Christmas in the United States 2007 2008
Deborah studying the French language in Paris, where she now lives, and it tells the Christmas traditions of an American family USA.
In the United States, the joys of the past and present are combined for Christmas to prepare for a beautiful holiday season eagerly awaited. Everyone gathers nostalgic elements: sleigh with bells and horses crossing the villages of New England’s 19 th century; virtues of the past drawn from the story “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens, the English author and wonders of childhood outings tale “T’was the Night before Christmas” by Clement Moore, the American author. The latter made known a little mysterious elf called Santa Claus (Santa Claus) to the Americans. This figure was derived from old Europe devoted to tales of saints full of goodness. The nativity scenes appear everywhere, in public and private spaces, to present the story of the birth of Jesus Christ, a story astounding. Almost all American Christmas traditions have their origins in these sources well known that we are telling every year.
Our family celebrated Christmas in a way characteristic:
To prepare for the Christmas season, Mom (that’s me) began to make lists: the list of Christmas cards, the list of gifts; several lists of races to make or buy gifts, decorations, or to prepare for the the great feast or Christmas meal, a list of places where you should go during the season, as the school to watch the spectacle of little kids, or the church to sing a Christmas carol in the choir, and always an endless list of things to do.
The first thing on the list? Putting the Christmas music on the radio, on the stereo, piano, everywhere! From ancient Christmas music, classical, jazz, popular and religious airs at every moment of this season.
And then? Enabling mailed Christmas cards. Then put the decorations. Dad was the chief down the decorations from the attic, driving the family to buy the perfect Christmas tree, putting lights on the Christmas tree. Then everyone involved for hanging decorations.Mom has finished decorating: she put the Nativity on fire and placed nodes, ribbons, fruit, pine cones, candles and flowers throughout the house. Lights were installed by Papa and Joshua: a candle in each window (which Joshua lit every night), a projector on the entrance door (to brighten the Christmas wreath hanging on the door), and lights on trees and shrubs in the front garden. Not only do we admired our decorations every year, but we are also walking in the car to watch other decorations.
Mom was the supervisor of the “factory of Christmas” with us. Almost every year, everybody was like gifts, for example, candles, carvings, embroidery, blankets or knitted sweaters and drawings painted or pyrogravure. One of the gifts made by Kirsten favorites, which everyone loved, was a biscuit tin decorated by it. We prepared a lot of biscuits, confectionery, fruit cakes and other specialties in our kitchen during the Christmas season. A specialty, which has become a tradition with us, was an oyster stew with bread to the onion and cheese. We ate on Christmas Eve, after returning from the church and just before Kirsten and Joshua went to bed. They always left cookies and a note of thanks for Santa Claus, next to the fireplace.
On Christmas day began very early, because Kirstein and Joshua wanted to look for gifts that Santa had brought them. After visits to the paternal family (where we ate the turkey, cranberry sauce, turnips, sweet potatoes, green beans, squash, cakes (coconut, chocolate, lemon) 4 days. Often, we simply did not know the time and stay in pajamas every day. we always reserve an exit for our annual visit to the “Spaghetti Factory for dinner.
A day or two before the New Year, we were going to see the maternal family to celebrate once again with Christmas gifts. Around 23 pm on the eve of New Year, everyone gathered outside to light fireworks. Then, we would come in the house to listen to music, dancing, open a bottle of champagne, to accommodate all the New Year After the last kiss to wish Happy New Year, children were sent to bed. Adults watched during the night and spoke of life, laughing and sometimes crying.
On New Year’s Day has always put an end to the Christmas season and marked the beginning of the return to work and school. In the following days, Christmas decorations were removed and packed, but not our imagination or our goodwill, nor our expectations. All these things, born of tradition, would last until the next Christmas season.
Today my children have grown up and my husband and I live in France, far from the children. We will be together at Christmas, but many things are different now.
