Christmas in Britain

1.

Christmas is the main public holiday
in Britain, when people spend time
at home with their families, eat
special food and drink a lot.
Christmas is the Christian festival to
remember the birth of Jesus Christ.

2.

History.
Although Christmas is celebrated on December 25th, the actual
date of Christ`s birth is not known. The earliest Christians did
not even set aside a special day for observing the Nativity, or
Christ`s birth. For more than three centuries Christ`s Mass was
a movable feast.
The celebration of Christ`s birth on December 25th began in
Rome in 4th century. It replaced the two pagan celebrations –
the festival of rebirth of the sun and the feast of the god
Saturn. That is why it is not surprising that so many Christmas
customs go back to pagan times.
From Rome, the December holiday spread to Christians
everywhere. For several centuries Christmas was kept only as a
church festival. Gradually, however, it became a public holiday
marked by feasting and merrymaking.
In 1644 the English puritans forbade the keeping of Christmas
by Act of Parliament, on the grounds that it was a pagan
festival. It was revived when Charles II came to throne in 1660.

3.

Long before Christmas time shops become very busy, because
a lot of people buy Christmas present. A lot of money is
spent on the presents, but people enjoy it. Every day
television and newspapers say how many days are left before
Christmas. People also buy Christmas cards to send to their
friends and relatives. The cards have the words Merry
Christmas and pictures of the birth of Christ, Santa Claus, a
Christmas tree, a robin, or scenes of old-fashioned
Christmases.

4.

Christmas tree.
The Christmas tree that now spreads its lighted and decorated
brunches every year in so many different countries came originally
from Germany. In pre-Christian time’s evergreens, plants that remain
green all the year round were worshipped as symbols of eternal life.
In medieval Germany an evergreen hung with apples was part of a
Christmas play about the Garden of Eden. The first trees had no
candles.

5.

On Christmas Eve
some people go to the
special church service
called Midnight Mass
which starts at the 12
o’clock at night.

6.

Houses are usually decorated
with lights and branches of needleleaf trees.

7.

Young children are told that Santa Claus will bring
them presents if they are good. Before going to bed on
Christmas Eve the children hang stockings at the back
of their beds, for Santa Claus to put the presents in
when he comes in the middle of night through the
chimney.

8.

In churches people sing Christmas carols –
special religious songs. Sometimes groups
of people walk about the streets and sing
carols at the doors of houses. One of the
well-know carols is “Silent Night”.

9.

Christmas is the day when people stay at home, open their presents
and eat and drink together. The most important meal is Christmas
dinner. They typical meal consists of turkey with potatoes and other
vegetables, followed by a Christmas pudding.

10.

Boxing Day.
In Britain, the day after Christmas day is called
boxing day and is also a public holiday.
Until relatively recently December 25th was
the traditional day to give presents. Servants,
milkmen, postmen were given boxes with
money. Boys from the shops went from house
to house with wooden boxes and asked for
money. This was a Christmas present.
Now it is the time to visit friends and relatives
or watch football.
In the United States many stores hold special
sales on the day after Christmas, where things
can be bought cheaply.

11.

I heard the bells on
Christmas Day,
Their old familiar
carols play,
And wild and sweet
The words repeat
Of peace on earth,
good will to men.

12.

Why do bells of Christmas
ring?
Why do bells of Christmas
ring?
Why do little children sing?
Once a lovely shining star,
Seen by shepherds from afar,
Gently moved until its light
Made a manger `s cradle
bright.
There a darling baby lay
Sleeping softly on the hay;
And his mother sang and
smiled:
“This is Christ, the holy
Child!”
Therefore bells of Christmas
ring,
Therefore little children sing.

13.

14.

15.

Father Frost is tall with noisy voice. He wears warm sheepskin coat,
hat and stick. He has got grey moustaches, long beard harsh look. Our
Father Frost has got wife – Winter and granddaughter Snow. He
prefers good children and gifts presents. His address is: house Father
Frost, Velikiy Ustug, Volgograd region, Russia, 162390.

16.

And in England Santa Claus is. He wears a red coat,
glasses, a hubcap and a wide belt with a buckle. This
old man rides on magic deer, smokes a tube and
laughs: “Ho! Ho! Ho!” Santa prefers making a way in
a house through the stove pipe. His address is Santa
Claus, Arctic Circle, 96930, Rovaniemi, Finland.

17.

A health to you,
A wealth to you,
And the best that life
can give to you.

18.

19.

Над проектом работали:
Петрова Татьяна
Батыева Гульнара
Маркова Кристина