Christmas Christmas in Britainin Britain

Christmas in Christmas in Great Britain Great Britain is celebrated is celebrated on the on the 2525thth of of DecemberDecember. It . It is a religious is a religious

holiday holiday devoted to devoted to the birth of the birth of Jesus Christ.Jesus Christ.

On Sunday before On Sunday before Christmas many Christmas many

churches hold a carol churches hold a carol service where special service where special

hymnshymns ( (carolscarols)) are sung.are sung.

Most families decorate their Most families decorate their houses with coloured paper or houses with coloured paper or holly, and they usually have a holly, and they usually have a

Christmas treeChristmas tree in the front in the front room. It is decorated with room. It is decorated with

coloured lights and beautiful coloured lights and beautiful toys.toys.

The The GermansGermans werewere the first to use the the first to use the Christmas treeChristmas tree in in their celebrationstheir celebrations in the in the 1616thth century century and and Martin LutherMartin Luther

was the first to was the first to place a place a starstar on the on the

top of the tree. top of the tree. This star This star

represents the represents the star appeared over star appeared over the stable in which the stable in which Christ was born.Christ was born.

On the On the eveeve of of Christmas Christmas

children hang children hang their their stockingsstockings, , so that so that Santa Santa

ClausClaus could put could put presents into presents into

them: oranges, them: oranges, sweets, nuts sweets, nuts

and if the child and if the child didn't behave didn't behave properly Santa properly Santa Claus can put Claus can put

there a piece of there a piece of coal as coal as

punishment.punishment.

Santa Claus got his Santa Claus got his name from a man name from a man

known as known as St. St. NicolasNicolas, who lived , who lived in the in the 44thth centurycentury. .

He gave his He gave his wealth to the wealth to the

poor and often to poor and often to children. After he children. After he died, the Dutch died, the Dutch

brought this brought this legend to colonial legend to colonial

America. Soon America. Soon the Dutch name the Dutch name

Sinter KlausSinter Klaus became became Santa Santa

ClausClaus..

In 1995, in Canada, Santa In 1995, in Canada, Santa Claus was given his own Claus was given his own

postcode – postcode – HOHOHOHOHOHO..

Another Christmas Another Christmas tradition is performing tradition is performing

comic sketches or comic sketches or pantospantos, short for , short for

pantomimepantomimess, known to , known to everybody.everybody.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sulw4U8I-MU&feature=player_embedded#!

The example of a panto:The example of a panto:

On this day the whole family On this day the whole family gather at a typical gather at a typical Christmas Christmas dinnerdinner which includes which includes turkeyturkey

with cranberry sauce, with cranberry sauce, potatoespotatoes and and puddingpudding..  Usually Usually

a coin or two are hidden a coin or two are hidden inside the pudding and part of inside the pudding and part of the fun is to see who finds it.the fun is to see who finds it.

After the dinner they go to the After the dinner they go to the sitting room to listen to the sitting room to listen to the

Christmas speechChristmas speech of the of the Queen, shown on TV. Then Queen, shown on TV. Then

they can listen to they can listen to Christmas Christmas songssongs or just talk to each or just talk to each

other.other.

One of the best selling Christmas songs is One of the best selling Christmas songs is White ChristmasWhite Christmas by Bing Crosby: by Bing Crosby:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aShUFAG_WgM

So, Christmas is a merry So, Christmas is a merry family holiday for all the family holiday for all the people of Great Britain.people of Great Britain.