In the UK (or Great Britain), families often celebrate Christmas together, so they can

watch each other open their presents!

Most families have a Christmas Tree (or maybe even two!) in their house for Christmas.

Holly and Mistletoe are also sometimes used to decorate homes or other buildings.
Like a lot of countries, Nativity Plays and Carol Services are also very popular at
Christmas time. Children believe that Father Christmas or Santa Claus leaves presents in
stockings. These are normally hung up by the fire or by the children's beds on Christmas
Eve. Children sometimes leave out mince pies and brandy for Father Christmas to eat
and drink when he visits them. Children write letters to Father Christmas listing their
requests.
People in Spain spend Christmas Eve and Christmas with their
family. Turrón is a typical Spanish dessert. Santa Claus
delivers presents on Christmas Eve, and The Three Wise Men
come on January 6th. New Years Eve is often celebrated with
friends. At midnight people eat twelve grapes, one on each
chimes of the clock. People sleep late on New Years Day and
spend the day at home.
In France, Christmas is always called 'Noël. Everyone
has a Christmas tree, sometimes decorated in the old
way with red ribbons and real white wax candles. Fir
trees in the garden are often decorated too, with lights
on all night. Father Christmas is called Père Noël. The
Christmas meal is an important family gathering with good meat
and the best wine. Not everyone sends Christmas cards.

“Joyeux Noel”
“Merry Christmas!”
In Italy, families get together on Christmas Eve and
Christmas.
Santa Claus delivers presents the night of the 24th.
On January 6th, La Befana, brings gifts to the children. La
Befana is a friendly but ugly witch that flies on a broom.
On New Years Eve, Italians eat a very large dinner with a
tradition dish of eel. After dinner, they go dancing with
friends until very late.
 .

CHRISTMAS CAKE
CANDLE CHRISTMAS CHRISTMAS TREE
CHRISTMAS
CAROL
CARD

CHRISTMAS
PRESENT

HOLLY

CRACKERS

SANTA CLAUS
CHRISTMAS STOCKING
DECORATIONS

SLEIGH TURKEY REINDEER

SNOWMAN STAR
 ANSWER THE QUESTIONS

1.- Where does Santa Claus leave the presents in UK?..................................................................................................................

2.- Where does turrón come from?..................................................................................................................................................
3.- Where do people eat twelve grapes?.........................................................................................................................................
4.- Who is Père Noël?.....................................................................................................................................................................
5.- Who is La Befana?....................................................................................................................................................................
6.- What do Italians eat on New years Eve?...................................................................................................................................
7.- What do British people use to decorate their houses?...............................................................................................................
8.- When do the Three wise men come to Spain?..........................................................................................................................
9.- What do people sing at Christmas?..........................................................................................................................................
10.- Do you like Christmas?...........................................................................................................................................................
11.- How do you celebrate Christmas?..........................................................................................................................................
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
In the USA, families spend Christmas Day together at
home. After opening gifts from Santa Claus, families
play games and watch Christmas films. In the evening
they have a big Christmas dinner with turkey or ham.
On New Years Eve many people go to parties with
friends. On television they can watch the midnight
countdown of Times Square in New York. On New
Years Day, many Texans eat black eye peas for good
luck in the year.
Australia celebrates
Christmas in the summer.
For some Australians,
Christmas dinner is a picnic
on the beach! Every year
on Christmas Eve, tens of
thousands of people go to
Melbourne to sing carols
in the event called Carols
by Candlelight. Every big
city has a New Years Eve
celebration and many
display fireworks.
In China, people light their houses with
beautiful paper lanterns and decorate their
tree with paper flowers.
They call their Christmas tree “Tree of
Light.” Children hang Christmas stockings
and are visited by Dun Che Lao Ren
which means “Christmas Old Man.” Many
Chinese celebrate the Lunar New Year,
which occurs months later.
In India, Christmas is not a celebrated by many
people.
Christians decorate Banana or Mango trees
and put small candles on their roof. The
weather is very hot.
Families celebrate New Years Eve with
concerts and dances.
Father Christmas is called Papai Noel. Many Christmas
customs are similar to USA or UK. For those who have
enough money, a special Christmas meal will be chicken,
turkey, ham, rice, salad, pork, fresh and dried fruits. Poorer
people will just have chicken and rice.

“Boas Festas e Feliz Ano Novo”

“Merry Christmas!”
In Russia, Christmas is celebrated on the 7th of January.
On Christmas Eve, there is an enormous dinner with 12
servings, one for each of Jesus’ apostles. On New Years
Eve, there are large celebrations and families give
presents to friends. On New Years Day, Grandfather
Frost brings gifts to children.
Christmas in Ireland
Christmas in Ireland lasts from Christmas Eve to the
feast of the Epiphany on January 6, which is referred to
as Little Christmas. Ireland's Christmas is more
religious than a time of fun.Lighted candles are placed in
windows on Christmas Eve, as a guide that Joseph and
Mary might be looking for shelter. The candles are
usually red in color, and decorated with sprigs of holly.
Irish women bake a seed cake for each person in the
house. They also make three puddings, one for each day
of the Epiphany such as Christmas, New Year's
Day and the Twelfth Night.
After the Christmas evening meal, bread and milk are left
out and the door unlatched as a symbol of hospitality.
St Stephen's Day, the day after Christmas, is almost as
important, with football matches and meetings going on.
For children, the Wren Boys Procession is their big
event. Boys go from door to door with a fake wren on a
stick, singing, with violins, accordions, harmonicas and
horns to accompany them. The reason for the ceremony
is to ask for money 'for the starving wren', that is, for
their own pockets.
Children often put out Christmas sacks instead of
stockings.
It is tradition to leave mince pies and a bottle of
Guinness out as a snack for Santa.