Christmas (25 December)

It is certain that Christmas is celebrated all over the world. Perhaps no other holiday has developed a set of customs and symbols. This is the day when many people are travelling home to be with their families on Christmas Day, 25th December.

The Christmas story comes from bible. An angel appeared to shepherds and told them that a Saviour had been born to Mary and Joseph in a stable in Bethlehem. Three Wise Men from the East followed a wondrous star which led them to the baby Jesus to whom they paid homage and presented gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. To people all over the world, Christmas is a season of giving and receiving presents. In Scandinavian and other European countries, Father Christmas, or Saint Nicholas, comes into house at night and leaves gifts for the children. Saint Nicholas is represented as a fiddly man with a red cloak and long white beard. He visited house and left gifts bringing people happiness in the coldest months of the year.

Another character, the Norse God Odin, rode on a magical flying horse across the ages to make the present day Santa Claus.

In Christmas everyone buys a tree or uses an artificial one. At schools children decorate them with ornaments. They make different scenes. Santa Claus took shape in the United States. Americans gave Santa Claus a white beard, dressed him in a red suit and made him a cheery old gentleman with red cheeks and a twinkle in his eyes. American children believe that Santa Claus lives at the North Pole with his wife, all year he lists the names of children, both those who have been good and those who have been bad. He decided what presents to give to the good children. Children also find Santa Claus at shopping malls across the country. They sit on his lap and tell him what they want for Christmas. Of course, their parents are probably nearby listening in as well. In New York, a small town called the North Pole was designed for Santa Claus. But Santa Claus exists only in our imaginations. In anticipation of Santa's visit, American children listen to their parents read "The Night before Christmas" written by Clement Moore, before they go to bed on Christmas Eve.

It seems mat nearly every family has its one unique Christmas observances. Many people are especially proud of Christmas traditions brought to the United States from their countries of origin. The wonderful diversity of foods, music and songs, players and stories – all make Christmas the holiday of holidays in the United States. Christmas holiday is the busiest time or the year at airports, train stations, and bus depots. It seems that all Americans are on the move and are on their way to spend the holidays with their loved ones. This means that the house will be full of cousins, aunts and uncles that might not see each other during the year. Everyone joins in to help in the preparation of the festivities. Some family members go to choose a Christmas tree to buy and bring home. Others decorate the house, or wrap presents. And of course, each household needs to make lots of food. On Christmas Day, there are religious ceremonies at churches which families attend before they make their rounds to visit friends and relatives. The Christmas table looks much like a Thanksgiving feast of turkey or ham, potatoes and pie. No Christmas is complete without lots of desserts, and nothing symbolizes Christmas more than baked breads and traditional desserts. Christmas customs were started long ago in other parts of the world. Guests bring English fruit cake or plum pudding as presents to their hosts. "Crostoli", fried bread spiced with orange peel, is made in Italian-American communities. Americans of German background eat "Preffernuesse", bread full of sweet spices. At Christmas Eve gatherings, adults drink eggnog, a drink made of cream, milk, sugar, beaten eggs and brandy or rum. Plenty of eggnog or hot cocoa is on hand in colder climates for carollers, or people who go from house to sing Christmas carols to their neighbours. Long ago, each child hung a stocking, or sock, over the fireplace. Santa entered down the chimney and left candy and presents inside the socks for the children. Giving gifts is a Christmas tradition. Store owners begin advertising and decorating very early in hopes of selling more goods. Children demand more and more from Santa Claus because manufactures and retailers saturate television with advertising. Every year human interest newspaper articles remind readers of the origin or Christmas. Shelters for the homeless and hungry appeal through the newspaper to send money or gifts to those who are less fortunate. Members of or organizations such as the Salvation Army dress up as Santa Claus and stand on the sidewalks outside stores to collect money for their own soup kitchens. Employees give a small part of their pay checks as a donation to a favourite charity. Such groups and organizations try to emphasize the true message of Christmas – to share what you have with others.