圣诞和春节的庆祝方式.docx

圣诞和春节的庆祝方式.docx

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圣诞和春节的庆祝方式

HowtoCelebrateChristmas

Christmasisatimeofgiving,andholidaycelebrationsduringChristmasusuallyreflectthatnotion.Inmanyculturesaroundtheworld,giftsareexchanged.However,thereareavarietyoftraditionstocelebrateChristmas.HerearesomeWesterncelebrationsandtraditionsofChristmas.

ChristmasTrees

TheChristmasTreehaslongbeenadominantsymboloftheChristmasseason.InNewYorkCityatRockefellerCenter,alargeChristmastreeismagnificentlydecorated.Inotherareasoftheworld,Christmastreesarealsodecorated.ConcerningChristmastrees,therearetwobasicoptions:

ArtificialChristmasTrees

Manypeoplewhoownpets,particularlycats,haveallergies,oryoungchildren,choosetohaveanartificialChristmastreebecauseitiscleanerandenvironmentallyfriendly.Intoday’seco-friendlyworld,fakeChristmastreescanbeusedeveryyear,anddonotdiminishanaturalentity.Thesetreesusuallyareinlocalstores,andcanbeeasilyplacedtogetherbyfollowingasetofgiveninstructions.Additionally,manyartificialChristmastreesnowcomefullydecoratedwithlights,relievingmanyfromuntanglingastringofholidaylightseachseason.

RealChristmasTrees

ManyothersprefertobuyarealChristmastree.Often,localtowns,cities,andcommunitieshaveChristmastreelotsthatbeginsalesimmediatelyfollowingThanksgiving.However,realChristmastreesrequireabitmorework.Theymustbewatered,andtheirleavesshed.Ifcleaninguppineneedlesandwateringaplantaresomethingyouandyourfamilydonothavethetimefor,orwillnotdo,arealChristmastreeisprobablynotforyou.However,realChristmastreesaddasenseofauthenticitytoholidaydecorations.

DecoratingtheTree

DecoratingtheChristmastreeisoftenafamilytradition.ManyfamiliesdecoratethetreeintheweeksbeforeChristmas,whileothersdoitonChristmasEve.Christmastreedecorationsoftenincludeasetoflights,tinsel,garland,ornaments,and/orapopcornstring.Christmasornamentscanbefoundatlocalretailers,canbehomemade,orcanbepasseddownfromgenerationtogeneration.ManyfamiliesreceiveanewChristmasornamenteveryyear,addingtotheircollectionastheyearscontinue.

ReligiousObservations

Dependingonyourreligiousbeliefs,Christmascanalsobeareligious-orientedholiday.ManyfamiliesgotomassduringtheAdventseason,whichisthefortydaysleadinguptoChristmas.Duringthistime,theChristianchurchexplainsthestoriesleadinguptotheBirthofJesus.Additionally,AdventCalendarsusuallycountdownthedaysuntilChristmas,bearingatinypieceofchocolateand/orcandyforeachday.

Midnightmassisanothertraditionformanyfamilies.Often,localchurcheswillholdmidnightceremonies,celebratingthebirthofJesus.Insomechurches,themassissaidinitsoriginalLatinform,while,inothers,themusicisthehighlight.Often,professionalstringquartetsand/orbandensemblesarehiredtoperform.Chorusesandmusiciansalsosingand/orplayavarietyofChristmassongs,suchasTheFirstNoel,SilentNight,andOComeAllYeFaithful.

Gifts

AlthoughChristmasisnotentirelyaboutgifts,itisthetimeofyearwhengiftsarebothgivenandreceived.Whenshoppingforgifts,therearemanythingstokeepinmine,especiallyifyou’rebuyingforsomeonewhohaseclectictastes.Giftsdonothavetobeexpensive.Often,thebestgiftsarehomemadebecausetheyhavesentimentalvalueattachedtothem.Ifyou’restrugglingforgiftideasthisholidayseason,orifyou’rewonderinghowyoucancreatesomegift-givingtraditionsinyourfamily,thefollowingsectionisforyou.

LetterstoSanta

IfyouhavechildrenwhostillbelieveinSantaClaus,makingalisttomailtoSantaisagreatbondingactivity.Encouragethemtobecreativeandcolorand/ordecoratetheirlistinanywaythattheywant.Foramorepersonalizedlist,haveyourchildrenwritedownoneortworeasonswhytheydeserveagiftthisyear.AnothergreatactivitytotraditionalizeistakingyourchildrentogoseeSanta,whetherhebeinamall,shoppingcenter,etc.Usually,childrencansitonSanta’slap,tellhimwhattheywantforChristmas,andgettheirpicturestaken.ManyparentsmakeduplicatesandusethesepicturesforthecoveroftheirChristmascards.

ChristmasCards

ChristmascardsareanothergreatwaytosendHolidaycheertofriendsandfamilythatcannotmeetfortheholidays.Cardscanbebought,signed,decorated,homemade,etc.Manyfamiliesincorporateafamilynewsletterinwhichtheyexplainhowtheiryearwentforeachfamilymember.Others,takeafamilypictureandsigntheirnamesatthebottom.Manymakeafamilyprojectoutofhomemadecards.However,somefamiliesmorehavetraditionsthataremoresecretiveinnature.

SecretSantas

ASecretSantacanbeagreatideaforlargerfamilies.InaSecretSanta,everyonepicksanotherperson’snameoutofahat,withwhoevertheyreceiveremainingasecret.Theindividualthenbuysormakesagiftforthepersontheychose.ComeChristmas,thepersonandthegiftisrevealed.Thiscanbeafungamewitholderchildren,butyoungeronesmayhaveissueswithkeepingasecret.

YankeeSwaps

Often,extendedfamilieswillgathertoandholdaYankeeSwap.YankeeSwapsareusuallybestconductedinlargefamilies.InaYankeeSwap,eachfamilybringsagift.Sometimes,therearethemedswamps.Forexample,are-giftswaporahomemadegiftswap.Oncetogether,eachpersonpicksanumberoutofahat.Onceallthenumbersaredolledouttoeachpersonwho’sparticipating,numberonegoesfirstandchoosesagift.Oncehe/sheisdone,numbertwogoes,andsoon.However,iftheindividualdoesnotlikethegifthe/shechose,he/shecanthentakesomeoneelse’sgift,leavingthepersonwiththeirs.Thebestnumberstoreceivearenumbersoneorthelastnumberbecausetheseluckyindividualscanchoosefromanygiftthattheywant.Whilethisgamecanbefun,youngchildrenmaybeupsetifagiftistakenawayfromtheminexchangeforalessdesirousgift,therefore,olderchildrenarebetterparticipants.

CharityEvents

Oneofthebestgift-givingactivitiestodoistodonateagifttooneofthemanytoydrivesforthosewhoarelessfortunate.Everyyear,theMarineCorpholdstheirToysforTotsprogram.Inmostcases,thetoyscanbedonatedatlocalmalls,shoppingcenters,communitycenters,stores,etc.Also,thesalvationarmyalsoasksforholidaydonationsintheformofsparechange.IndividualsusuallystandoutsideofstoresduringtheChristmasseason.Ifyouwanttoencourageyourchildrentodonatetocharity,takethemshoppingandmakeitafamilyprojecttopickoutatoytodonate.Ifyourchildrenareyoung,havethemplacethechangeintheSalvationArmybinsotheycanfeelasthoughthey’reparticipatingtoo.Manycommunitiesalsoholdfooddrives.Makeadayofcollectingimperishablefoodsaroundyourhouseanddonatingthem.Thesetypesofdrivesareusuallydonethroughschools,communitycenters,grocerystores,and,insmallercommunities,door-to-doorcollections.Givingtoothersisagreatteachingtoolforfamilies,especiallyfamilieswithyoungchildren.

OutdoorActivities

Forfamilieswholiveincoldclimates,winterandChristmasalsocomewithsnow.Manyfamilieschoosetogoskiing,iceskating,snowboarding,etc.Intoday’ssociety,evenplayinginsnowormakingsnowmenisagreatwaytoburnoffthoseholidaytreats.Usually,localgolfcoursesandparksmakegreatsleddinghills.Additionally,hotchocolateisawarmwintertreatafteryouandyourfamilyhavereturnedfromyouroutdooradventures.

Ifyoudon’tliveinanareawithsnow,youcanstillpartakeinoutdoorwinteractivities.Oneofthemostpopulariscaroling.Familiescanjoinwithneighbors,friends,andotherfamilymemberstogodoortodoorsingingChristmassongs.Often,othersenjoytheholidaycheer.Whenthisisover,youcanshareamealwitheveryoneatalocalrestaurantand/oratsomeone’shome.

Food

Afteryou’veworkedupanappetiteplayinginthesnow,giving/buyinggifts,andcaroling,what’sbetterthantositdownandenjoyamealwithyourfamily?

ManyfamilieseatthesamemealeveryyearonChristmas.InAmerica,manyfamilieseatahamdinnerbecauseturkeywaseatenthemonthbefore.However,manyotherseatfoodspertainingtotheirparticularethnicbackgrounds.Often,thefoodpreparationcanbemadeintoafamilytraditionaswell.

Christmascookiesareoneoftheeasiesttraditionstobegin.Becauseofthewidevarietyofbrands,youandyourfamilycanmakeavariousassortmentofshapes,flavors,andcookietypes.Ifyouhaveyoungchildren,pre-made,packageddoughistheeasiest,asitisefficientandlessmessy.Ifyouwanttoteachyourchildrenmoreaboutcookingandmeasuring,cookiesarefuntomakefromscratch.Recipescanbefoundthroughfriendsandfamily,cookbooks,theinternet,etc.

Otherfamilieshavelargeholidayparties.ThesepartiesusuallyoccurintheweeksleadinguptoChristmas.Often,familyandfriendsmeettoeat,mingle,talk,andcelebratetheholidayseason.Ifyou’vedecidedtopartakeinaSecretSantaorYankeeSwap,theseholidaypartiesareoftenthebestplacestoconductthemin.Additionally,anothertraditionthatcanbefun,especiallyforsmallchildren,isadanceparty,usingacollectionofChristmasmusic.Otherfamiliesconcludetheeveningwithreading“TheNightBeforeChristmas.”Whenenjoyingthecompanyoffriendsandfamilyataholidayparty,isfun,remembertobecareful.Becausemanydrinkalcoholicbeverages,drivingcanbedangerous.Remember,drinkresponsibly,andifsomeoneistoointoxicatedtodriv