1、MERRY CHRISMASIt is interesting to see how different countries celebrate Christmas.The USA is so multi-cultural that you will find many different ways of celebrating Christmas. How is Christmas celebrated around theworld?Germans love to decorate their houses at Christmas. Many houses will have littl
2、e wooden frames holding electric candles in their windows, and coloured pictures of paper or plastic which look beautiful fromthe outside at night. Often too, they will have an Adventskranz a wreath of leaves with four candles. (Advent - meaning coming is the 4 week period before Christmas). On each
3、 Sunday of Advent, Another candle is lit. Most homes will also have little wooden cribs - a small model of the stable where Jesus was born, with Mary, Joseph, Baby Jesus, and animals. Children leave letters on their window sills for Christkind, a winged figure dressed in white robes and a golden cro
4、wn who distributes gifts. Father Christmas Der Weihnachtsmann - brings presents in the late afternoon of Christmas Eve (December 24th), after people have been to a church meeting. The presents are then found under the Christmas tree. Oneperson in the family will ring a bell and call everyone to come
5、 to the room. “Froehliche Weihnachten” “Merry Christmas!”In the days of the Soviet Union, Christmas was notcelebrated very much. New Year was the importanttime - when Father Frost brought presents to children.With the fall of Communism, Christmas can be openlycelebrated - either on December 25th; or more often onJanuary 7th. This unusual date is because the RussianOrthodox church uses the old Julian calendar forreligious celebration days. Special Christmas foodincludes cakes, pies and meat dumplings.
