Christmas

Christmas Dinner

For many families Christmas dinner is very similar or identical to Thanksgiving dinner. They eat a roast turkey.

In some families, they will eat a roasted goose instead of turkey.

In other families, they will eat baked ham instead of turkey.

Christmas DinnerRoast turkeyDressingYamsGreen beansBeansCornSalad

Christmas CookiesOne favorite tradition of many people is eating Christmas cookies. These cookies can be bought in stores. They come in various Christmas shapes, like Christmas trees, bells, holly, Santa, etc.

Christmas Cookies

In many families it is a Christmas tradition to make Christmas cookies together. This is especially true in families with young children. Many adults can fondly remember making cookies with their families.

A traditional cake is a fruit cake. These are very popular as gifts for other people. These cakes are make with candied fruit and nuts. They have a very unique taste and as such some people really like them, while other people really hate them.

Christmas Fruit Cake

Christmas TreesChristmas trees can be real trees or trees made from plastic. They are inside houses and stores and outside in peoples yards. Christmas trees are decorated with lights, candles, and ornaments.

• Some families have a real tree as a Christmas tree.

Christmas Trees

• Some families have a plastic tree as a Christmas tree.

• Plastic trees even come in different colors.

• Almost every house will have a Christmas tree shining in the window. People enjoy riding around the neighborhood and looking at Christmas trees in the windows of houses and stores.

Christmas Trees

Christmas Decorations• Holly is a very popular

decoration seen at Christmas. People use the green leaves and red berries as a decoration on doors and tables.

• Holly and evergreen branches are used to make wreathes that can be hung on doors and windows.

• Mistletoe is a wild plant that is often gathered in the woods or bought at a store. People hang it over the doorway. According to tradition, a person should be kissed if they are standing under the mistletoe.

Christmas Decorations

• Candles are also used as a decoration. They are placed in windows and on tables.

Christmas Candles

• Many house are decorated with lights at night.

Christmas Lights on Houses

• Many department stores are also decorated with lights.

Christmas Lights on Stores

• Department stores also use Christmas trees inside. Here is a huge Christmas tree inside a store.

• People like to go Christmas caroling in the days before Christmas. A group of people will go around a neighborhood and sing songs in front of people’s houses. Sometimes the people in the houses will give the carolers coffee, hot chocolate, or a small treat to eat.

Christmas Caroling

• Christmas carolers sometimes ride in a sleigh. Sleigh do not have wheels. They have skis that slide along on top of the snow.

Christmas Sleigh Rides

• In parts of the USA there is no snow at Christmas. In these parts instead of sleigh rides people will take a wagon ride. A wagon will have wheels instead of skis.

• During Christmas, most people will exchange gifts with their friends and family.

Christmas Presents

• Presents are wrapped in colorful paper and kept under the tree until Christmas morning, when they are opened. Many children will shake their presents to guess what they are getting.

• On Christmas Eve Santa visits all the boys and girls in the world.

Santa

• Santa checks his list to find out which children have been good.

• Santa brings the good children presents.

• Santa gives bad children a piece of coal.

• On Christmas Eve children hang up stocking on the fireplace mantle. Santa will fill up the stocking with small presents.

Stockings

• Santa will fill up the stocking with small presents. These presents are called stocking stuffers.

• Many people give generously at Christmas. The Salvation Army collects money to help poor families.

Charity

The best of all gifts around

any Christmas tree: the

presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each

other.