Mistletoe
Many people like to decorate their houses with evergreens. Best-loved of all, now as in the past, are holly, ivy and mistletoe. All these plants often decorate churches, with one exception. This is the mistletoe which, by long tradition, is never allowed inside a church at any time. Unlike other evergreens, it has never quite lost its pagan and magical associations.
At Christmas mistletoe with its white berries is put over the door. People believe that it will bring good luck. This green plant allows you to kiss whoever you like under it. A girl who stands under the mistletoe must expect to be kissed and, by custom, has no right to refuse.
Santa Claus
Santa Claus (or Father Christmas) is an old but never-ageing man who lives in the Far North. He has a long white beard and is dressed in red. He is fat and merry. On Christmas Eve he visits every house and leaves presents for children. He enters the house by the chimney, unseen and unheard, with a big sack of toys. Children put a long stocking at the end of their bed or by the chimney so that Santa Claus will fill it with toys. he travels on a sleigh pulled by reindeer that can fly.
The name Santa Claus comes from the name of a legendary Christian saint - St Nicholas. He was famous for his kindness to children and the poor. One story tells how St Nicholas made a gift to the three girls who could not get married because their father was very poor. The saint threw three bags of gold through their window and one of these bags landed in a stocking that had been hung by the fire to dry. The custom of hanging up stockings on Christmas Eve may have grown out of this tale.
In England, Father Christmas was certainly known as far back as the 15th century, for he is mentioned in a carol of that period beginning "Hail, Father Christmas, hail to thee!". He was not a gift-giver at that time. He acquired that attribute from St Nicholas in the 19th century.
Christmas gifts
Perhaps the most important part of Christmas celebration in the giving of presents. This tradition goes back again to Roman Saturnalia when people gave each other gifts of various kinds (fruit, pastry or gold).
Long before Christmas, the shops become very busy. They are decorated in red and green, the traditional Christmas colours. Dozens of Santa Clauses welcome the customers. Newspapers and television say how many days there are left and people often spend a lot of money.
Little children believe that when they are asleep, Santa Claus will climb down the chimney and put some toys and other little presents into their Christmas stockings. He will also put some toys under the tree. Children sometimes write a letter to Santa Claus telling him what presents they would like for Christmas.
Christmas cards
Not all Christmas customs and traditions are of ancient origin. Christmas cards, for example, appeared in England only in the middle of the19th century. Nobody knows for sure who designed the first Christmas card. But the custom became extremely popular and quickly spread to other countries.
Millions of Christmas cards are bought and sent every year. People send them to friends, colleagues and relatives away from home. They wish their friends "Merry Christmas" and "A happy New Year". Some people keep a list of cards sent and received from year to year.
The cards often show the pictures of Nativity, Santa Claus, Christmas tree, robins or scenes of old-fashioned Christmas.
Vocabulary
immensely (adv) /ɪˈmensli/
ball (n) /bɔːl/
from top to bottom
no wonder (n) /ˈwʌndər/
mistletoe (n) /ˈmɪsltəʊ/
holly (n) /ˈhɒli/
ivy (n) /ˈaɪvi/
exception (n) /ɪkˈsepʃən/
magical (adj) /ˈmædʒ.ɪ.kəl/
association (n) /əˌsəʊ.siˈeɪ.ʃən/
berry (n) /ˈber.i/
to bring good luck
to refuse (v) /rɪˈfjuːz/
never-ageing
merry (adj) /ˈmer.i/
chimney (n) /ˈtʃɪm.ni/
stack (n) /stæk/
stocking (n) /ˈstɒk.ɪŋ/
sleigh (n) /sleɪ/
reindeer (n) /ˈreɪn.dɪər/
legendary (adj) /ˈledʒ.ən.dri/
saint (n) /seɪnt/
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