Study Guides

Unit Summary

In this unit pupils investigate two festivals: Diwali and Christmas. They make links between the concept of dharma and the celebrations at Diwali. They investigate how Diwali is changing in recent times. In addition, they analyse how Christmas has changed in its meaning in the UK today.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to explain how some people mark the Winter Solstice and make some connections with Christmas.

Key Notes

• The Winter Solstice is the longest night of the year. It occurs in December.
• The festival is ancient. The festival of Christmas was placed at the same point to link to the themes of light.
• Many pagans will celebrate the coming of the light at the solstice with festive celebrations.
• Some pagans will gather at ancient places, such as Stonehenge, to mark the solstice.

Vocabulary To Learn

• Winter Solstice: the shortest day of the year and the start of winter in the Northern Hemisphere
• pagan: a person who believes in gods and goddesses linked to nature
• Druid: a wise person or priest who helps lead pagan ceremonies

Common Mistakes To Avoid

• No one celebrates Winter Solstice anymore.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

More Lessons In This Unit

• Diwali in India and the UK Study Guide
• Learning from data about Christmas in the UK Study Guide
• The changing nature of Christmas in the UK Study Guide
• The Ramayana: deeper meanings Study Guide
• The story of Rama and Sita Study Guide