Problem description:
Please help me, heroes. Please note that the maximum number of new words is 3%, just one paragraph. Of course, it must be in English, and introduce some local holiday customs (such as: what to do? (For example, China, the United States and Australia all have ethnic differences. Don't introduce different places in the same country. For example, introducing different customs of a festival in three countries can be slightly mixed with differences in different regions of the same country, but not too much. )
Analysis:
Christmas Day
People send cards to each other and give gifts to family and friends. At home and in shops, evergreen trees sparkle with colorful lights and decorations. The children are looking forward to seeing a happy white-bearded Santa Claus in red.
All this can only mean one thing: it's Christmas, a festival celebrated every year1February 25th.
What is Christmas?
Christmas is a Christian holiday. It commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ more than 2000 years ago. Christian church held a religious ceremony to celebrate Christmas. At midnight on Christmas Eve, most churches hold special candlelight ceremonies.
But Christmas is also a social and family holiday. This is a festival full of goodwill, a time for family, friends, food and gifts.
Many Americans share Christmas cookies, decorate their homes and put presents under the family Christmas tree. Children often hang stockings for Santa Claus and fill them with all the presents. According to tradition, Santa Claus comes in a sleigh pulled by reindeer. Gifts are usually opened on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.
The story of the birth of Christ
The story of the birth of Christ mainly comes from the Christian holy book, the Bible and the New Testament. According to the Bible, Joseph and his wife Mary came to Bethlehem from Nazareth. The hotels in the town don't have their rooms, even though Mary is pregnant. Her child was born in a stable and put in a manger, which is a shelf for animal feed.
In the field near Bethlehem, an angel appeared in front of the shepherd who was guarding the sheep. The angel told the shepherd that a baby named Jesus Christ was born. Her angel no longer appeared and sang. After the angel left, the shepherd went to Bethlehem to see the children.
Three wise men came from the East to find a new king. They follow a bright, guiding star called the Star of Bethlehem. It leads them to Christ in the manger. There, they knelt before the baby Jesus and gave him presents.
The twelve days of Christmas
The official Christmas is usually called the twelve days of Christmas. It lasts from the anniversary of the birth of Christ on 1 February 25th to Epiphany on1June 6th. Epiphany commemorates the baptism of Jesus and the arrival of three wise men in Bethlehem.
The root of Christmas
No one knows exactly when Jesus Christ was born. Over the years, local Christian churches have celebrated the birth of Christ at different times. Then, in 300 AD, the Roman Catholic Church set the date of birth as1February 25th.
At that time, the older non-Christian festivals were celebrated around Christmas. The Romans celebrated Saturnalia, a festival in memory of their God of Harvest and god of light. Other Europeans hold celebrations in mid-December, marking the end of the harvest season. The Catholic Church in Oman may choose1February 25th to give these ancient festivals a Christian meaning.
The Orthodox Church, the Christian church in the East, also began to use1February 25th as the birthday of Jesus. But the Orthodox Church pays more attention to celebrating the baptism of Jesus on 1 6th.
Christmas gifts
The custom of exchanging gifts at Christmas originated in ancient Rome. During Saturnalia, the Romans exchanged tokens of good luck. Later, the Romans used to exchange more expensive gifts, such as clothes or jewelry. The story in the Bible about three wise men giving gifts to baby Jesus also shaped this Christmas custom.
Christmas tree
The tradition of Christmas tree spread from Germany to North America. A long time ago, Germans began to decorate evergreen trees at home at Christmas. They decorate their trees with fruits, biscuits and lighted candles. In A.D. 1800, Germans who immigrated to the United States brought this custom.
Before the Christian era, ancient people used evergreen trees to decorate and hold religious ceremonies. Because evergreen trees don't die in winter, they become a symbol of eternal life.
The Star
The Star of Bethlehem is one of the oldest symbols of Christmas. A star is traditionally located at the top of the Christmas tree. Stars are also used in many other Christmas decorations.
Christmas lamp
Lighting candles has always been a part of Christmas celebrations. Candles represent Jesus Christ, and the Bible calls him "the light of the world". Today, most people use electric lights instead of candles to decorate their homes and yards.
Mistletoe and holly
The custom of decorating Christmas with mistletoe dates back to Rome. They think mistletoe is a symbol of peace. They believe that when the enemy meets underground, their differences will be solved. The Christmas custom of kissing under mistletoe is believed to come from this ancient belief.
Holly is also a popular Christmas ornament. Its sharp leaves are considered as the symbol of Christ's crown of thorns. Christ wore a crown when he was crucified.
Christmas around the world
All parts of the world have their own Christmas traditions. In many countries, people exchange gifts on 1 6 to commemorate Epiphany. /kloc-On October 5th, the eve of Epiphany, children in Spain will leave grain in their shoes for the wise man's camel. The next morning, they found that all the gifts had replaced the grain.
In Mexico, singing children March from house to house according to a tradition called posadas. They seek asylum, just like Mary and Joseph in Bethlehem before Jesus was born. The children were turned away by many doors and finally invited in. Then, everyone enjoys a big meal, singing and dancing.
In the south of the world, in places like Australia, Christmas comes in summer. Australians often celebrate Christmas on the beach! And Santa's sleigh is said to be pulled by eight kangaroos!