Christmas in Hungary

In Hungary the main Christmas celebrations take place on Christmas Eve. The evening is called Szent-
este or Holy Evening. Before attending Midnight Mass, families gather around the Christmas tree to sing
carols and open the presents left by Baby Jesus and the angels.
A couple of weeks before Christmas, on December 6th the children receive a visit from Mikulas or St
Nicholas. He arrives wearing the robes of a bishop, with a red miter on his head, a staff in one hand and a
sack full of small presents in the other. Accompanying him a "Devil" boy in a black costume, complete
with horns and long tail. He holds a switch made of dry twigs, ready to smack any "naughty" children.
Each child receives a small gift, usually a toy or sweets, from Mikulas.
The presenting of nativity plays is an important part of the Hungarian Christmas tradition. Performed by
groups of children or adults, these plays are often combined with puppets and are accompanied by songs
and musical instruments and sometimes even dancing.
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6. Wrap these and give them to your loved ones. 1. Famous snowman.
8. The night before Christmas.
9. A light shining in the night sky.
14. Christmas flower.
16. "Peace on earth, ________ to men."
18. Where baby Jesus was born.
20. Winter "fights" are fun with these icy things.
23. A Christmas color.
25. What Santa says.
26. Kiss a girl who stands under this.
27. "It's a Wonderful _______."
30. Cut, bake, decorate and eat these goodies.
32. Hang them on your tree.
35. Visit Santa, sit here.
36. A circle of branches on your front door.
38. Send them to all your friends.
39. "Hark the _________ Angels Sing."
2. I'm dreaming of this.
3. "Jolly old __________, lean your ear this way."
4. Christmas songs.
5. All I want for Christmas is my two front ______."
7. Santa fills this on Christmas Eve.
9. "Dashing through the __________."
10. Tie this around presents to make them pretty.
11. Pointed frozen thing hanging from the roof.
12. Who told the shepherds about baby Jesus.
13. A red nosed animal.
15. The town where Jesus was born.
17. He wrote the book,"A Christmas Carol," Charles _______.
19. Song: "Up on the __________."
21. The book where the Christmas story is found.
22. Santa rides in this on Christmas Eve.
24. The direction that the three wise men came from.
41. "Not a creature was stirring, not even a _____." 25. A festive sprig of greenery with little red berries on it.
28. The people you spend Christmas with.
29. White or colored, aren't they pretty everywhere?
31. The mother of Jesus.
32. Round fruit often found in the toe of Christmas stockings.
33. "The First ______."
34. Ride down a snowy hill on this.
37. Light them for a cheery firelight glow.
40. "_____to the World."