Do you know what customs Americans have for celebrating Christmas??What are the fun aspects of how Americans celebrate Christmas??First, we must mention the unique cultural and human landscape of the United States as a country of immigrants(a country of immigrants).(special appeal of culture andcustoms).
Americans often like to say that American culture is actually a big melting pot(a big melting pot), where cultures from the East, Northeast, and Southwest are all thrown in and melted and blended as one(melt andblend as one).
Therefore, the same applies to how Americans celebrate Christmas; there is no uniform way to spend the Christmas season(no uniform way to spend the Christmas season). People from various countries and ethnic groups have their own ways of celebrating at home, and some families do not celebrate Christmas in the traditional sense.
Here, Worldway U.S. immigration experts have compiled a list of winter holidays celebrated in the winter(holidays celebrated in the winter), taking this opportunity to learn about the so-called American melting pot culture:
Americans celebrate Christmas on December 25th. Christmas is a Christian holiday/.(Christian holiday). Catholics begin attending mass(attend mass), singing psalms(sing psalms), and preparing plays about the birth of Jesus starting from the 4th Sunday before the holiday (Advent Sunday, November 29, 2009). However, as influenced by the media and retailers(as influenced by the media and retailers), for many people today, Christmas is just a common secular holiday(secular holiday), where people enjoy the legend of Santa Claus, exchange gifts, decorate Christmas trees, attend various Christmas parties, and immerse themselves in the festive atmosphere.
American Jews celebrate an 8-day grand festival in December called the Festival of Lights or Hanukkah(the Festival of Lights or Hanukkah). Hanukkah commemorates a legend in Jewish history about the national hero Maccabee. In the 2nd century BC, the Jewish revolt led by Maccabee(Jewish revolt led by Maccabee) reclaimed and rededicated the Second Temple in Jerusalem(reclaimed and rededicated the Second Temple in Jerusalem) . Hanukkah begins on the 25th day of the Jewish calendar (December 11, 2009). The main ritual of the festival is the lighting of candles on lamps called Hanukiah or Menorah(lighting of candles on lamps called Hanukiah or Menorah), lighting one lamp on the first day and adding one more each day until the eighth day.
African Americans celebrate a seven-day festival from December 26th to January 1st called Kwanzaa(Kwanzaa). Founded in 1966 by black scholar Maulana Karenga, the purpose was to create a tradition based entirely on the cultural heritage of African Americans to celebrate African American heritage(to celebrate African American heritage). Ceremonies include(ceremoniesinclude) lighting candles on the kinara(lighting candles on the kinara) and exchanging gifts.
Furthermore, some Americans from countries like Canada and the UK have a habit of celebrating a festival called Boxing Day(Boxing Day) on the day after Christmas (December 26th). Nowadays, most merchants hold year-end clearance sales on that day.
