It’s It’s ChristmasChristmas

time!time!

How do the How do the British British

celebrate celebrate XmasXmas??

CHRISTMAS TRADITIONSCHRISTMAS TRADITIONS Every year in December we celebrate Every year in December we celebrate

the birthday of Jesus Christ: It’s Xmas the birthday of Jesus Christ: It’s Xmas time!time!

How do people in Britain celebrate this How do people in Britain celebrate this holiday?holiday?

They send They send Christmas cards.Christmas cards. They watch They watch nativity plays.nativity plays. There have big There have big family get-togethers.family get-togethers.

CHRISTMAS TRADITIONSCHRISTMAS TRADITIONS People sing special songs called People sing special songs called

Christmas carolsChristmas carols::Silent NightSilent NightJingle BellsJingle BellsWhite ChristmasWhite ChristmasWe Wish You a Merry ChristmasWe Wish You a Merry Christmas

Children write their Children write their Santa ListSanta List and and they create they create snowmensnowmen in their in their gardens.gardens.

CHRISTMAS TRADITIONSCHRISTMAS TRADITIONS What do people say when it’s What do people say when it’s

Christmas time?Christmas time? MERRY CHRISTMAS!MERRY CHRISTMAS! MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY

NEW YEAR!NEW YEAR! HAPPY CHRISTMAS!HAPPY CHRISTMAS! SEASON’S GREETINGS!SEASON’S GREETINGS!

ADVENTADVENT Advent is the time of waiting for Advent is the time of waiting for

the arrival of Christmas. During Advent the arrival of Christmas. During Advent preparations for Christmas begin:preparations for Christmas begin:

People decorate their homes with People decorate their homes with ornaments ornaments and and mistletoemistletoe!!

Kissing under the mistletoe is a Kissing under the mistletoe is a tradition!!tradition!!

ADVENTADVENT

Some Some people buy or people buy or make make Advent Advent CalendarsCalendars These calendars These calendars have chocolates for have chocolates for the children hidden the children hidden

behind each behind each window!!!window!!!

CHRISTMAS EVECHRISTMAS EVE It is the day before Christmas It is the day before Christmas

Day. It is the night when Day. It is the night when FatherFather ChristmasChristmas comes! comes! Children hang up Children hang up stockingsstockings above the fireplaceabove the fireplace

Father Christmas and his Father Christmas and his elveselves make all the make all the toystoys in his in his workshopworkshop in the in the North PoleNorth Pole..

Then he flies around the Then he flies around the world in a world in a sleighsleigh pulled by pulled by eight eight reindeerreindeer

© Laura Gallardo Navas 2007© Laura Gallardo Navas 2007

CHRISTMAS DAYCHRISTMAS DAY

This is the favourite day for This is the favourite day for children. children.

They wake up very early in They wake up very early in the morning to open the the morning to open the presents!presents!

Children find their presents Children find their presents under the Christmas tree.under the Christmas tree.

How do the British decorate How do the British decorate their Christmas trees? their Christmas trees?

CHRISTMAS DAYCHRISTMAS DAY People decorate their People decorate their

Christmas Trees with:Christmas Trees with: BellsBells CandlesCandles LightsLights TinselsTinsels BaublesBaubles OrnamentsOrnaments Candy canesCandy canes A star or an angel at the A star or an angel at the

very top of the treevery top of the tree

CHRISTMAS EVECHRISTMAS EVE

Rudolph is the red-nosed Rudolph is the red-nosed reindeer!reindeer!

Children leave Children leave mince piesmince pies, , brandy, cookies, hot brandy, cookies, hot chocolate or milk for Santa chocolate or milk for Santa and carrots for the reindeer!and carrots for the reindeer!

Santa goes down the Santa goes down the chimney to leave the chimney to leave the presentspresents or the or the coalcoal!!

CHRISTMAS DAYCHRISTMAS DAY Both parents and children gather Both parents and children gather

together to unwrap the presents. together to unwrap the presents. Later the whole family sits down for Later the whole family sits down for

Christmas dinner. Christmas dinner. What does a traditional Christmas dinner What does a traditional Christmas dinner

include?include? Roast turkeyRoast turkey Roast potatoesRoast potatoes Cranberry sauceCranberry sauce For dessert they have rich fruity For dessert they have rich fruity pudding pudding

which you douse in brandy. Christmas which you douse in brandy. Christmas puddings usually include raisins, nuts and puddings usually include raisins, nuts and cherries. cherries.

Gingerbread Gingerbread is also typical.is also typical.

CHRISTMAS DAYCHRISTMAS DAY

Do you know what a Do you know what a crackercracker is? is? A Christmas cracker is a coloured paper A Christmas cracker is a coloured paper

tube which contains a banger.tube which contains a banger. When two people pull the cracker it snaps When two people pull the cracker it snaps

in half making a loud bang. in half making a loud bang. Inside the cracker there are paper crowns, Inside the cracker there are paper crowns,

jokes or little gifts. jokes or little gifts.

BOXING DAYBOXING DAY Boxing Day is celebrated on December 26, the day Boxing Day is celebrated on December 26, the day

after Christmasafter Christmas On Boxing Day people in Britain play sports. Football On Boxing Day people in Britain play sports. Football

and horse racing are the most popular activities.and horse racing are the most popular activities. Shops sell their Christmas inventory at reduced Shops sell their Christmas inventory at reduced

prices!prices! And families gather together again, go for a walk, And families gather together again, go for a walk,

watch football matches together, go shopping…watch football matches together, go shopping… The origins:The origins: English families boxed up Christmas leftovers. Then English families boxed up Christmas leftovers. Then

they gave them to poor families and churches for they gave them to poor families and churches for charity.charity.

The tradition still continues today! Employers give The tradition still continues today! Employers give extra money to their employees and schools across extra money to their employees and schools across the country send their Christmas Boxes full of gifts to the country send their Christmas Boxes full of gifts to poorer countries.poorer countries.

And… what about these Three And… what about these Three Kings???Kings???

On the On the Twelfth NightTwelfth Night families remove all the families remove all the Christmas decorations, so Christmas decorations, so as not to bring bad luck as not to bring bad luck upon the home!!!upon the home!!!

It is on the 5th January.It is on the 5th January. British people don’t British people don’t

celebrate the Reyes Magos celebrate the Reyes Magos the way we do, but they are the way we do, but they are considered part of the considered part of the whole Christian tradition.whole Christian tradition.

The Three Wise MenThe Three Wise Men

The Three Wise Men or The Three Wise Men or Three Kings, as they are Three Kings, as they are called in Britain (Caspar, called in Britain (Caspar, Melchior, and Balthazar), Melchior, and Balthazar), followed the Star of followed the Star of Bethlehem and gave gifts Bethlehem and gave gifts to Jesus Christ.to Jesus Christ.

What kind of gifts?What kind of gifts? GoldGold FrankincenseFrankincense MyrrhMyrrh

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Now… let’s have some fun!!!Now… let’s have some fun!!!