CHRISTMAS IN ENGLISH-SPEAKING COUNTRIES

 

The one thing everyone wants on Christmas Day in England is snow. Christmas is an epecially romantic time of the year and a „White Christmas“ is essential for a festive atmosphere.

Before Christmas most people are very busy, they buy presents, decorate their houses and buy Christmas tree. They also send Christmas cards to their friends and relatives. The custom of bringing and decorating trees indoors comes from medieval German traditions and is now practised in many parts of the world.

 

The main days of celebrations of Christmas Week are:

Christmas Eve (24th Dec)

Christmas Day (25th Dec)

Boxing Day (26th Dec)

New Year´s Eve (31st Dec)

New Year´s Day (1st Jan)

 

On Christmas Eve young children go to bed early and hang up their long stockings and socks on their beds. The rest of the family put their presents under the tree. On Christmas morning the children look into their stockings and all the family open their presents. The older people usually spend all their time making the dinner while the youngest ones are playing with their new toys.

Most families have a special menu for Christmas. Traditional Christmas Dinner consists of roast turkey, roast potatoes, vegetables, and sauces. Then they have Christmas puding made of raisins, flour and alcohol with a lot of fruit in it.

 

Good to know:

Did you know there is an Island in the Pacific Ocean called Christmas Island? The Island was discovered by Captain W. Mynars on Christmas Day in 1643. It was annexed by Britain in 1888, occupied by Japan during the Second World War, and transfered to Australia in 1958.

 

Christmas Proverb

Maybe you will get a present that you didn´t wish or isn´t exactly the type you´d wished for. In that case, remember this proverb: Don´t look a gift horse in the mouth!“