1. Escola E.B. 2,3/s de Mora<br />ENGLISH<br />Different Christmas traditions<br />5842003144520<br />32524704427855<br />Mora, 29th December 2008<br />Work by:<br />Ana Margarida Pinto<br />Ner 3 10º A<br />Index<br />Introduction page2<br />Christmas in the United Kingdom page3<br />Christmas in South Africa page5<br />Christmas in India page6<br />Christmas in New Zealand page7<br />Conclusion page8<br />Bibliography page9<br />Introduction<br /> Traditions change from place to place taking into account several factors, and Christmas is one at those examples. <br /> Christmas is a festival celebrated worldwide, regardless of language, race, climate, economic condition or age. This celebration is universal and therefore does not have the same traditions around the world. <br /> The following countries - the United Kingdom, South Africa, India and New Zealand - are all quite different, because they are in different continents, but all have in common the same way to wish good Christmas (Merry Christmas), after all, they are all English speaking countries.<br /> Christmas in the United Kingdom<br /> As in most of the world, Christmas is, also, a special moment for all the UK, is time to bring the family together.<br /> In the United Kingdom, the celebrations start, nearly, one month before Christmas, in Stir-up Sunday (Sunday before Advent, which begins when missing 4 weeks for Christmas) with the whole family gathered. That is the traditional day to make the Christmas Pudding (it is done in advance so that, on December 25, its flavors are highlighted), decorate the Christmas tree – with lights, coins and others chocolate forms, an angel or a star at the tree top - and start to send the Christmas cards. The choirs start, singing Christmas songs, too.<br /> Unlike many countries, December 25 is the main celebrations day. Therefore, the only custom of 24th is to serve a dish based on corn - Frumenty.<br /> On Christmas Day, the whole family meets in front of the television to watch the traditional Queen's speech and then, sit at the table for a Christmas supper (this supper is at beginning afternoon of Christmas day). The roast turkey is the main dish and then, the famous Christmas pudding made with comfit. British may also eat mince pies, small cakes filled with mincemeat - a special fruit filling with three spices, each of these represents one the three magi kings gift to the Jesus – and that have a star on them. After supper, everybody play with the crackers and have fun with their presents.<br />1043940174625282511511747520472404456430<br />Image1 – Christmas pudding <br />Image2 – Mince pies<br /> The day after Christmas is called the quot;
Boxing Day”. It has this name because, in that day, churches open the boxes of donations collections, the children their presents and employees receive a bonus for their work throughout the year. The “Boxing Day”, is the favorite day for horses racing, football matches and other sports competitions. It is the traditional day to begin pantomime presentations.<br /> Crackers Made with a cardboard tube wrapped in colorful and bright paper, like a large package of candy, the crackers are 'pulled' by two people, and when open make a characteristic noise, as a small explosion! Inside there is a glossy paper crown, a small present, a balloon and a joke. After that, the person who stays with most of the cracker after the “burst” gets its content or, each has its cracker and remains with its content. The quot;
giftquot;
is always horrible, has no utility and the jokes are not funny.<br />-718185109855<br />Image3 - Cracker<br />4787265239395 Pantomime The pantomimes are traditional British Christmas pieces. They start in the Boxing Day and are presented in two or three months in theaters around the country. They are productions without words and mix fairy tales, legends and famous cartoons, which encourages the audience participation. In pantomimes, the male characters are interpreted by women and women by men.<br />Image4 – Pantomime showcard<br />-765810302260 Father Christmas Father Christmas comes on the night of Christmas and leaves the presents to children in Christmas stockings or Christmas Pillowcases, on the edge of the bed. Thanks for the gifts received, the children always leave to Father Christmas a dish with one or two mince pies on the fireplace (with a small cognac glass, wine or milk and a carrot for the reindeer).<br />Image5 - Christmas stocking<br /> Christmas in South Africa<br /> In South Africa, Christmas is quite different compared to the UK. The month of December is in the warmer season and thus, Christmas is a summer celebration. <br /> With the warm weather, families often choose to go camping or go to the river, beaches or mountains.<br /> On the night of Christmas Eve, many choirs go to the streets to sing their Christmas songs, in the light candles. But it is in the morning of Christmas day, that South Africans to do their religious services. <br /> The houses are decorated with pine trees and branches. The children’s presents are put under the tree or in Christmas stockings.<br />8248651002665 On day 25, many South Africans prefer to sit outdoors, but there are those who prefer to make supper at home, and then serve up pies, rice, turkey, pork, dried fruit and puddings.<br />18110206555740<br />2901315310515<br />18110206555740<br />Image6 – Christmas tree<br />Image7 – a Christmas Choir<br /> Christmas in India<br /> In India, Christmas is celebrated by Christians with a great joy, and eventually also by non-Christians. So, now, Christmas is a party of all. <br /> The cities are decorated by mayors with Christmas ornaments, and the stores also join in the Christmas spirit. In the streets, Christmas songs are sung.<br /> To celebrate the birth of Jesus, they make big parties and suppers. The presents are given to family, and as charity, to the poor.<br /> Christians decorate mango or banana trees, in Christmas time. Sometimes they also decorate their houses with mango leaves, small clay oil-burning lamps are placed on the edges of flat roofs and on the tops of walls.<br /> Father Christmas In India, Father Christmas leaves gifts to children in villages by horse and cart with a lantern to light his way through the night. The “Indian Father Christmas” doesn’t dress as the traditional, he doesn’t use clothes all red, nor the conventional round cap. But, some white wide trousers, a white tunic with a green belt and a red waistcoat. The churches tend to be embellished with candles and pointsettia - red flowers that, although, being original from Mexico, became the Christmas flowers of many places, such as India - to the rooster mass.<br />-5467355634355<br />Image8 – Father Christmas <br />Image9 – Banana tree decorated 1348740400685<br /> Christmas in New Zealand<br /> Here too, the New Zealanders have a very warm and sunny Christmas.<br /> To celebrate the Christmas season, all cities have Fathers Christmas parades, where everyone decorates boats, cars and others transport means with Christmas ornaments.<br /> In New Zealand, it is very common to make a supper on the beach, but many people still follow the old English Christmas traditions, and there is roast turkey, Christmas pudding and traditional salads.<br /> Another option is to do a barbecue in the garden, where the Kiwi is always present!<br /> In some cities, in the day of Christmas, Father Christmas distributes sweets in an unexpected hour, and when nobody is out, it plays a siren.<br />3200404681855<br /> Curiosities In New Zealand two Christmas are celebrated! The hotels and more and more people celebrate the Christmas in December - in the summer - and in July - in the winter. It is a supper where they serve the normal food in a Christmas supper and the food that not usually consumed in summer.<br />-7372355691505<br />Image10 – Christmas fruit cake and pudding<br /> Christmas tree The New Zealand Christmas tree is called Pohutokawa and has scarlet flowers.37395157082155<br />Image11 – Christmas tree <br />Conclusion<br /> The traditions of Christmas may not all be equal, but in all of them the Father Christmas, the presents, the tree and the Christmas supper are present, it doesn’t matter the celebration location and their differences<br /> After all, Christmas is the celebration of the Jesus birth and everything else is a complement. <br />