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Christmas traditions

In our last english lesson we talked about Christmas traditions. Christmas traditions vary from country to country.
I tell you some more informations about the traditions in the USA.


People in the USA celebrate Christmas Day in many ways. In the days or even weeks before Christmas Day, many people decorate their homes and gardens with lights, Christmas trees and much more.

It is common to organize a special meal, often consisting of Turkey for family or friends and exchange gifts with them.
Children often receive a lot of gifts from their parents and other relatives and the mythical figure Santa Claus. This has led to Christmas Day becoming an increasingly commercialized holiday, with a lot of families spending a large part of their income on gifts and food.

Many Sunday schools, churches and communities organize special events. These can include decorating the neighborhood or a shopping mall or putting up a Christmas tree.
Some groups arrange meals, shelter or charitable projects for people without a home or with very little money.


The original meaning of Christmas is a special church service, to celebrate the birth of Christ. The story of the the events surrounding the birth of Jesus are particularly important in religious celebrations of Christmas. Many traditions that are around today have their roots in pre-Christian winter festivals. These include the importance of candles and decorations made from evergreen bushes and tree, symbolizing everlasting light and life.
The Bible does not give a precise date for the birth of Jesus. It is also unclear when December 25 became associated with the birth of Jesus, although it may have been around two hundred years after his birth.

December 25 was declared a holiday in the United States in 1870. Since then Christmas Day has become a steadily more important Holiday.

Common objects at this time of year are pine trees, holly, decorations, fairy lights, candles and presents. Christmas Day is now truly a mix of religious celebration and commercial interests.


Christmas Day

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