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In the USA, Canada, Great Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand,December,25 th is the most important holiday. Families gather on Christmas Eve. Traditional decorations are red and green.

Families decorate evergreen trees. In America families often decorate early in December, but in Great Britain it is more traditional to decorate in Christmas Eve.

Children hang stockings by their fireplaces for Santa Claus to fill with gifts during the night. Some children leave milk and cookies for Santa before they go to sleep on Christmas Eve.

In all of countries it is traditional to have a big dinner with family and to exchange gifts. on the 25 th.

Two other holidays are celebrated around the same time as Christmas. Jewish people celebrate Hanukkah, an eight-day “festival of light”.

Every night families light a candle until there are a total of nine burning at the end of the period.

Black people in America celebrate Kwanzaa from December 26 to January,1.This is a cultural holiday, not a religious holiday with a principle for each day.

Because people from many different cultures and countries live in America and Canada, there is not only one strong Christmas tradition. People decorate, exchange gifts and have a big dinner on the 25 th.

Traditional foods are ham, turkey, stuffing, vegetables and pie.

The Christmas season in these countries is very musical. Many people go from house to house to sing, and there are many concerts with music, singing and bells. Sometimes people dress in costumes and put on Christmas plays.

The weather is warm and some people have their Christmas dinner as a picnic at the beach.

The day after Christmas is an official holiday, Boxing day. It is a time to help people who don’t have enough money, food or clothing.

JOHN AND ALBENA WISH YOU