Onthetwenty-fourthofDecembereveryonegetsexcitedforit’sthedaybeforeChristmaswhichiscalledChristmasEve.Thechildrenareusuallysenttobedearlyandarewarnedthat“SantaClauswillonlycomeandgiveyouapresentifyoubegood.”TheyoungerkidsactuallybelievethatSantawillcomedownthechimneyonthesleighthat’spulledbyhisreindeers.FoodlikeshortbreadandbeerarepreparedforSantawhenhecomes,howevermosttimesparentsjusteatthem.Somechildrenputsocksandsacksupfortheholdingofthepresents(thattheirparentsputin).
RiseandshineonChristmasmorning!Thechildrenarealwaysthefirstonestowakeup,someevendoatfour.Presentwrapperseverywhere!Theylookintotheirpresentswithabigsmileontheirfaceandohdear….Ihopenoone’sdisappointed.Ifeelsorryforanyonethatgotpinkunderwear.Childrenplaywhiledinnerispreparedbytheadults.TheChristmasdinnerareusuallyeatentogetherbyrelatives.ThetraditionofChristmaspuddingandroostersareusuallyeatenwithdesertsafterwards.Therestofthedayisusuallygamesandfunbeforethegooddaysallcometoanend.
IwisheveryoneaMerryChristmasandaHappyNewYear!
Theyhadprepareddifferentkindsofgiftsfortheirfamilyandguestswhenwegottotheirhouse,suchasChristmascandles,cakes,cards,littletoys,biscuitsandsoon.AChristmastreewasplacedinthecomerofthebrillianthall.Howbeautifulitwas!Wewereimpressedbythese.Wehadabigmeal.Afterdinner,theytoldussomeinterestingstoriesaboutChristmas.WelearnedthatChristmashadsomethingtodowithGod.Wewenttobedatmidnight.ThoughweknewtheSantaClauswasnottrue,wewerestillwaitingfortheSantaClauswithwhitebeardtobringuspresents.Andwereceivedmanybeautifulpresentsthenextmorning.
thespringfestivalandchristmashavemuchincommon.botharepreparedhefiorehandtocreateajoyousatmosphere;bothofferafamilyreunionwithasquarefeast:andbothsatisfythechildrenwithnewclothes,lovelypresentsanddeliciousfood.however,thechinesespringfestivalhasnoreligiousbackgroundwhilechristmashassomethingtodowithgodandthereissantaclauswithwhiteheardtobringchildrenpresents.thewesternerssendeachotherchristmascardsforgreetingswhilethechinesepeoplepayacalloneachother.
nowadays,someofthechineseyouthhasbeguntocelebratechristmas,followingtheexampleofthewesterners.perhapstheydosojustforfunandoutofcuriosity.
ChristmasisbasedonthestoryofJesus’birthasdescribedintheGospelaccordingtoMatthew(seeMatthew1:18-2:12)andtheGospelaccordingtoLuke(seeLuke1:26-56).RomanCatholicsfirstcelebratedChristmas,thenknownastheFeastoftheNativity,asearlyas336ad.ThewordChristmasenteredtheEnglishlanguagesometimearound1050astheOldEnglishphraseChristesmaesse,meaning“festivalofChrist.”ScholarsbelievethefrequentlyusedshortenedformofChristmas—Xmas—mayhavecomeintouseinthe13thcentury.TheXstandsfortheGreekletterchi,anabbreviationofKhristos(Christ),andalsorepresentsthecrossonwhichJesuswascrucified.
MaybetheSpringFestivalismuchmoreimportantandinterestingthanChristmas,butIlikeChristmasDaybetter.BecausewecanspendtimewithourfriendsandclassmatesduringChristmas.Whenitissnowy,Christmasbecomesmuchmorelovely,justlikeinfairytales.IcanimagineIaminafairytale,thegirlwhosoldthematchesismyfriend,theuglyduckbecomingmoreandmorebeautifulandsoon.Whatabeautifulplace!SowecanalsocallChristmas“SnowyLovelyDay.”
OnChristmasDay,shopsareredandgreen.TherearesomanyChristmascards,Christmashats,Christmasdollsandmanycolourfulthings.Soshopslookverybeautiful.Wecangiveacardoradolltoourfriendsandsay“MerryChristmas.”Bytheway,Ithinkstudyingcanalsobecomemuchmoreinteresting.