Christmas stories in English. The biggest holiday in England is Christmas. Pre-Christmas Traditions and Customs
Skurikhina Anastasia. Egorkinskaya school, Egorkino, Shumerlinsky district, Chuvash Republic, Russia
Essay in English with translation. Nomination People and society.
Christmas in England
Christmas is celebrated on the 25th of December in England. The shops are open every day and there are beautiful Christmas trees and decorations in the windows. People go out and buy presents. There are a lot of nice things in the shops, so you can find very good presents.
There is a Christmas tree there in every house and the family decorate it together. In the evening they drink hot chocolate by the Christmas tree and talk about Christmas miracles. Children write letters to Santa Claus. In the letters they tell Santa Claus what they want for Christmas and promise to be good in the coming year.
On Christmas Day the whole family is together. In the morning of the 25th of December children find a lot of presents in their stockings. Then the family has Christmas dinner. There is always a turkey and Christmas pudding on the table. I like this holiday.
Christmas is celebrated on December 25 in England. Shops are open every day and display beautiful Christmas trees and decorations. People go and buy gifts. There are many good things in the shops, so you can find very good gifts.
Every house has a Christmas tree and the family decorates it together. In the evening they drink hot chocolate by the Christmas tree and talk about Christmas miracles. Children write letters to Santa Claus. The letters tell Santa Claus what they want for Christmas and promise to be good next year.
On Christmas Day, the whole family is together. On the morning of December 25, the guys find many gifts in their stockings. The family then eats Christmas dinner. There is always a turkey and Christmas pudding on the table. I like this one
Christmas in England: Traditions and Customs
December has come! There is very little left before the New Year. And in the countries of Europe, almost the entire month is filled with the magical expectation of the brightest and kindest family holiday - Christmas Day. In this article I would like to talk about how they celebrate Christmas in England.
To start, a little history. Christmas is a Christian holiday. On this day, according to religious belief, the infant Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was born. The first mention of Christmas dates back to the beginning of the 4th century AD. This is the time of the reign of the Roman emperor Constantine, who was the first to adopt Christianity as a religion. As you know, the lion's share of the Romans worshiped pagan gods, the main of which was the sun god. They glorified him on December 25. This is probably why, with the adoption of Christianity in Rome, Christmas began to be celebrated on this very day in order to eradicate the main pagan holiday.
celebration Christmas in England has a huge number of different customs and traditions. As in Russia, many of them are pagan in nature. For example, our Christmas divination, carols are not Christian customs. The traditions of the British in this area originate in the ancient Celtic cultures, as well as the culture of the Vikings and Huns, who celebrated the beginning of the New Year and the Winter Solstice and held festivals on this occasion, during which they praised their gods.
Most of the traditions and customs in the celebration Christmas in England developed during the Victorian era (1837-1901). Let's look at everything in order.
Letters to Father Christmas (letters to Father Christmas)
Long before the beginning of December, namely in autumn, children write letters to the Father of Christmas with information about the gift they would like to receive. Who is this Father of Christmas? In each country it has its own name: in Russia - Santa Claus, and in England - Santa Claus (Santa Claus). Previously, children left letters behind the fireplace, and the fairy dwarf took them and gave them to Santa. Currently, letters are usually sent by mail or e-mail.
Santa Claus (Santa Claus)
This is a fictional character. He appears in the form of a cute, snow-white grandfather in a red sheepskin coat and quilted jackets of the same color. He is accompanied by gnomes who help distribute gifts. Santa Claus moves exclusively through the air in a reindeer team, sneaks into the house at night through the fireplace chimney in order to leave a gift under the Christmas Tree.
Christmas tree (Christmas tree)
On the eve of Christmas, it is customary to decorate a fir tree. Even the pagans believed that this plant was inhabited by evil spirits that could cruelly play a trick on people. Therefore, during the celebration of the beginning of the New Year, people decorated the fir tree to appease these evil spirits. Also, spruce is a symbol of evergreen nature.
As you can see, this tradition has moved to Christianity. It was customary to decorate the Christmas tree with fruits, sweets, and later with candles. This was first done in Germany. In the 19th century, this tradition appeared in England and became widespread. Nowadays, the Christmas tree is decorated with balls, garlands, tinsel. The star on top is a symbol of the very star that appeared in the sky over Bethlehem on the night when the baby Jesus was born.
Decoration of streets, houses, premises (Decoration)
In European countries, on the eve of Christmas, it is customary to decorate houses and streets. Trees and bushes are ablaze with multi-colored lights, glass shop windows and signs are also decorated with garlands. On the streets they create small compositions on the theme of biblical stories. A Christmas tree is set up in the main squares.
It is customary to decorate houses and premises with evergreen vegetation. These are holly and ivy. Holly wreaths symbolize happiness and wealth. Usually they are placed on the front door, as well as in the living room. By the way, decorating houses with holly is also a pagan tradition. Ivy, as you know, is a climbing plant that requires support, which symbolizes our faith in God, who is our main support in life.
Another wonderful tradition is associated with the mistletoe sprig, which also came from the pagan world. Mistletoe is a symbol of love and friendship, so a young man has the right to kiss any girl who is under a twig.
Christmas log or candles (Christmas Candles)
It used to be customary to burn a log in the fireplace on Christmas Day. It is believed that the Vikings brought this tradition. On the day of the beginning of the New Year, they cut down the tree, which dried up until the next beginning. On this day, firewood obtained from this tree was burned in a fireplace and the flame predicted what the coming year would be like. In the Victorian era, the log was replaced with a thick candle.
It is also customary to decorate the house with a different kind of candles, which are located on a wreath of holly and symbolize the four Sundays preceding Christmas. Every Sunday, one candle is lit.
Christmas songs and cards (Christmas carols and Cards)
On Christmas Eve and directly on the day of the holiday itself, people sing special songs (hymns) in which they glorify Jesus Christ and his life. They also sing about happiness, peace and beauty. This kind of hymns were sung by pagans on the Winter Solstice, but the tradition was also entrenched in Christianity.
In addition, to congratulate each other on this bright holiday, people all over the world send Christmas cards.
Christmas stocking and gifts
This tradition also originated during the Victorian era and gained worldwide recognition and popularity. According to legend, one day Santa Claus flew over someone's house and dropped some coins. They got through the chimney directly into the sock, which at that time was drying over the fireplace. Since then, it has been customary to hang a special boot or sock over the fireplace. Will there be anything useful in there?
And the gifts that we give each other at Christmas symbolize the gifts that the Magi presented to Jesus on his birthday.
There is a special sweet in the form of a cane, which is customary to give at Christmas. It means the first letter in the Name of Jesus Christ “J” (Jesus).
Dinner on Christmas EveChristmas Ever)
On Christmas Eve, the whole family goes to church and then gathers around the festive table. This is the climax. Before sitting at the table, family members “clap” a special cracker, inside of which there are congratulations. Eating begins with the reading of a prayer.
Traditional Christmas dishes are roasted turkey with gooseberry sauce, Christmas pudding and Christmas cake, as well as many sweets and fruits.
Boxing dayor Boxing Day
December 26 is also a special, festive day. In the morning, all the children rush to the Christmas tree, under which there are cherished and long-awaited boxes with gifts from Santa Claus. Therefore, this day is called Boxing Day, or literally "the day of the boxes."
So as you can see the celebration Christmas in England it is a whole system filled with a lot of positive and joy.
At present, many traditions of Catholics are coming to Orthodoxy. I hope that after reading this article, you will certainly decide to create an unforgettable holiday for your child by combining different traditions.
If you have any questions, you can ask them in the comments. I will gladly try to answer them.
Dayimg class="alignleft wp-image-47" src="http://website/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Songs-300×239.jpg" alt="people sing special songs (hymns), in who glorify Jesus Christ and his life. width="217" height="173" /
If you have heard about England as a damp, overcast, rainy and dull place, then you should visit this state in the midst of the Christmas holidays. It becomes a real wonderland. The British are turning from prim and practical into generous and cheerful, a festive mood reigns in every home, and even the weather tries to play along with people - as a rule, on December 24 and 25 a slight frost is kept and fluffy snow flakes fly by. The celebration of Christmas in England is a real fairy tale associated with interesting customs, traditions and history. This is what we'll talk about today.
A bit of history
Preparation for the celebration
How Christmas is celebrated in England, what are the traditions and symbols, we will consider below. To begin with, it should be said that the official preparation (Advent) begins a month before the main holiday. In this pre-Christmas post, you can hear from every resident the phrase: "Have a Happy Holiday Season", which literally translates as "Happy holiday season." Such a congratulation itself says that Christmas in England is not a matter of one or two days. For example, in many families so-called advent calendars are made in advance. The product consists of 24 "days", behind each there is a small door, and there is a small rhyme dedicated to the holiday. Only the door corresponding to the current date can be opened daily. Such symbols of Christmas in England are very popular with kids - they are happy to count down to the brightest and most memorable holiday. During this period, houses are also decorated, other attributes are made for the upcoming event. However, let's talk about everything in order.
Candles
Many symbols of Christmas in England are not made and used on December 25, but during official preparations. The same applies to wreaths with candles. The product itself is made of juniper and 4 candles are inserted into it around the circumference - 3 purple and 1 pink. The very first of them is lit 4 weeks before the holiday. Each subsequent Sunday, one purple candle is lit in the houses - a symbol of the liturgical connotation of fasting. Pink is allowed to be activated only on the third Sunday. This is a symbol of the fact that the joyful coming of Christ into this world will soon take place. But on December 25, the wreath is “headed” by the fifth candle - white. What everyone has been waiting for so long has happened. As we can see, people are preparing for the holiday in advance, they are reverently waiting for a day like Christmas in England. The photos posted in our article will allow you to feel all that extraordinary atmosphere that reigns not only in every home, but also in the soul of every person.
ringing bells
Have you ever wondered why the doors of many houses are decorated with wreaths or bells? Christmas in England is impossible without this attribute. This tradition has gone since the pagan holidays of winter. At that time, it was believed that when winter comes, the Sun and the Earth die, and instead of them, an evil spirit comes and tries to dominate. To drive him away, it was necessary to make any loud sounds - shout, sing, just make noise. Many similar Christmas traditions in England are still strong today. That's just the ringing of bells today signify the birth of Christ. The custom is not only in England, but it is here that it symbolizes the greeting of Christ and the ringing for the dead devil.
Christmas without a tree
Christmas traditions in England have been around for many years. For example, the first Christmas tree was installed as a symbol of the holiday here back in the 30s of the 19th century. And this custom gained real popularity in 1841, when Prince Albert and Queen Victoria presented a luxurious Christmas tree as a gift to children. Today it is installed in almost every home, and the top is crowned with a silver star or fairy. By the way, there is a very interesting sign here - exactly 12 days after Christmas, all toys, garlands, decorations should be hidden until the next holidays, otherwise the year promises complete failure.
Mistletoe branch and other vegetation
The pictures will show you how beautiful these attributes look. Christmas in England is invariably associated with decorating the house with sprigs of holly, ivy, and so on. This symbolizes the will of man, his desire to hold on to the Almighty for strength and support. And sprigs of mistletoe are hung, as a rule, in doorways. There is a tradition according to which a man and a woman, having met under such vegetation, should kiss. In addition, the symbol also has mystical properties. It is believed that such decorations drive out all evil spirits and bring happiness to the house.
Christmas log
It was used many years before the advent of the Christmas tree. Such a log was prepared a year before the holiday. In the forest, they chose a large tree, cut it down, removed the branches and left it to lie like that all year. At Christmas, only the head of the family had the right to bring a log cut from this tree into the house. Now he had to be treated very carefully and attentively. The log was watered with wine, honey, sprinkled with grain. Then they threw it into the hearth and set it on fire. The wood was supposed to burn for 12 nights and days. It was believed that the resulting ash had magical properties - it protected from evil spirits, healed from diseases. She was worn in pouches around her neck, scattered around the territory of her house. Today in England such a log has been replaced by a thick candle. The more sparks the head of the family sees from her, the happier the year will be.
What is served to the table?
We continue to consider how Christmas is celebrated in England. A festive dinner with the family is the culmination of the whole celebration. To have a better idea of this moment, take a look at the pictures. Christmas in England is necessarily a rich table, because what it will be like will be the whole year. On this day, they serve a special Christmas bread baked according to unique recipes. It is decorated with greenery and ritual patterns. And when the product is cut into pieces, then not only all those present should taste the delicacy, but also the beggars, who are then given a good share of bread, and birds, and domestic animals. In such a product, a button, a ring, bean grains are baked, and then they guess. I got a ring in a piece - for marriage, a button - for poverty, beans - for success and happiness.
Christmas in England is a baked turkey with vegetables and pudding. Candied fruits, dried fruits are added to the latter, and before serving, all those present are poured with cognac or rum and set on fire. Still a spectacle! If you ever meet Christmas in England, be sure to save the photo to tell everyone later about such glorious and unusual traditions.
Stockings and Santa Claus
When Christianity was introduced, the tradition of presenting gifts on this day was associated with the offering of gifts to little Jesus by the magicians of the East. That is why presentations are prepared most often for children. And the kind and red-cheeked Santa Claus carries them to the kids - a grandfather with a white beard, in a red high hat and a fur coat of the same color. On Christmas Eve, children hang stockings or socks over the fireplace, and in return they always leave a pie, milk, cookies for the “Christmas grandfather”, and carrots for the reindeer from his team. Otherwise, no gifts can be seen!
Christingle and candy cane
Christingle is a traditional Christmas product not only in England, but throughout the UK. The name translates as "Light of Christ". To create such an attribute, they take an orange (that is, a round world), clean out the middle, put a candle there (it illuminates the path, as the love of the Lord does). Then the orange is decorated with a red ribbon (a symbol of blood) and 4 sticks are stuck into it, which “look” in all directions of the world.
Cane-shaped caramel is another symbol of Christmas. As a rule, it is a white sweet with a red stripe with a mint or cinnamon flavor. The caramel is made in the shape of the letter J (Jesus). All children receive such sweetness from their parents for the holidays.
Gifts and Boxing Day
As we have already said, Santa Claus brings gifts to the kids. But how does the child notify him of his desires? Christmas in England is also the traditional writing of letters that contain all the requests of the child. The letter is thrown into the fireplace and burned. It is believed that the smoke conveys all the words to the addressee. Gifts in England are given to all family members not randomly, but according to a pre-cast lot.
The British love not so much to receive presents as to give them. During such holidays, they forget about frugality and practicality, one might say, they even become wasteful. However, this only applies to relatives. On this occasion, special Christmas bank loans are provided in England, because not everyone has enough cash to fulfill the dreams of a loved one. This is how Christmas is celebrated in England - many nations can even envy it!
And December 26 is the second day of the celebration dedicated to St. Stephen. In England, a few days before the holiday, large boxes and donation boxes are placed in front of churches, and on Boxing Day they are opened and the contents are distributed to the poor and all those in need.
How is Christmas celebrated in England?
This holiday in today's England is the most commercial event, thanks to which all sellers and directors of shopping centers, supermarkets safely and without problems "eat" the whole next year. Since the end of September, residents have been “attacked” from all sides with catalogs, booklets with all kinds of discounts, promotions, and sales.
Advertising of goods and services does not disappear from TV screens, kilograms of corresponding coupons and flyers come by mail. However, the main thing is that behind all this commercial tinsel, most of the population still does not forget about the true origin of the holiday, its purpose.
On Christmas Eve, a huge number of people go to Trafalgar Square, where the largest Christmas tree in England is installed. Here are performances for children and adults, and songs, and dances, and pantomimes, and fairs.
Christmas sales
By this time, all stores begin to prepare from September-October. Buyers really expect the most significant discounts of the year. Showcases are gradually filled with souvenirs and holiday attributes - angels, deer, Christmas tree garlands and so on. However, do not forget that the real discounts will begin immediately after Christmas, when you no longer need to purchase anything in a crazy hurry, but you can take a good look at everything and ask the price, visit various outlets. If you decide to ever spend Christmas in this original country, you will never regret it. So many traditions and customs you have never seen!
However, always appreciate the traditions of your people, respect their history and customs!
very often asked for retelling in English classes. From Topic in English Christmas in the UK you will be able to learn and then tell about the main features of the celebration of Christmas in the UK. which will be relevant for all who study English.
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Christmas in Great Britain
For most British families, Christmas is the most important holiday of the year. On this day many people travel home to celebrate Christmas with their families. There are a lot of Christmas traditions, and the most important one is giving presents to each other. Family members wrap up their gifts and leave them under the Christmas tree. In the evening of the Christmas Day the family enjoys a big dinner with turkey and pudding.
In the afternoon they watch the Queen's traditional Christmas message to the United Kingdom on television. Then they enjoy a piece of Christmas cake or eat a hot mince pie.
On the Sunday before Christmas, churches hold services where special hymns are sung. Sometimes singers collect money for charity by singing on the streets.
Most people decorate their houses with brightly colored paper and holly, and they usually have a Christmas tree in the corner of the room, glittering with colored lights and decoration. 26th December is called Boxing Day and is also a public holiday.
The British visit their friends and relatives or watch different sporting events. Everyone in Great Britain loves this holiday very much.
-----translation-----
Christmas in the UK
For most British families, Christmas is the most important holiday of the year. On this day, many people go home to celebrate Christmas with their families.
There are many Christmas traditions, and the most important of them is giving gifts to each other. Family members wrap their presents and leave them under the Christmas tree. In the evening, the family enjoys a big dinner that includes turkey and pudding.
During the day, the traditional congratulations of the Queen for the inhabitants of the United Kingdom are watched on TV. Then they enjoy a piece of Christmas cake or a sweet pie. On the Sunday before Christmas, churches hold services where special hymns are sung. Sometimes the singers sing in the street, collecting donations.
Most families decorate their homes with brightly colored paper and holly leaf wreaths, and a Christmas tree is usually placed in the corner of the room, gleaming with lights and decorations. December 26 is called Boxing Day and is also a public holiday.
The British visit friends and relatives or become spectators of various sporting events. All residents of the UK love this holiday very much.
Every country has its own customs and traditions. English people are proud of their traditions and they keep them up. It is difficult to speak about England without speaking about its holidays. Christmas Day is among them.
All English people celebrate Christmas (or X-mas) on the 25th of December. What kind of holiday is it? It is the yearly celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. It falls on December 25 by the Catholic Church and on the 7th of January by the Orthodox Church. This holiday means the beginning of the new year and the new life.
English people celebrate this holiday with the evergreen tree - Christmas tree. Children rut along sock, called a Christmas stocking at the end of their beds and Santa Claus conies down the chimney to bring them presents.
Christmas Day is the greatest holiday in England. It is interesting to visit the shops before this holiday. There are a lot of nice Christmas cards and presents there. English people like this holiday very much and prepare for it beforehand. They buy presents for each other, try to send Christmas cards for their relatives and friends.
It is interesting to visit London during this holiday. There is a Christmas tree in Trafalgar Square. We can see many lights, toys and sweets all over this tree. Everywhere you can see slogans "A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year".
Translation
Each country has its own customs and traditions. The British are proud of their traditions and keep them. It's hard to talk about England without talking about its holidays. Christmas is one of them.
All English people celebrate Christmas (or X-mas) on December 25th. What is this holiday? It is an annual celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. It falls on December 25th in the Catholic Church and January 7th in the Orthodox Church. This holiday marks the beginning of a new year and a new life.
The English celebrate this holiday with an evergreen tree - a Christmas tree. Children hang a sock called a Christmas stocking at the end of their bed and Santa Claus comes down the chimney to bring them presents.
Christmas is a big holiday in England. It is interesting to visit the shops before this holiday. You can buy a lot of good Christmas cards and gifts. The British really like this holiday, they prepare for it in advance. They buy gifts for each other, try to send Christmas cards to relatives and friends.
It is interesting to visit London during this holiday. There are trees in Trafalgar Square. We can see many lights, toys and sweets decorating the Christmas tree. Everywhere you can see the slogans "Merry Christmas and Happy New Year".
