Christmas in the USA.

Christmas is celebrated in all over the world. According to the established tradition for centuries Christmas in the United States (and in many other countries where a significant part of the population are Catholics) is a holiday and more popular and important than the New Year. Christmas is celebrated on December, 25 and for most Americans, this is a weekend day. Christmas in America is a top family holiday (along with Thanksgiving day). Catholics and Protestants go to the Christmas eve service. At once after returning from Church arrange a family dinner with Turkey and Christmas pudding.

Traditions and Customs In America people have many interesting Christmas traditions. They decorate Christmas trees and their homes, give presents to each other, have traditional Christmas dinner, watch pantomimes. Yuletide begins in the middle of December and ends on the 6 th of January. All children like this wonderful time because it is the time of much fun. Christmas Eve is on the 24 th of December. On this day everybody is busy and in a hurry. Offices close at 1 oclock, but the shops stay open late. Children hang their stockings and wait for Santa Claus. Boxing Day comes after Christmas Day. It is on the 26 of December. People visit friends or go to the theatre. Everybody gives and receives Christmas cards and Christmas boxes.

Symbols of Christmas 1. Christmas Tree Before Christmas people put the evergreen tree in their homes and decorate it. They place a large shining star at the top of the Christmas tree and many bright shining balls from top to bottom. 2. Santa Claus The Dutch were the first to speak of a merry old man in red and white clothes, with eight flying reindeer. He lived near the North Pole, filled stockings with presents, and came down the chimney. They called him Sinte Klass. 3.Christmas Stockings In the evening of the 24th of December children hang their Christmas stockings on their beds or put them under the Christmas tree. Santa Claus puts presents into them. A Christmas stocking is not a real stocking. It is big and beautifully decorated.

4. Candy Canes Candy canes are decorated with red stripes and bent into the shape of a cane. They were sometimes handed out during church services to keep the children quiet. In the late 1800's a candy maker in Indiana wanted to express the meaning of Christmas through a symbol made of candy. 5. Poinsettias Poinsettias are native to Mexico. They were named after America's first ambassador to Mexico, Joel Poinsett. He brought the plants to America in The Mexicans in the eighteenth century thought the plants were symbolic of the Star of Bethlehem. 6. The Christmas Wreath The Christmas wreath used as Christmas trees, symbolizes the strength of life overcoming the forces of winter. In ancient Rome, people used decorative wreaths as a sign of victory and celebration.

7.Christmas Dinner The preparation of special foods is an important part of the Christmas celebration throughout the world. Today, roast turkey is the most popular main course in the United States. 8. Gingerbread Gingerbread cookies and gingerbread houses are a popular symbol during the Christmas season. Gingerbread cookies were used to decorate the tree in the early days. Gingerbread houses were first made in Germany.

9. Eggnog Eggnog is a tradition that was brought to America from Europe. It is a popular drink made with milk and cream, sugar and whipped eggs. It is hard to imagine the Christmas without a cup of thenog during the holidays. 10. Shopping Christmas shopping season officially begins the day after Thanksgiving and continues until Christmas day. To some folks, its the large enjoyable part of the season. To others, shopping is one big necessary headache. Internet shopping has recently changed the face of holiday shopping forever. But no matter how popular internet shopping has become, nothing can compare to an old fashioned holiday shopping trip to see the lights, hear the bells, and smell the holiday excitement.

Santa Claus Santa Claus was born in US in the 1860's. He was named this as he had a white beard and a belly, so he was named Santa Claus as this was the Dutch word for St Nicholas, Sintaklaas. Although the Dutch had brought him with them in the 17th century, he did not become an important person at Christmas until the novelist Washington Irving put him in a novel that he wrote in In 1863 he was given the name Santa Claus and wore the red suit, pipe, and his reindeer and sleigh. Now Christmas celebrations vary greatly between regions of the United States, because of the variety of nationalities which have settled in it.

In different points of the vast territory of America celebration of Christmas has its own peculiarities. So, Hawaii, Santa Claus comes by boat. People wish their distant neighbours by shooting fireworks across the sky. In California, Santa Claus has been known to ride in on a surf board.

In New Orleans, a huge ox is displayed on the streets, which is decorated with holly and ribbons being tied to its horns.

In Boston, carol singing festivities are famous. The singers are accompanied by hand bells. The song Jingle Bells by James Lord Pierpont is one of the best known Christmas songs in the world. This song was composed for children celebrating Thanksgiving at Boston Sunday School in 1857.

Christmas in Alaska The songs sang at each home. At the end of the carols the host provides carolers with maple- frosted doughnuts, cookies, candy, or fish pie, and sometimes smoked salmon. In Alaska children wander from house to house carrying a colored star on a long pole, and singing carols.

Образец подзаголовка Thanksgiving Day

Almost in every culture in the world there is a celebration of thanks for rich harvest. The American Thanksgiving began as a feast of thanksgiving almost four hundred years ago. In 1620, a religious community sailed across the Atlantic Ocean to settle in the New World. They settled in what is now known as the state of Massachusetts.

Thanksgiving Day Their first winter in America was difficult. They arrived too late to grow a rich harvest. Moreover, half the colony died from disease. The following spring the Iroquois Indians taught them how to grow corn. Indians showed them also how to grow other crops and how to hunt and fish.

Thanksgiving Day In the autumn of 1621 they got a beautiful harvest of corn, barley, beans and pumpkins. The colonists had much to be thankful for, so they planned a feast. Local Indian chief and ninety Indians were present. The colonists learned from Indians how to cook cranberries and dishes of corn and pumpkins.

Thanksgiving Day In following years many of the colonists celebrated the harvest with a feast of thanks. After the United States gained independence, Congress recommended one yearly day of thanksgiving for the whole country.

Thanksgiving Day Later, George Washington suggested the date November 26 as Thanksgiving Day. Then, after the Civil war, Abraham Lincoln suggested the last Thursday in November to be the day of thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving Day Foods, eaten at the first thanksgiving, have become traditional. The traditional thanksgiving meal consists of roast turkey stuffed with herb- flavoured bread, cranberry jelly, mashed potatoes, pumpkin pie. Other dishes may vary as to region: ham, sweet potatoes, creamed corn.

It was Harry Trueman the American president who was the first to forgive two turkeys on the thanksgiving day eve. Every year the american president repeats the procedure. The whole country watches the procedure. Thanksgiving Day

Before Thanksgiving Day the number of charity events is growing. Americans are trying to help people who were not lucky. They organize charity dinners, concerts. Even in the subway stations there are tables were every american who wants to help brings food and donations. There are many advertisements in newspapers about donations and charity events.

Famous people are taking part in charity dinners. Kirk Duglas is filling the plates with food. All his life he takes part in charity dinners with his wife. He adresses to us with the following words Give more the other people in this day. There are people who needs your help

Thanksgiving Day

Thanksgiving DAY MACYS PARADE IN NEW-YORK.

Thank you for your attention. Fourth Thursday in November Thanksgiving Day Traditionally celebrates the giving of thanks for the autumn harvest. Traditionally includes the consumption of a turkey dinner Traditional start of the holiday season. (Note: Thanksgiving is not celebrated on the same day in Canada).