AOP Express: Merry Christmas
On the 25 December Great Britain and the United States (and many other countries) celebrate Christmas.
The word Christmas comes from the Old English ‘Cristes maesse’, Christ’s mass.
On this day Christians celebrate the birth of Christ.
Kindness and giving are spirit of Christmas. Charles Dickens, the famous British writer, wrote A Christmas Carol, a story about the true meaning of Christmas.
Christmas is the biggest holiday on the American and British calendar.
People prepare for Christmas weeks before 25 December. Cities and towns are beautifully decorated with Christmas symbols : the Christmas tree, 
Santa Claus, colourful lights and much more. Shop windows are full of presents for everyone. People are busy buying presents.
There are Santa Clauses everywhere. On street corners people sing Christmas carols. In Britain many children go carol singing with an adult. They go from house to house and sing. They usually receive money for their singing. They use this money to buy presents. There is a joyous atmosphere.
In Britain the Christmas tree became popular after 1840. The German Prince Albert, Queen Victoria’s husband, took the Christmas tree to the British Royal Family. Soon the Christmas tree became popular all over Great Britain.
There is a big tree every year in Trafalgar Square, London. Today America’s most famous Christmas tree is in the Rockefeller Center, New York city.
Today almost every Christian family has decorated Christmas tree at home or in the garden. many families put a nativity scene under the Christmas tree.
Many Americans wear « Christmas clothes’ during the Christmas season. They are clothes with Christmas colour and symbols.
Christmas crackers are an old tradition. They were invented in London. Two people pull the cracker until it ‘bangs’ and opens; inside there is usually a small present, a paper hat and a joke. It is also usual to send Christmas cards to relatives and friends.
The traditional Christmas dinner consists of roast turkey or roast ham, vegetables, salad and special desserts. In Britain Christmas cake, Christmas pudding and mince pies are typical desserts. Fruit cake, pumpkin pie and special Christmas cookies are favourite American desserts.i pour ajouter votre propre texte
