Christmas Cooking: Stollen and a Visit to the Christmas Market
Preschool
December 23, 2018
On the morning of December 20, our three-year-old class had a cooking lesson.
During Japanese time the previous day, a conversation about our planned visit to the Christmas Market led to stollen, a German Christmas treat. When I asked, “I would like us all to try it. What should we do?”, the first suggestion was, “Let’s eat fried chicken instead!” The answer I had hoped for—“Let’s make it!”—finally came after the children had listed all the foods they wanted to eat.
That conversation became the starting point for our cooking activity.
We began by reviewing the names of the ingredients and utensils. Along with explaining how tools are used, we introduced their proper names, including whisk, measuring cup and rubber spatula.
The children cooked in two groups. They waited for their turns and helped their friends by holding the bowl steady while someone else mixed. The atmosphere was cheerful and cooperative.
In the four-year-old class, children have more opportunities to discuss and make decisions within groups. We want to begin encouraging that thinking at age three by asking how everyone can enjoy an activity together.
By nap time, the stollen had finished baking. The children went to sleep looking forward to both the Christmas Market and their homemade treat.
About Stollen
Stollen is a traditional German treat eaten in the lead-up to Christmas. Dried fruit soaked in alcohol, nuts and butter are mixed into a dough, which is left to rise and then baked. It is often made to keep well and is traditionally enjoyed a little at a time before Christmas. As the fruit and nuts blend with the dough, the flavor develops over time.
For our activity, we used dried fruit without alcohol and did not use nuts.
On the bus to the Christmas Market at Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse, we spotted a horse-drawn carriage. It stopped in front of the market, giving us a chance to see it up close.
The market was full of delicious-looking food. The children enjoyed simply looking at the stalls and menus. Their greatest excitement, though, came from the many Santa decorations: Santa on a sleigh, reading a book, climbing a rope and even riding a motorbike! Everyone laughed together.
Other visitors were surprised to hear the children speaking so much English.
After exploring the market, we rang the bell at the Christmas tree and took a group photograph.
Then it was time for the homemade stollen everyone had been looking forward to. We ate it on the grass, and the children carefully held their pieces so they would not drop them.
Unfortunately, our class did not meet Santa that year, although we had seen him on the previous two visits. The four-year-old class, who had gone earlier, apparently spotted him from a distance. Even without meeting Santa, the children had a wonderful outing to the Christmas Market.
During Japanese time the previous day, a conversation about our planned visit to the Christmas Market led to stollen, a German Christmas treat. When I asked, “I would like us all to try it. What should we do?”, the first suggestion was, “Let’s eat fried chicken instead!” The answer I had hoped for—“Let’s make it!”—finally came after the children had listed all the foods they wanted to eat.
That conversation became the starting point for our cooking activity.
We began by reviewing the names of the ingredients and utensils. Along with explaining how tools are used, we introduced their proper names, including whisk, measuring cup and rubber spatula.
The children cooked in two groups. They waited for their turns and helped their friends by holding the bowl steady while someone else mixed. The atmosphere was cheerful and cooperative.
In the four-year-old class, children have more opportunities to discuss and make decisions within groups. We want to begin encouraging that thinking at age three by asking how everyone can enjoy an activity together.
By nap time, the stollen had finished baking. The children went to sleep looking forward to both the Christmas Market and their homemade treat.
About Stollen
Stollen is a traditional German treat eaten in the lead-up to Christmas. Dried fruit soaked in alcohol, nuts and butter are mixed into a dough, which is left to rise and then baked. It is often made to keep well and is traditionally enjoyed a little at a time before Christmas. As the fruit and nuts blend with the dough, the flavor develops over time.
For our activity, we used dried fruit without alcohol and did not use nuts.
On the bus to the Christmas Market at Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse, we spotted a horse-drawn carriage. It stopped in front of the market, giving us a chance to see it up close.
The market was full of delicious-looking food. The children enjoyed simply looking at the stalls and menus. Their greatest excitement, though, came from the many Santa decorations: Santa on a sleigh, reading a book, climbing a rope and even riding a motorbike! Everyone laughed together.
Other visitors were surprised to hear the children speaking so much English.
After exploring the market, we rang the bell at the Christmas tree and took a group photograph.
Then it was time for the homemade stollen everyone had been looking forward to. We ate it on the grass, and the children carefully held their pieces so they would not drop them.
Unfortunately, our class did not meet Santa that year, although we had seen him on the previous two visits. The four-year-old class, who had gone earlier, apparently spotted him from a distance. Even without meeting Santa, the children had a wonderful outing to the Christmas Market.
Author Profile
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Reiko - Services and Community Coordinator Japan
Reiko joined CGK’s founding team in 2016, bringing seven years of experience in licensed nursery schools in Japan and six years across two international preschools. She has also volunteered at a daycare in Canada and has held preschool leadership roles at CGK, including Principal and Vice Principal.
A qualified nursery teacher and holder of a Class 2 kindergarten teaching license in Japan, Reiko values each child’s interests and strengths. Drawing on her experience in multicultural early childhood settings, she supports an environment where children can explore new interests through hands-on experiences and express themselves in their own way.