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Date & Time:

Begins Wednesday 3 December 2025

  • • Our 2025 Term 4 HIS: A Cultural History of Christmas meets on Wednesday 3 December and on Thursday 4 December 2025 from 7:30-9:00pm beginning on Wednesday 3 December 2025 (New Zealand time) and continues for two sessions. The last session of the Term is held on Thursday 4 December 2025.

Description:

HIS: A Cultural History of Christmas

  • • From the Roman Saturnalia to Celtic and Germanic folklore, from one of the most important Christian festivals to Santa enjoying a Coke in Hawai’i and the gift-giving rituals of postmodernism – the global history of Christmas is diverse, complex and fascinating.

  • • Over two evenings, we will read some fundamental literary texts on Christmas together (Christmas story according to Luke, excerpts from Charles Dickens and Thomans Mann), and listen to Christmas music (e.g., Christmas carols from various origins). In addition, we will explore visualisations of Christmas in art history and explore some Christmas culinary delights. In the last hour we will focus on Christmas traditions in the Southern Hemisphere.

  • • Bring a friend and your favourite New Zealand Christmas poem or carol.

Meet our Instructors:

German Instructor Dr Norman Franke , MA Hamburg, PhD Humboldt, Berlin

Dr Norman Franke is a New Zealand based scholar, poet and filmmaker. He has taught German as a second language for more than three decades to a wide range of learners, from refugees to academics. Norman has published widely about 18th-century literature as well as German-speaking exile literature (Albert Einstein, Else Lasker-Schüler, Karl Wolfskehl) and eco-poetics. Norman’s poetry has been broadcast on radio and published in anthologies in Austria, Germany, New Zealand, Switzerland, the UK and the USA. Norman also teaches other courses for EarthDiverse, including our new course on Sacred Poetry, and courses in Art, Literature and Philosophy.

Location:

Artmakers, 2 Seddon Rd Hamilton

These in-person sessions are held at Artmakers, 2 Seddon Rd (entrance off of Seddon Rd near the corner of Ward Street). Hamilton Central,

Distance Learning:

  • This course has no distance-learning option and meets in person at the EarthDiverse Centre only.

Pricing options:

• All prices are in New Zealand dollars and include GST

Notes:

  • This discussion group has no assignments, quizzes, tests or exams.

  • You will not need to purchase any additional course materials.

  • All sessions encourage questions and group discussion.

  • Course fee includes tea/coffee/snack at each session. Help yourself!

  • You are most welcome to come, sit back, relax, take part in and enjoy the discussions!

  • There are no refunds for missed sessions.

Prerequisites:

A keen desire on the Cultural History for Christmas!

  • • There are no prerequisites for this course.

  • • This course is open to all learners aged 15 years and above