Christmas in theUSA

The United States of

America – the state by
the Pacific and
Atlantic Oceans, and
by the Mexican Bay.
 When do people celebrate
Christmas?
In the USA Christmas lasts only for one day- it begins on 25th
December and finishes this day. It’s the Christmas Day.
People don’t know Christmas Eve. A second day of Christmas is
a normal work day. All period before Christmas, which begins a
day after the largest and the most important celebration in
America - a Thanksgiving (fourth Friday in November) is
characteristic period of Christmas. It’s like the 'Christmas'
before Christmas.
 The weather during the
Christmas days

It usually snows and is very cold.

Rarely the weather is sunny but nobody worries
because there is always white and people love it.
 Christmas Meals
A traditional Christmas Dinner consist of roast turkey (or goose),
mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce and a variety of other dishes.
Desserts include mince pies, pumpkin pie, plum pudding and
fruitcake. There is a great variety of food eaten at this time of year:
New England has Lumberjack Pie (a mashed potato crust, filled
with meats, onion and cinnamon; North Carolina has Moravian
Love-Feast Buns (faintly sweet bread of flour and mashed potatoes);
Baltimore serves Sauerkraut (which includes apples, onions and
carrots) with their turkey and Southern states have Hominy Grits
Soufflé and Whisky Cake (with 100% proof whisky). Louisiana's
treat is Creole Gumbo (which can include ham, veal, chicken,
shrimp, oysters and crabmeat) and New Mexico has Empanadas -
little beef pies with applesauce pine nuts and raisins.
After the evening service on Christmas Eve, the family will gather
together and adults often drink eggnog - a drink made of cream, milk,
sugar, beaten eggs and brandy or rum.
 The gift bringer
Children write letters to Santa Claus, telling him what presents
they would like to receive for Christmas, and many stores have
their own 'Santa' for children to meet. Connecticut has a
Christmas village where Santa and his elves give out gifts and in
New York there is a small town called the North Pole, which
was designed for Santa Claus and which has a post office, a
church and a blacksmith shop to repair the shoes of the reindeer.
Santa Claus comes flying at night from 24 to 25 by sleigh with
reindeers. When all members of the family are sleeping, Santa
Claus steals across the chimney. He throws some trinkets to
stockings, eats cookies left for him, drinks a glass of milk,
leaves the presents under the tree and goes back to the sleigh.
He must visit every child.
 Christmas Tree
American Tree usually stands near the window for everybody to
see it from the street. Most families will have a tree which is
decorated with lights, tinsel, cookies and lots of colorful
ornaments – many of them handmade over the years. It is
“swagger” before Christmas and on Christmas Day. Later it is
thrown away very fast.
 Decorations
American decorate their houses carefuly. People put out on
lawns brightly lighted, small reindeer, Santa Claus or other
elements, which symbolize winter and Christmas. American
homes are decorated with holly, mistletoe and branches of trees,
most have a Christmas tree hung with electric lights, tinsel,
baubles, and strings of popcorn and candy canes. A big, colorful
stocking is hung over a fire-place.
 Churches

Many people attend church services on Christmas Eve or

Christmas morning. The churches are decorated with
evergreens, poinsettias and scenes of the Nativity – Xmas
symbols.
 Carols
The sound of carols and Christmas songs can be heard
everywhere - especially in shops and in many parts of the US.
Carolers will go from house to house singing Christmas songs.
 Presents
Presents are placed under the tree ready to be opened on
Christmas Day. The tradition says, that the presents have to be
opened on Christmas Eve, but children do it after breakfast. The
presents are given for family, but not only. In a good tone is to
give a gift to a friend or a secretary. Sometimes people give
a homemade presents. People don’t forget about the poor in
down on their luck.
 Sending cards and visiting
family

Christmas cards are sent to friends and relatives.

Families visit one another and stay at relatives‘ houses for all
day. A friend who has got no relative is invited by friends,
because on this day nobody has to be alone.
Thank you for attention.

Elżbieta Bednarska class IIIa