1. CHRISTMAS Some cultural notes Teacher: Inês Carreira

2. Advent (from the Latin "arrival“) It begins on the Sunday nearest to 30th November (St. Andrew's Day) and lasts until Christmas Eve.

3. Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday, celebrated on December 25, that commemorates the birth of Jesus of Nazareth

4. The date of commemoration is not known to be Jesus' actual birthday.

5. Some national churches including those of Russia, Georgia, Egypt, Armenia, the Ukraine and Serbia celebrate on January 7.

6. Christmas marks the beginning of the larger season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days.

7. The Christmas tree is probably the Christianisation of a pagan tradition and ritual surrounding the Winter Solstice, which included the use of evergreen boughs, and an adaptation of pagan tree worship.

8. From Germany the custom was introduced to Britain by Prince Albert.

9. In London, near the statue of Lord Nelson in Trafalgar Square, a giant Christmas tree is set up and decorated with great ceremony each year. The tree has been a thank you gift from the people of Oslo, Norway. During the Second World War, King Haakon of Norway was forced into exile in England when the Germans occupied his country.

10. Since the 19th century, the poinsettia, a native plant from Mexico, has been associated with Christmas.

11. QUEEN’S SPEECH At three o'clock in the afternoon, the Queen gives her Christmas Message to the nation which is broadcast on radio and television. It is a tradition begun on the radio in 1932 by George V.

12. Christmas carols are special songs which are sung during the Christmas season. The songs are about Jesus and the time when he was born.

13. Caroling, is singing carols in the street or public places to collect money for charity. It is one of the oldest customs in Great Britain. The traditional period to sing carols is from St Thomas's Day (21 December) until the morning of Christmas Day. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v =13SaSh_xW2M&feature=related

14. A Christmas Cracker is a brightly coloured paper tube, twisted at both ends. A person pulls on each end of the cracker and when the cracker breaks, a small chemical strip goes “Pop” and the contents fall out.

15. A traditional British Christmas dinner includes roast turkey or goose, brussels sprouts, roast potatoes, cranberry sauce, rich nutty stuffing, tiny sausages wrapped in bacon (pigs in a blanket) and hot gravy.

17. During World War I an unofficial Christmas truce took place. The truce began on December 24, 1914, when German troops decorated around their trenches in the region of Ypres, Belgium, for Christmas.

18. St. Nicholas was a very shy man and wanted to give money to poor people without them knowing about it. It is said that one day, he climbed the roof of a house and dropped a purse of money down the chimney. It landed in the stocking which a girl had put to dry by the fire!

19. Father Christmas is the British version of Santa Claus. He is an old jolly man with white hair and a beard. He is dressed in a red* suit. Father Christmas and his elves make all the toys for Christmas in the North Pole.

20. BOXING DAY An 'Alms Box' was placed in every church on Christmas Day, into which worshippers placed a gift for the poor of the parish. These boxes were opened the day after Christmas.

21. Many poorly paid workers had to work on Christmas Day and took the next day off to visit their families. Their employers would then present them with Christmas boxes.

22. In Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and some states of Australia, Boxing Day is primarily known as a shopping holiday. It is a time where shops have sales, often with dramatic price decreases.

23. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year