Nursery World - Season's greetings

Early years settings around the country tell Karen Faux and Annette Rawstrone how they celebrate the holiday in both traditional and original ways.

- Jean McHugh, head teacher, Greenfields Children's Centre, Southall, London

'Ours is a multicultural setting and Christmas is about including everybody. Christians make up a minority 3 to 4 per cent of our community, while Muslims account for 55 per cent. For us Christmas is a time of festivals, and as part of the celebrations we visit our local mosque, gurdawa and mandira (Muslim, Sikh and Hindu temples respectively).

'In January we also pay a visit to the Catholic Church before the crib is taken away. And Christmas wouldn't be complete without a Christmas tree and a visit from Father Christmas.

'One of the ways in which we bring faiths together is to hold an international evening in December, where each family brings in their own culture's food. We also do this in the summer.

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