The Story of Holly & Ivy

This Christmas, wander the snowy streets of the village of Appleton, where a lonely orphan, a wishing doll, and a childless couple each hope for the very thing that would make their Christmas complete. For three weeks, your family will slow down and savor the season together through the warm, old-fashioned magic of a British Christmas, trading a busy holiday schedule for stories by the fire, cozy crafts, and the simple wonders of winter.

Through gentle, story-led learning, your family will hop aboard a make-believe Christmas train, study owls and evergreens like little naturalists, explore wintry scenes by world-famous artists, test your senses with Christmas spices, experiment with pinecones, and taste the treats of an old English Christmas.

Throughout these three weeks, we will read The Story of Holly & Ivy by Rumer Godden, a beloved Christmas classic beautifully illustrated by Barbara Cooney, with an optional chapter book read-aloud of A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett for families who want to linger a little longer in a British Christmas.

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This Season’s Adventures

• Build an owl eyesight viewer and discover how an owl really sees, then study evergreens and watch a pinecone open and close
• Ride a make-believe Christmas train with your own ticket, a cozy sandwich, and a holiday movie
• Explore winter scenes by Monet, Horace Pippin, and van Gogh, then paint your own
• Test your senses with a blind smell test of Christmas spices and fill the house with a spice simmer
• Bake and taste an old-fashioned British Christmas, from fruit-filled mince pie to toffee apples and homemade Christmas crackers
• Fill a keepsake Christmas journal with coloring pages and copywork for three grade levels
• And more...

This is Christmas School at its coziest, made for families who want to gather close and make memories through hands-on, old-fashioned fun. Built for your primary-age kids but ready for the whole family, it trades a packed holiday schedule for reading, baking, nature study, and art, the simple moments that become the memories your children carry for years.

Recommended for ages 4-9. Includes adjustments for a variety of ages.

Religious Note: While not explicitly Christian, the story is rich with spiritual overtones, set at Christmastime and steeped in themes of hope, longing, and the quiet fulfillment of heartfelt wishes. It evokes the spirit of the season and the idea of unseen providence gently guiding people toward love and belonging. This guide includes optional daily Scripture readings that tell the Christmas story of Jesus’s birth, but the activities in the guide are secular, focusing on universal holiday themes.

This is a digital product; no physical item will be shipped.