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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 Souffléand 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 stockingis 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 allday. A friend who has got no relative is invited by friends, because on this day nobody has to be alone.
