[00:00.00] UNIT 2

[00:29.39]Western Holidays

[00:34.72]Integrated Skills Development

[00:40.59]Passage

[00:45.45]Christmas

[00:49.11]Christmas Day, which is the most festive time in the United States,

[00:57.18]falls on December 25th on which Christian people

[01:03.53]believe Jesus Christ was born.

[01:07.97]This is the biggest and best-loved holiday in the United States,

[01:14.50]which is full of joy and gaiety, love and laughter,

[01:19.96]hospitality and good will.

[01:24.51]Americans begin to prepare Christmas long before the actual day.

[01:32.45]Small families and large business firms

[01:38.12]prepare the holiday differently.

[01:42.48]Stores are decorated with the traditional

[01:47.34]Christmas colors of green and red.

[01:51.78]Goods associated with Christmas become best sellers at this time.

[01:59.25]Many Americans take advantage of the time

[02:04.71]to earn extra money by selling Christmas cards,

[02:10.06]small gifts and ornaments, etc.

[02:15.11]The decorating of homes for Christmas is also very common.

[02:21.87]Most Americans who observe Christmas

[02:26.94]have a Christmas tree in their homes.

[02:31.67]People like evergreens and they think that branches of fir

[02:38.43]will bring good luck and symbolize spring.

[02:43.68]The Christmas tree is usually covered with strings of colored lights,

[02:50.95]and a star fixed on top representing the star in the East

[02:57.71]which guided the three Wise Men to where Jesus was born.

[03:04.48]Christmas food is special: bright colored hard sweets,

[03:12.52]chocolates, clusters of chocolate-covered raisins, walnuts, etc.

[03:19.78]As for the Christmas dinner,

[03:23.65]Americans traditionally have turkey or ham,

[03:28.80]sweet potatoes, vegetables, and Christmas pudding.

[03:34.86]Although Christmas is religious in origin,

[03:42.33]many of the customs and celebrations are no longer religious.

[03:48.88]Among them, the most popular ones are as follows:

[03:55.13]● Exchanging Gifts

[03:59.99]This custom originated from the ancient religion of believing

[04:07.14]that the first Christmas gifts

[04:11.51]were given by the three Wise Men to the infant Jesus Christ.

[04:18.38]It has been passed down and become very popular

[04:23.94]among friends and families in the United States:

[04:29.58]● Sending Christmas Cards

[04:36.24]This custom first started in London in the 19th century.

[04:43.82]Today, most Americans send greeting cards

[04:49.38]to their friends and families at Christmas time.

[04:54.24]Some people who are friends or relatives

[04:59.81]and live great distances from each other

[05:04.48]may not be much in contact with each other during the year —

[05:10.36]but will usually exchange greeting cards and often a Christmas letter.

[05:17.81]● Receiving Gifts from Santa Claus

[05:24.36]Santa Claus is believed by American children

[05:31.21]to be a fat jolly old man with a red suit,

[05:36.67]red hat and a long white beard.

[05:41.92]On Christmas Eve Santa Claus comes down through

[05:47.56]the chimney to bring them gifts.

[05:52.00]So young children are happiest at this time of the year

[05:57.88]and look forward eagerly to Christmas morning

[06:02.92]when they find the gifts they want.