Christmas Traditions in Britain

Christmas is a holiday full of traditions. The Christmas tree is _________ with ________ and lights, a ______ of holly or fir cuttings is often placed on the front door, and a ______ of ______ (a green plant with white ______ ) is often ______ from the ceiling, allowing one to kiss whomever stands ______ it. People like to sing and listen to traditional songs called Christmas ______.

On Christmas __________ children hang their _______ on the mantelpiece over the ________ in hope that Father Christmas will fill it with ___________. On the morning of the 25th they look in their stockings and rush to the tree to see what ______ they have been given and opened them.

In Britain the traditional Christmas meal used to feature a roast ______, but nowadays most British families have a turkey or ham with vegetables, salads, and desserts, including ______, nuts, and special Christmas biscuits or ______. A Christmas pudding is also served in British homes. ______ is a traditional Christmas drink in Britain.

TIME FOR WRITING

Write a passage about Christmas traditions in Russia, use the text above as an example.

Text 3

WINTER HOLIDAYS

New Year

New Year is not such an important holiday in England as Christmas. Some people ignore it completely and go to bed at the same time as usual on New Year’s Eve*. Many others, however, do celebrate it in one way or another, the type of celebration varying very much according to the local custom, family tradition and personal taste.

The most common type of celebration is a New Year party, either a family party or one arranged by a group of young people. This usually begins at about eight o'clock and goes on until the early hours of the morning. There is a lot of drinking, mainly beer, wine, gin and whisky; sometimes the hosts make a big bowl of punch which consists of wine, spirits, fruits juice and water in varying proportions. There is usually a buffet supper of cold meat, pies, sandwiches, savouries, cakes and biscuits. At midnight everyone listens to the chimes of Big Ben*, drinks a toast to the New Year and sing ‘Auld Lang Syne’*. Then the party goes on... Another popular way of celebrating the New Year is going to a New Year's dance.

The most famous celebration is in London round the statue of Eros in Piccadilly Circus* where crowds gather and sing and welcome the New Year. In Trafalgar Square* there is also a big crowd and someone usually falls into the fountain.

Every year the people of Norway give the city of London a present. It’s a big Christmas tree which stands in Trafalgar Square. Also in central London, Oxford Street and Regent Street always have beautiful decorations at the New Year and Christmas. Thousands of people come to look at them.

The evening of December 31^st is the traditional time for making "New Year resolutions", for example, to give up smoking, or to do morning exercises and etc. However, these are generally more talked about than put into practice.

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*New Year’s Eve – канун Нового года

*Big Ben - Биг Бен, Большой Бен (часы на здании английского парламента)

*’Auld Lang Syne’ – «Старое доброе время», застольная песня на стихи Роберта Бернса, которую традиционно исполняют в новогоднюю ночь в англоговорящих странах

*Eros - греч.; миф. Эрос

*Piccadilly Circus – площадь в центральном Лондоне; основные достопримечательности площади Пикадилли  - огромные неоновые рекламы и статуя ангела христианского милосердия, более известного как Эрос.

*Trafalgar Square - Трафальгарская площадь - площадь в центре Лондона; получила название в честь победы Англии при Трафальгаре в 1805 г.