2. Christmas tree Who Decorated the First Christmas Tree? Christmas tree is becoming popular in England in the 1840. No one knows for sure. The custom of bringing an evergreen tree indoors and decorating it at Christmas started in Germany. One legend says that Martin Luther started the practice. Luther was an important Christian leader. According to the story, he noticed the starlit sky as he walked home one Christmas Eve about the year 1513. He thought the stars looked as if they were shining on the branches. When Martin Luther arrived home, he placed a small fir-tree inside the house. He decorated it with lighted candles. Decorating Christmas trees became popular in Germany. Prince Albert took the tradition to England. Both German and English people brought it to America.

3. In Great Britain many customs and traditions are connected with Christmas, and most of them are still popular today. Houses are still decorated with holly and mistletoe. Decorating the house with '' holly'' is a custom, which comes from England. Holly is a bush with shiny red berries and leaves with sharp edges.Because it remains green throughout the year it was believed to hold a promise that the sun would return. Mistletoe is another Christmas symbol.Springs of it are tied together with ribbons and hung up in doorways. Anyone standing under the mistletoe gets to be kissed. Traditions

4. Children leave sock or stocking at the end of their beds on Christmas Eve, 24th of December, hoping that Santa Claus will come down the chimney during the night and bring them small presents, fruit and nuts. They are usually not disappointed! SANTA CLAUS

6. Presents Christmas is closely connected with giving presents. They give presents to each other. It is not only children and members of a family. It is a tradition to give Christmas presents to the people you work or study with. Another custom is to hang up the stockings over the fire place. This tradition came from Germany. It is believed that Santa fills them with toys and sweets when he comes down the chimney.

7. There are a lot of traditions connected with Christmas but perhaps the most important one is the giving of present. Family members wrap up their gifts and leave them bottom of the Christmas tree to be found on Christmas morning. HOLIDAY

8. Sale Stores attract millions of shoppers a record high discounts. As expected, the appetite of Londoners and revenue stores will not affect even the credit crunch. Approximately 3.57 million people have already bought something at the beginning of sales. Some London department stores, for example, Debenhams on Oxford Street, just after Christmas, write down their products by 70%. Opportunity to save money has forced some buyers in the early morning queue at the entrance to stores. According to Loretta Frazer, manager of the department store Selfridges in Birmingham, the store opened at 8 am waiting for more than 500 people. "Sales are a great opportunity to save money. In the first hour of the beginning of sales, we earned 65% profit on sales of designer handbags," - says Fraser. Many buyers are not willing to stand in line and shoving in the dressing room, master internet shopping. Online sales of some stores have already started on December 25. Profits of large British shops on the Internet for sales this holiday season reached a record sum of 52 million pounds (104 million dollars).

9. Выполнил: Голубев Артем, ученик 8 «М» класса.