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MerryChristmas1ThewinterholidayseasonisthemostfestivetimeoftheyearintheUnitedStates.Studentsfromelementaryschoolthroughcollegehaveabouttwoweeks'vacation,beginningshortlybeforeChristmasandendingsoonafterNewYear'sDay.Manyfamiliesgoawayfortheholidays,butthosewhostayhomehavefun,too.TherearemanypartiestocelebratethebirthofChristandthearrivaloftheNewYear.2InAmerica,thespiritofChristmasarrivesaboutamonthbeforetheholidayitself.LateinNovember,streetlightsandstorewindowsaredecoratedwiththetraditionalChristmascolorsofredandgreen.SantaClaus,shepherdandangelscenesappearinshopwindows.Wintersceneswithsnowmen,sleighs,skaters,andskiersdecoratecardsandwindows.3ThemanufactureandsaleofChristmasitemsisbigbusiness.StoresdependonChristmasshoppersforaboutone-fourthoftheirannualsales.Smartshoppersbuytheirgiftsfarinadvance,beforetheChristmasrushmakesshoppingachore.4AlthoughAmericansenjoythecommercialfriendlinessofChristmas,themostbeautifulandmeaningfulpartsoftheholidayoccurathome.Manyfamiliesgatheraroundthetreeandopentheirgifts.ThentheysitdowntoenjoyatraditionalChristmasdinnerturkeyorham,sweetpotatoes,vegetables,andcranberrysauce.Dessertisusuallyfruitcake,plumpudding,orapplepie.5MostoftheChristmascustomswhichAmericansenjoytodayarevariationsoftraditionsbroughtherebyEuropeanimmigrants.Thesearesomeofthemostpopularcustoms:6ExchangingGifts.ThefirstChristmasgiftswerethosethattheThreeWiseMenbroughttotheinfantJesus.IntheUnitedStates,itiscustomarytoexchangegiftswithfamilymembersandclosefriends.BothchildrenandadultsgetChristmaspresents,althoughchildrenusuallygetmanymore.7ReceivingToysfromSantaClaus.ManyAmericanchildrenbelievethatonChristmasEve,SantaClaus,(afat,cheerfulmanwhowearsaredsuit,redhat,andlongwhitebeard)slidesdowntheirchimneytobringthemgifts.Accordingtothestory,SantaClausfliesthroughtheairinasleighpulledbyeightreindeer.SeveraldaysorweeksbeforeChristmas,childrentellSantaClauswhattoystheywantbywritinghimlettersorvisitinghiminalocaldepartmentstore.Then,onChristmasEve,manyyoungsterslieawakelisteningforSantaandhissleigh.8Wheredidthislegendcomefrom?SantaClausistheAmericannameforSt.Nicholas,agenerousfourth-centurybishopwholivedinwhatisnowTurkey.Itwashiscustomtogooutatnightandbringgiftstothepoor.Afterhisdeath,hisfamespreadthroughoutEurope.DutchimmigrantsbroughttheideaofSt.NicholastotheUnitedStates,wherethenamewasmispronouncedandfinallychangedtoSantaClaus.Then,intheearly1800sAmericanartistsandauthorschangedSt.Nick'sappearanceandcreatedthefatmaninredthatweknowtoday.Santa'ssleighandreindeercamefromanoldNorselegend.Sotoday'sSantaClausisreallyablendofseveraldifferentcultures.9Hangingastockingnearthechimney.AsinGreatBritain,Americanchildrenhangstockingsbythefireplace,hopingthatSantawillfillthemwithcandyandtoys.10DecoratingtheHomewithevergreens.Thiswintercustombeganinancienttimes.Branchesofevergreenswerethoughttobringgoodluckandguaranteethereturnofspring.11Germansofthe16thcenturyprobablystartedthecustomofdecoratingtrees.Inthe19thcentury,theideaspreadthroughoutEuropeandNorthAmerica.Now,atChristmastime,decoratedtreesstandinabouttwo-thirdsofAmericanhomes.ThemodernAmericantreeisusuallycoveredwithcoloredballsandstringsofcoloredlights.12Inancienttimes,abranchofmistletoewashungoverdoorwaysforgoodluck.Todaythecustomcontinues,butnowitisforfun.Anyonestandingunderthemistletoeislikelytobekissed.13SingingChristmascarols.IntheearlydaysoftheChristianChurch,thebishopssangcarolsonChristmasDay.Now,everybodysingsthem.Christmascarolsontheradio,onTV,inchurch,andinschoolallhelpfillthewinterairwithbeautifulmusic.CopyinganoldEnglishcustom,manyAmericansjoinwithfriendsandwalkfromhousetohousesingingthetraditionalsongsofChristmas.14SendingChristmascards.ThiscustombeganinLondonin1843andcametotheUnitedStatesin1875.Today,mostAmericanssenddozensofChristmascardsorseason'sgreetingstorelatives,friends,andbusinessassociates.15Christmasperformances.AmongtheChristmastraditionsaretwobeautifultheatricalperformancesthatallpeopleenjoy.OneoftheseisaclassicworkperformedannuallyduringtheChristmasseason.ItistheRussiancomposerPeterIlyichTchaikovsky'sballetTheNutcracker.Thisisafavoritewithchildrenbecauseittellsthedelightfulstoryofalittlegirl'sChristmasdreamabouthertoys.AnotheroneisthestoryAChristmasCarolbythe19th-centuryEnglishauthorCharlesDickens.Itistraditionallyperformedasaplay(sometimeswithmusic)andtellsthetaleofacharacternamedEbenezerScrooge.Scroogeisaselfish,lonely,rich,oldmanwho,withthehelpofghostsfromhispast,present,andfuturelife,learnstounderstandandregainthespiritofChristmasthespiritofcaringforandsharingwithothers.