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UNIT 2 Western Holidays
Integrated Skills Development
Passage Christmas
Christmas Day, which is the most festive time in the United States, falls on December 25th on which Christian people believe Jesus Christ was born. This is the biggest and best-loved holiday in the United States, which is full of joy and gaiety, love and laughter, hospitality and good will.
Americans begin to prepare Christmas long before the actual day. Small families and large business firms prepare the holiday differently. Stores are decorated with the traditional Christmas colors of green and red. Goods associated with Christmas become best sellers at this time. Many Americans take advantage of the time to earn extra money by selling Christmas cards, small gifts and ornaments, etc. The decorating of homes for Christmas is also very common. Most Americans who observe Christmas have a Christmas tree in their homes. People like evergreens and they think that branches of fir will bring good luck and symbolize spring. The Christmas tree is usually covered with strings of colored lights, and a star fixed on top representing the star in the East which guided the three Wise Men to where Jesus was born.
Christmas food is special: bright colored hard sweets, chocolates, clusters of chocolate-covered raisins, walnuts, etc. As for the Christmas dinner, Americans traditionally have turkey or ham, sweet potatoes, vegetables, and Christmas pudding.
Although Christmas is religious in origin, many of the customs and celebrations are no longer religious. Among them, the most popular ones are as follows:
Exchanging Gifts
This custom originated from the ancient religion of believing that the first Christmas gifts were given by the three Wise Men to the infant Jesus Christ. It has been passed down and become very popular among friends and families in the United States.
Sending Christmas Cards
This custom first started in London in the 19th century. Today, most Americans send greeting cards to their friends and families at Christmas time. Some people who are friends or relatives and live great distances from each other may not be much in contact with each other during the year — but will usually exchange greeting cards and often a Christmas letter.
Receiving Gifts from Santa Claus
Santa Claus is believed by American children to be a fat jolly old man with a red suit, red hat and a long white beard. On Christmas Eve Santa Claus comes down through the chimney to bring them gifts. So young children are happiest at this time of the year and look forward eagerly to Christmas morning when they find the gifts they want.
New Words and Expressions
ancient
a. 古代的，古老的
associate
V. 使發生聯系；交往
n. 伙伴，同事
beard
n. 胡須，絡腮胡子
celebration
n. 慶祝
century
n. 世紀；百年
