Transcript Christmas Time

Christmas Time
In Poland Advent is the beginning of
Christmas Time.
During Advent, people also prepare their
houses for Christmas. There's lots of
cleaning and people wash their windows
and clean their carpets very thoroughly.
Everything must be clean for Christmas day
A special stew called 'Bigos' is made. It's
cooked over a period of two or more, the
longer the better! It's made of sauerkraut,
cabbage and meat. Each family has their
own recipe.
Christmas Eve is a very important and busy day. There
are many things to do :preparing food, the Christmas
Tree is decorated with tinsels, lights and glass balls.
Gold, silver gold and white chains resembling long,
silver and glittering hair is also hung on the tree and a
star is placed on the top.
Nativity Cribs are also common decorations and Children
take part in Nativity plays at schools and in Churches.
it is traditional that no food is eaten until the first star is seen in the sky! So
children look at the night sky to spot the first star!
.
At the beginning of the meal, a large wafer biscuit called
an 'Oplatek', which has a picture of Mary, Joseph and
Jesus on it, is passed around the table and everyone
breaks a piece off and eats it.
Sometimes a small piece may be given to any farm animals or pets that
the family may have. A place is often left empty at the meal table, for the
Christ Child
The meal consists 12 dishes of mostly fish as meat was forbidden,
mushrooms, puddings and cake. Common dished include pierogi,
bigos and karp (carp). Later children check the presents under the tree
and and give them out.
Christmas Eve is finished by going to Church for a Midnight Mass service.
Wesolych Swiat
Bozego Narodzenia or Boze Narodzenie
In the UK, families often celebrate Christmas together,
so they can watch each other open their presents
Most families have a Christmas Tree in their house
for Christmas. The decoration of the tree is usually
a family occasion, with everyone helping. Christmas
Trees were first popularised the UK by Prince
Albert, the husband of Queen Victoria. Prince Albert
was German, and thought that it would be good to
use one of his ways of celebrating Christmas in to
England.
Children believe that Father Christmas, or
Santa Claus, leaves presents in stockings or
pillow-cases. These are normally hung up by
the fire or by the children's beds on Christmas
Eve
Children write letters to Father
Christmas listing their requests, but
sometimes instead of putting them in
the post, the letters are tossed into
the fireplace. The draught carries the
letters up the chimney and Father
Christmas reads the smoke
In the UK, the main Christmas Meal is usually eaten at
lunchtime or early afternoon on Christmas Day. It was
traditionally roast goose, although it's common to have
turkey now, roast vegetables and 'all the trimmings'
which means stuffing and sometimes bacon and
sausages. Dessert is often Christmas Pudding.
Mince pies and lots of
chocolates are often eaten
as well! The dinner table is
decorated with a cracker for
each person and
sometimes flowers and
candles
Holly, Ivy and Mistletoe are also sometimes used to decorate homes or
other buildings.
Merry Christmas!
A big part of the Christmas celebrations in Germany is Advent.
Several different types of Advent calendars are
used in German homes.
Christmas Trees are very important in
Germany as well. They were first used in
Germany in the Middle Ages. If there are
young children in the house are usually
secretly decorated by the Mother of the
family.
Sometimes wooden frames, covered with coloured plastic sheets and with
electric candles inside, are put in windows to make the house look pretty
from the outside.
In some parts of Germany, children write to the
'Christkind' asking for presents.
Father Christmas (der Weihnachtsmann) brings the presents on December
24th at night.
Some people say that Father Christmas (Weihnachtsmann) brings the
presents and some say it is Christkind!
On the 31st December, there is the
tradition of the Sternsinger (or star
singers) who go from house to house,
sing a song and collect money for
charity .
Frohe Weihnachten !