Mini Christmas Dinner

The last week before we break up for Christmas holidays is a magical time for children and teachers. It is hard not to buzz off the excitement of the little ones! The classroom is a hive of festive activity and it's nice to ease back on the hard work and do some fun activities. Last year we did something really special that kind of happened organically.  We were discussing food which was our language topic. What started off as a conversation about Brussel Sprouts... turned into an idea for a food tasting lesson... but it turned into something far more magical and I think I can say that this is the cutest thing I have ever done with a class. Our very own mini Christmas dinner. It was so much fun! 

As a class we discussed the following:

• the menu 
• peeling the sprouts
• laying the table
• folding napkins
• heating the plates
• tastying up the sprouts
• Serving up a feast!

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On the menu... turkey, mashed potatoes, brussel sprouts and cranberry sauce!

For dessert...

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To keep the preparation as simple as possible for all involved I bought most of the food ready made. But as the whole idea came about because most of the children had never tasted brussels sprouts we made sure to prepare these from scratch. Peeling the outer layers, boiling them gently (overcooking Brussels sprouts produces a sulfur-like smell which is usually what turns people off them). Don't forget to make them really tasty with some seasoning and KerryGold butter! 

~Fun Fact~ some people have a gene, known as TAS2R38, that make Brussels sprouts and other cabbages taste bitter to them. I certainly don't, I could eat them like apples!

Discussing how we lay a table for a special occasion was really nice. In today's busy society, the children don't always get to experience a proper sit down meal with a set table. We talked about table manners and waiting until everyone was served before we started to eat. This year I plan to better prepare the table with decorations and mini christmas crackers. It would also be nice to have a small set of cutlery for each child, I only had spoons.

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Check out the video of how it went... very cute I think you'll agree!

Mini Christmas Dinner! from Ms Murray on Vimeo.

Dessert of Plum Pudding, mince pies and custard... wasn't quite as successful! lol 

Dessert from Ms Murray on Vimeo.

Happy Feasting!!

​Zara 

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