December 25 is important to many people because it is the day the saviour Jesus was born. Many people also consider Xmas as a time of giving and a time of happiness. Christmas is more than just a day. It’s a major holiday season. Many people start enjoying this season straight after Thanksgiving in late November. Westerners show their Xmas spirit in many ways. They put up Xmas trees with beautiful ornaments and other Christmas decorations like stockings inside their homes.
They also decorate outside their houses with beautiful lights and decorations. They might put up a nativity scene (representing the birth of the baby Jesus) or put Santa and his eight reindeer up on their roof. You’ll see lots of green and red since those are the colors associated with Xmas. People will even wear more red and green clothing during the Christmas holidays and you might see sweaters with fantastic Xmas designs.
Many states in America have snow during the winter so people will go out and play. They might build a snowman, have a snowball fight, or just lie down in the snow to make the shape of an angel. On the night before Xmas, or Xmas eve, many kids leave a plate of cookies and a glass of milk next to their xmas tree for Santa. And many families like to take their little kids to see Santa at department stores.
You’ll also hear lots of Xmas songs just about everywhere. There are traditional songs like O Holy Night which talks about the birth of the baby Jesus and then there are more modern Christmas songs like All I Want for Xmas is You by Mariah Carey. There may even be carollers or people who get together in a group and sing xmas songs in public. There will be special shows on TV like the Xmas favourites the 1964 Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer stop motion animated movie and the the 1969 Frosty the Snowman cartoon. There might even be a Christmas parade in town for you to watch. The Christmas season is a time of GIVING so people give each other presents. It is also is a time for family. In the US, people will travel long distances to have Christmas dinner with their families and open presents either on Christmas Eve December 24 or on Christmas Day December 25. And there are lots of tasty treats that you only see during Xmas like gingerbread men or gingerbread cookies and candy canes.
With all the presents, decorations, songs, yummy things to eat, and Xmas activities, people can’t help but be happy during this time of the year. So if you are in the US during Xmas, don’t stay indoors. Go out and have yourself a very Merry Xmas!
