Розповідь учнів про Різдво на англійській мові

Christmas and New Year in Great Britain. Christmas is the main public holiday in Great Britain, a Christian festival. In churches people sing Christmas songs, Christmas carols. Sometimes groups of people walk along the streets and sing carols at the doors of the houses. Young children are told that Santa Claus will bring-them presents if they are good. Before going to bed on Christmas Eve the children hang stockings at the back of their beds, for Santa Claus to put presents in when he comes in the middle of the night through the chimney. On Christmas Eve (the 24th of December) some people go to a special church service called, Midnight Mass which starts at 12 o'clock at night. Christmas is the day when people stay at home, open their presents and eat together. The most important meal is Christmas dinner, turkey with potatoes and other vegetables, followed by a Christmas pudding. Other traditional foods include Christmas cake and pies — small round cakes filled with a mixture of apples, raisins and spices. The day after Christmas, the 26th of December, is also a public holiday. It's called Boxing Day. The name goes back to the old tradition: sometime before Christmas, boxes were placed in churches for the people to put some money or presents for the poor. On the day after Christmas, the 26th of December, the priest opened the box and gave the contents away to poor people. Not all English people celebrate the New Year. Those who do, celebrate it on the 31st of December in one way or another. Some have a New Year-party. A lot of people go to Trafalgar Square to see the Christmas tree. Another way of celebrating the New Year is to go to a New Year's dance. Some people stay at home and watch the celebration of the New Year on television. At midnight the radio or TV is turned on and everyone can hear the chimes of Big Ben and Queen's congratulations.