Wilder Lane, daughter of Laura Ingalls Wilder.)
*Christmas In The Big Woods- First Little House series read aloud      (about 5 minutes)
*Frontier Christmas 1860
*Christmas At Lang Pioneer Village – 1820-1899        (about 4 minutes)
*Christmas On Plum Creek
(This is free with Amazon Prime-  Season 1, Episode 15.  About 50 minutes.)
*Frontier Christmas Story
*Christmas In Sweden                              (about 14 minutes)
*Christmas In Sweden            (about 5 minutes)
*Lucia Morning         (about 9 minutes)
(Explained and read aloud… this one is good for Littles too!)   
*Christmas In Noisy Village        (about 7 minutes)
*The Tomten                                                        (about 6 minutes)

+COLOR!

*Little House on the Prairie Coloring Page
*Little House Christmas Coloring Page
*God Jul Coloring Page
*St. Lucia Day Celebration      (print or color online)
*Sweden Flag Coloring Page
*St. Lucia Tradition Coloring Page
*Dala Horse Coloring Page     
(We will talk more about this tradition under decorations)
*Swedish Children Coloring Page
*Stringing Popcorn Coloring Page

+EXTRAS!

(Required Disclaimer:  These are direct links to books and other resources for purchase on Amazon, for which I am an affiliate.  I get a small commission at no extra cost to you.   BUT…Remember you can look at your local library or your own bookshelf first!!)

*Kirsten’s Surprise ,  Changes For Kirsten: A Winter Story, and  Kirsten Snowbound!
*Kirsten Learns A Lesson   
*Kirsten:  An American Girl Audiobook
(This would be excellent if you are traveling for the holidays!  The whole family would love it!  AND it’s  free to try on Audible right now!)
*A Pioneer Thanksgiving
*A Pioneer Christmas
*Christmas Stories
*Pioneer Christmas
*Christmas Jones
*A Little House Christmas Treasury
*A Merry Ingall’s Christmas    (DVD)
*Little House on the Prairie Christmas DVD
*Christmas in the Big Woods
*Laura Ingalls Wilder:  Christmas Stories
*Little House Christmas Paper Dolls

*Lucia Morning in Sweden
*Santa’s Christmas, Tomten’s Jul:  A Bilingual Christmas Story
*Swedish Christmas:  A to Z
*The Tomten
*An Old Fashioned Thanksgiving   (DVD)
*An Orange For Frankie
*Little House on the Prairie    (DVD set)
*Kirsten Mini Doll & Book
*Love Comes Softly     
(Our family LOVED this series of movies! )
*Seven Alone  
(Amazon has this movie on Prime Video and also on DVD!)
*Oklahoma

*America:  The Story of US

(This History Channel series is a more “text-bookish”  overview)

*Pioneer Girl Dress and Bonnet
(My youngest daughter, who wished to be a pioneer girl,  still has her “Laura” dress, bonnet, and pail.  I wish I could recommend the lovely woman who made hers… back before the days of Amazon ordering.)
*Santa Lucia Dress and Crown 

A Pioneer Christmas might have been simple, but it wasn’t without special treats and sweets for the whole family!
Everyone looks forward to Christmas, but the pioneer families ESPECIALLY looked forward to it!  Days on the frontier prairies were long and full of hard labor.  Christmas then had some wonderful similarities to our Christmases today!  Friends gathered together in homes and at churches, families spent time playing games, singing songs, and making gifts for one another.  And of course, FOOD was a big part of the holiday. 

So what did the Pioneers eat on Christmas? 
The Pioneers would have eaten whatever they had… but the BEST of what they had! 
Christmas dinner was likely venison, rabbit, wild turkey, ham, or even…gulp!… BEAR! 
There would surely have been freshly baked bread on the table, with freshly churned butter that might have even been pressed into little festive shapes just for this most set apart meal of the year! Swedish families like Kirsten’s, and others coming from far away parts of the world to settle the West, brought their own traditional holiday foods too!  Try Pepparkakor !  YUM!

But the BIG question we all are asking is… where there Christmas cookies?  Or pies?  Or candy?  You’ll be happy to know that most of the time, the answer was YES, YES, and YES!  Thrifty moms were heroic in their efforts to squirrel away bits of sugar during the year especially to use in Christmas baking. Some areas in the north had maple trees which were used to make maple sugar and maple syrup too.  Molasses was also a pioneer favorite for sweets as it kept for long periods of time and was believed to have many health benefits as well as being a very tasty substitute for sugar!

Christmas cooking on the Pioneer sounds pretty delicious!
Let’s learn more and try making some Pioneer Christmas recipes!. 
Remember that the Pioneers often gifted food to friends and neighbors during the holidays.  It might be a fun thing for you to do as well with some of these recipes that you try!
You might also like to have a Pioneer Christmas Dinner (or lunch)  to show your family and friends what Christmas long ago was like!  You can add some of the decorations you’ve read about and made, play some old fiddled Christmas hymns in the background, and even make some Christmas cards for each person’s place at the table!   Use your creative Pioneer skills, the things that you have already on hand, and most of all the Christmas spirit to make a wonderful celebration for your guests!   Have FUN!

+READ and WATCH!

*Pioneer Christmas Food & Traditions

*Foods Of The American Frontier
*What Did Pioneers Eat On the Trail?
*Christmas Foods on the Frontier
*Historical Christmas Food
*A Kirsten Inspired Christmas     (Video- about 25 minutes)

– Cooking on the frontier…from the PBS series Frontier House
*A Dickens Christmas On The Frontier

*Mountain Man Christmas      (Primary source video- about 2 minutes)

*An Early Frontier Christmas Recollection In Green Bay Wisconsin
*1900’s Christmas Cooking
(video about 12 minutes)
*Christmas Dinner:  What’s Changed Since 1800’s?
*How To Make Apple Charlotte 19th Century
*Victorian Christmas Food

*Swedish Christmas Food & Traditions

Christmas celebrations tend to start much earlier in Sweden than in America, with the tradition of Advent which usually falls sometime near the end of November.

*What Is a Julbord?                (video- about 2 minutes)
*Swedish Julbord Christmas Tradition History
*How To Have A Fika              (video-  about 8 minutes)
*Swedish Fika Tradition         (video- about 11 minutes with the history portion at 8:21 minute mark)
*Swedish Fika and The 7 Cookies
*Traditional Swedish Christmas Foods
*History of Swedish Gingerbread Cookies- Pepparkakor        (video- about 5 minutes)
*What is Julmust?                                                              (video- about 2 minutes)
*Swedish Christmas Candy  (video-  about 7 minutes)
*Swedish Rice Christmas Porridge- Risgrynsgröt                       (video- about 2 minutes)
(Don’t forget to leave a bowl of this out for Tomten!)
*Christmas Piggies?
(These little marzipan pigs are a traditional prize for the one who finds the almond in their bowl of Christmas rice pudding!)
*Lutfisk… A Swedish Christmas Tradition
*Knackebrod   and  Why Knackebrod is a Swedish Christmas Tradition

+TRY IT!

*Pioneer Eats & Treats
*Pioneer Potato Soup From Kirsten’s World
*Homemade Butter
(I have done this for years with my children and grandchildren at Thanksgiving.  Always so fun to see the cream turn into butter, and then enjoy the finished product!  Super easy… cream, a jar, and a pinch of salt!  If you want to be extra fancy, you can scoop the butter into little balls, or spread into mini cookie cutters, or use a cookie press, or even the tip of a whisk to make the butter into shapes.)
*Pioneer Popcorn Balls
*Old Fashioned Peppermint Candy Sticks
*Pioneer Pantry-  Dried Apple Pie      (video- about 20 minutes)
(Even if you don’t watch the whole video, watch the beginning to hear the Dried Apple Pie poem!)
*Pioneer Vinegar Pie
*Heart Shaped Christmas Cakes
*Homemade Taffy
*Pioneer Snow Candy
*Little House Pumpkin Pie
*Indian Meal Pudding
*Pioneer Pantry-  Johnny Cakes       (video- about 10 minutes)
*Little House On the Prairie Molasses Cookies
   OR  you may prefer this easier recipe –  Simple Molasses Cookies
*Pioneer Plum Preserves

*Swedish Treats & Eats

*The History & Recipe For Kirsten’s Santa Lucia Buns
*15 Julbord Christmas Dinner Recipes
*Swedish Rice Pudding
*Swedish Pancakes with Rhubarb Jam      (Video- about 11 minutes)
*Kirsten’s Pepparkakor Cookies
*St Lucia Braided Bread Crown
*Lefse Recipe
(I love the story that is included with this recipe)
*Köttbullar-  Swedish Meatballs
*Swedish Christmas Cabbage Recipe
*Ischoklad Chocolates Recipe
*Chokladbollar Recipe
*Make a Marzipan Pig

+COLOR!
—>You may like to print these and add them to a Christmas Binder, History Binder, use them for writing prompts, color just for the fun of it, or don’t use them at all!   🙂

*Christmas Dinner Coloring Page
*Churning Butter Coloring Page
*Apple Pie Coloring Page
*Pioneer Cooking Coloring Page
*Pepparkakor Coloring Page
*Santa Lucia Celebration Coloring Page    (Color online or print)
*Swedish Christmas Dinner Coloring Page
*Fika Coloring Page
*Swedish Meatballs Coloring Page     😀
*Lefse With Lingonberries Coloring Page      (This might be crepes, but close enough)
*Lutfisk Coloring Page     (ok… it’s just fish, but lutefisk isn’t the easiest coloring page to find!)
*Christmas Goodies Coloring Page

+EXTRAS-

(Required Disclaimer:  These are direct links to books and other resources for purchase on Amazon, for which I am an affiliate.  I get a small commission at no extra cost to you.
BUT…Remember to look in the international foods aisle at your grocery store, World Market is a good place to look, and if you are near an IKEA, they always have TONS of Swedish foods to try around the holidays!)

*Kirsten’s Cook Book
*My Little House Cookbook
*Historic Communities Pioneer Recipes
*The Pioneer Lady’s Country Christmas
*Log Cabin Cooking
*Swedish Cakes & Cookies Cookbook
*Swedish Christmas Cookbook    

*Dala Horse Cookie Cutter
*Tomten Cookie Cutters
*Gingerbread House Construction Cutters
*Gingerbread Men Cookie Cutters
*Meringue Powder For Royal Icing

*Old Time Peppermint Sticks
*Maple Sugar Candy
*Nyakers Swedish Gingerbread Snaps Cookie
*Swedish Lingonberry Preserves
*Try some Swedish Candies!
*Crispbread
*Box of Aladdin Chocolates
(Don’t forget you cannot move to the next layer until all of the top ones are eaten 😀  )
*Julmust Soda   
*Swedish Christmas Food Basket
(Ok, so this is pricey, but fun to look at!)

*The Plan For the Gingerbread House

Decorating for Christmas wasn’t quite as BIG as it is today, but families enjoyed the tradition of making homemade decorations and decking the halls!
The decorations you would find in the homes of the Pioneers would likely be simple like all the other parts of their Christmas celebration.  Depending on one’s Christmas spirit, you might find one small swag of pine, or thoughtful handmade Christmas ornaments and decorations inside and outside their cabins.  

Kirsten, and her friends would have used similar items to decorate for Christmas. 
Cedar branches, straw, paper, cloth, and other items they could find in nature were gathered and creatively used. Back in Sweden, winters were long, snowy, and dark.  Because of this, people decorated with candles and white paper ornaments to bring light and brightness… they baked gingerbread and cinnamon cookies, and pushed cloves into oranges to fill their homes with warm scents.   The days were a bit longer, and not always as cold, but it wasn’t too much different for the pioneer in America’s frontier!  

+READ and WATCH!

+Pioneer Christmas Decorations

*Decorating the Cabin 1800s      (video- no sound)
*1820’s Pioneer Cabin Christmas Decorating     (video- no sound)
*An Old Fashioned Pioneer Christmas     
(All kinds of traditions explained, including decorations)

*An American Frontier Christmas
*A Christmas Letter From 1856
*Decorating an 1800’s Pioneer Christmas Tree    (video- about 16 minutes)

+Swedish Christmas Decorations   (Julpynt)
*Classic Swedish Christmas Decorations    (video-  about 7 minutes)
*Swedish Christmas Table Decorations       (videos- about 6 minutes)
*Pepparkakshus
*The Christmas Tree                                   (video- about 5 minutes)
*Swedish Christmas Flowers      (video-  about 7 minutes)
*Advent Candles
*Första Advent                 (This explains the reason behind the candles)
*Straw & Wheat Ornaments                          (Scroll to #2)
*Per And The Dala Horse                               (video, book read aloud- about 7 minutes)
*The Dala Horse

+TRY IT!

+Pioneer Christmas Decorations

*Clove Apples
*Pioneer Evergreen Swags
*Scrap Ribbon (or Fabric) Christmas Trees
*Pioneer Paper Garlands
*Little House Pioneer Tree Topper

*Dried Fruit and Popcorn Garlands
*Fabric Scrap Vintage Christmas Ornaments
(You could use fabric glue for no-sew ornaments too!)

*Twine Angels
*Little House Stockings 
(You could use fabric glue if you didn’t want to sew these !)
*Punched Tin Ornaments
*Punched Tin Can Christmas Lanterns
*Cinnamon Ornaments
*Pioneer Paper Star Christmas Ornaments
*Natural Pine Cone Ornaments

+Swedish Christmas Decorations

*Swedish Straw Stars Ornaments
*Super Simple Giant Paper Christmas Stars
*Pepparkakshus    (aka Gingerbread House)
*Printable Ornaments
(just glue to poster board…you could add glitter or some other embellishments)
*Twig Ornaments
*Paper Christmas Star Ornaments 
*One Minute Paper Stars
*Make your own Julstaken 
(aka, Advent candle holders!   This activity shows one, so you would need to make 4!)
*Swedish Christmas “Gingerbread” Village    OR  Make a life size Gingerbread House!
*No Sew Swedish Fabric Stars
*Dala Horse Ornaments
*Cardboard Dala Horse Decorations      (These would be cute on a table too!)
*Felt Dala Horses
*Swedish Un-Woven Paper Heart Ornaments
*Paper Christmas Angels

+COLOR-
—>You may like to print these and add them to a Christmas Binder, History Binder, use them for writing prompts, color just for the fun of it, or don’t use them at all!   🙂

*Pioneer Christmas Tree Coloring Page
*Frontier Christmas Decorations Coloring Page
*Chopping A Tree Coloring Page
*Vintage Christmas Decorating Coloring Page
*Stringing Popcorn Coloring Page
*Simple Christmas Tree Coloring Page
*Christmas Star Coloring Page
*Snowflakes Coloring Pages
*Angel Ornament Coloring Page
*Gingerbread Houses Coloring Pages
*Flowers and Dala Horse Coloring Page
*Dala Horse Coloring Page
*Advent Candles Coloring Page
(You may also enjoy this free Advent Coloring Book)
*Christmas Gnomes Decorating Christmas Tree Coloring Page

+EXTRAS-

(Required Disclaimer:  These are direct links to books and other resources for purchase on Amazon, for which I am an affiliate.  I get a small commission at no extra cost to you.

*Silicone Popcorn Maker
This is going to sound silly but I LOVE this popcorn maker!!  My top recommendation- buy yourself one of these even if you aren’t popping corn to string!  So easy, no oil, no mess to clean up, folds flat so it won’t take up space, and no more yucky fake butter microwave popcorn!!

*Whole Cloves for Pomanders
*Raffia Ribbon
*Christmas Fabric Squares   (for bows, making ornaments, etc)
*Craft Buttons
*Pinecones  
(This may sound silly if you live somewhere with pine trees… the point is find some natural items and use those!)
*Paper Craft Cones
*Twigs For Crafts
*Cinnamon Sticks

*Amaryllis Bulb    (These are so fun to watch grow in the middle of winter!)
*DIY Advent Calendar Kit
*Paint Your Own Dala Horse
*Dala Horse Carving Kit
*Wheat Straw For Ornaments
*Jute Angel Ornament Kit
*Felt Ornaments Craft Kit
*Swedish Angel Chimes
(I had one of these as a little girl!)
*Christmas Star Lanterns
*Swedish Christmas Candelabra  
  OR   try making your own with these Wooden Candlesticks
*Tomten Craft Kit

“Each one must give as he has decided in his heart,
not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” 
~2 Corinthians 9:7

Miles and miles from a city, the gifts the Pioneers shared with one another were humble and usually homemade.  But just as is true today, watching the joy in someone’s eyes as they receive a gift, is the best present in return!   Some common gifts might be a cookie or a pie, a jar of homemade jam, crocheted mittens, homemade toy, or a small sachet of spicy smelling dried herbs.

+READ and WATCH!

+Pioneer Christmas Gift Giving Traditions

*Gift Giving in the 1800’s
*The History of Christmas Cards
(Gifting homemade Christmas cards started to become popular in the 1840’s)
*The Story Behind Christmas Cards     
(This is set in a Pioneer village in Canada, but a good picture…video-  about 4 minutes)
*Christmas In The Lincoln Home
*Why Do We Give Presents At Christmas?
*St. Nicholas and Santa Claus

+Swedish Christmas Gift Giving Traditions
*Christmas Eve In Sweden                   (Includes Sweden’s Santa-  video – about 3 minutes)
*Tomten or Santa?
*Jultomten and Other Scandinavian Christmas Traditions
(You can scroll down to read about the fun Swedish tradition of leaving rice pudding for Tomten!)
*Tomten’s Christmas Porridge            (video-  about 21 minutes)
*The Tomten                      (video-  about 7 minutes)
*Julklapp
*Julklappsrim – Christmas Gift Rhymes
*Julenek-  Gift Giving For the Birds ?!

+TRY IT!

**Remember that any of the crafts or recipes you have enjoyed making above can also be used as gifts for friends and neighbors!   Here are some other ideas!

+Pioneer Christmas Gifts To Make & Give
*Pioneer Rock Candy Recipe (This is SO fun!!  What a great gift!)
*Old Fashioned Peppermint Candy Sticks   (Great gift in a mason jar!)
*Simple Christmas Aprons    
(You could also make these even easier, and no-sew with fabric glue!)
*No Sew Pioneer Rag Doll
*Pioneer Yarn Doll
*Wooden Peg Dolls
*Pioneer Children’s Toys to make for gifts!
*Lemon Verbena Sachets
*Beeswax Candles
*Handmade Wooden Dominoes
(You could also buy pre-cut wooden pieces if you don’t own a saw!)
*Pioneer Soap Carving    (2 gifts in one!)
*Homemade Soaps
*Braided Rag Rug Coasters
*Make a Jacob’s Ladder Toy
*Jumping Jack (and Jane) Pioneer Dolls
*Bead and Button Jewelry
*Pioneer Children Paper Dolls
*No Sew Sachets

+Swedish Christmas Gifts To Make & Give

*Stenciled Box
*Swedish Votive Holders
*Tomten Gift   or  Try making this Tomten Craft to brighten someone’s kitchen!
*Christmas Bird Feeder Ideas To Make
(This doubles as both a gift for a friend who likes to watch birds, and a gift to the birds during cold winter months!)
*Evergreen Stars
*Homemade Christmas Chocolates
(Gifting boxes of chocolates is a Swedish custom)
*Christmas Rhymes & Poems
(Don’t forget to add a Christmas poem or rhyme to your gift!)
*Christmas Candle
(Candles are still a traditional Christmas gift in Sweden)

+EXTRAS-

(Required Disclaimer:  These are direct links to books and other resources for purchase on Amazon, for which I am an affiliate.  I get a small commission at no extra cost to you.  BUT…Remember you can look at your local library or your own bookshelf first!!)

*Kirsten’s Craft Book
*Little House Christmas Crafts Book
*My Little House Sewing Book
*Little House On The Prairie Craft Book
*Heading West: Life With the Pioneers   (21 Activities Series)
*The Berenstain Bears and the Joy of Giving

*Paint your own Swedish “Chest” like Kirsten’s
*Peg Doll Making Kit
*Beeswax Candle Making Kit 
*Chocolate Making Kit
*Learn To Embroider Kit
*Learn To Knit Kit
*Nativity Ornaments Beginners Sewing Kit
*Popcorn Ball Maker
*Christmas Bead Jewelry Making Kit
*Bird Feeder Craft Kits
*Christmas Paper Crafts To Make & Give

*Brown Craft Paper
(Wrap your gifts in this paper and be sure to write your Christmas riddle or poem on it too!)
*Mini Cast Iron Frying Pan
(This little frying pan is great!  Not just for the Pioneers, it is the perfect size for frying up some corn cakes or flapjacks…. I have one and use it all the time to make a single egg in the morning!)
*Tin Mugs

*Little House on the Prairie Play Set
*Pioneer Play Cooking Set
*Build Your Own Log Cabin Play Set        (You could hot glue it together when finished!)

*Fields of Daisies-  Names of Jesus Printable Advent Calendar and Other Activities

*Serve up a Pioneer Feast… anyone play the fiddle ?

Have some fun pioneer activities:

+Play some Pioneer Games   (scroll to the bottom for indoor game ideas)

+Make a playlist of fiddle music

+String Popcorn and make orange pomanders

+End the night by going Christmas Caroling!

– Jingle Bells  (history)   and  Lyrics/Instrumental to practice

– Silent Night  (history)  and  Lyrics/Instrumental to practice

– Good King Wenceslas   (history)  and   Lyrics/Instrumental to practice 

– Away in the Manger   (history)  and  Lyrics/Instrumental to practice

*Host an Old Fashioned Taffy Pull

*Celebrate a Swedish Christmas Eve
+Serve up a traditional Julbord!
(Many grocery stores have special Swedish Christmas foods in the international section, you could also find some extras on Amazon (see following page)….and if you live near IKEA you could find lots of goodies there too! Use any of the recipes under the foods section of our unit too!) 

+Make Rice Pudding. 
(Don’t forget to set out a bowl for Tomten!)

+Turn up the Swedish Christmas Tunes
(The playlist is in the description to this video)

+Watch Kalle Anka (Charlie Duck?) or another traditional Christmas movie together
(“From All of Us To All of You” is the English version of this beloved movie)

+Dance around the Christmas tree at least once!

+Make gingerbread houses together
(You could even use store bought kits)

+Make some wheat sheaves or simple bird feeders to gift to the birds!

+Play checkers …or any board game your family enjoys!

+Exchange small gifts. 

+EXTRAS-

*If you’d like to learn more about the traditional Santa Lucia Celebration there is a super fun unit study from Herold’s At Home that your family might enjoy!

(Required Disclaimer:  These are direct links to books and other resources for purchase on Amazon, for which I am an affiliate.  I get a small commission at no extra cost to you. )
Use the recipes, decorations, and all of the other ideas you’ve learned to have the most fun Pioneer and/or Swedish Christmas celebration ever!

*Swedish Themed Paper Plates and Napkins
*Scandinavian Table Runner

I hope you and your family have enjoyed discovering all the simplicity and fun of a Pioneer Christmas together!  There are a few of these ideas that just might become a new part of my family’s holiday traditions!

Like always, I’d love to hear from you!  Send projects you’ve worked on, recipes you’ve tried, or stories of your own you’d like to share.  You can comment on the website  https://fieldsofdaisies.com ,  Instagram,   Fields of Daisies Facebook Page ,
or send me an email any time  ch*****@*************es.com  

From my family to yours, wishing you all a warm, relaxed, fun and memorable holiday…

*******Merry Christmas!*******