HIGHER EDUCATION UNIT JIQUIPILCO.

TEACHER: ELIA ELEUTERIO BAUTISTA.

TOPIC: AMERICAN CHRISTMAS.
STUDENT: DAVID CRUZ DAVILA.
CAREER: ARCHITECTURE.
DATE: 12-12 - 2012.
SUBJECT: ENGLISH VII.
GRADE: SEVENTH.
 PRESENTATION.

Christmas in America is one of the most important dates of all, not just because they are fun
but that Christmas, celebrated by most Christians on December 25, commemorating the
birth of Jesus of Nazareth. Like many people of the world, Americans have developed their
own traditions and practices, which have been transformed over time and all the events that
are known till today, plus all those customs and traditions that people have, as Christmas
dinners, waiting to visit Santa Claus, decorating the home and be reunited with family, also
enjoys the events that take place in important places and the message that gives the U.S.
president.
Christmas is a time in which everyone demonstrates the affection you have with your
relationship either, friends and family. Although Christmas is for many Americans a religious
holiday, the federal courts have upheld its status as a legal holiday. As one court reasoned:
to give federal employees a paid vacation day on Christmas, the government does not do
more to recognize the cultural significance of the holiday.
 WHAT IS CHRISTMAS?

It is one of the most important holidays of Christianity along with Easter and Pentecost. This feast, which
commemorates the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem, is celebrated on December 25 in the Catholic Church, in
the Anglican Church, some Protestant communities and the Romanian Orthodox Church. Instead, it is
celebrated on January 7 in other Orthodox churches, who did not accept the reforms made to the Julian
calendar to move to the Gregorian calendar called, a name derived from its reformer Pope Gregory XIII.

English speakers use the term Christmas, meaning 'Mass (mass) of Christ'. In some Germanic languages,
such as German, the festival is called Weihnachten, meaning 'blessed night'. The Christmas holidays are
proposed, as the name suggests, celebrate the Nativity (ie birth) of Jesus of Nazareth.

There are several theories about the origin of December 25 as Christmas Day. According to William J.
argues Thige, and in the third century would mark the birth of Christ on December 25, even before the
Romans celebrate the Feast of the Invincible Sun (Sol Invictus).

Christmas was declared a federal holiday in the United States in 1870, a law signed by President Ulysses
S. Grant, but is still strongly disputed by a party different Puritan leaders of the nation.

Christmas Traditions
Christmas dinner, consisting of a midnight feast in honor of the birth of Christ that took place at that
time, much like the Jewish feast of Passover. Traditionally eaten turkey, cod, pork, lamb and other
dishes, depending on where it is held or family traditions.

The Cribs, cribs or nativity scene consisting of the representation of the birth of Jesus, by a model
of Bethlehem and its surroundings, in which the main figures are the stable where Jesus was born,
the Holy Family, animals and shepherds, Also the 3 wise men and a star with a trail that also
usually placed on top of the Christmas tree.

The Advent wreath, crown made from cypress or pine branches tied with a red ribbon in which four
candles are placed usually red which mark the four Advent Sundays before Christmas Day.

The Carols songs or songs alluding to the birth of Christ or the Holy Family. Some like Silent Night
have multiple language versions or rhythms, with the same or different name.

Las Posadas are a number of festivals, recalling the journey of St. Joseph and the Virgin Mary to
Bethlehem. These celebrations take place from 16 to 24 December in Mexico and neighboring
countries.
Ninth Aguinaldos Catholic custom, where families or groups of people gather to pray a novena,
from 16 to 24 December, Christmas eating typical dishes like fritters or custard and sing carols,
besides having fun, and making games occasion of Christmas and New Year.

The Piñatas is a clay pot adorned with spikes and shredded paper or cardboard figures adorned
with colored confetti, both filled with candy, fruit and sometimes toys and confetti, breaking on each
of the days of the Posadas. Traditionally the piñata should take 7 peaks as each represents the 7
deadly sins.

The chocolatadas are celebrations for children during the weeks leading up to December 24 in
Peru. It consists of children's shows, dances, and gift-giving for all.

A paper balloon is a flying silk in countries like Colombia is released during the celebration of
Christmas, this season the media and companies launch campaigns that seek to eliminate this
practice by the risks drop an item as this with fire inside.
 THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Capital: Washington D. C.
Official language: English
Form of government: constitutional federal republic
President: Barack Obama
Vice President: Joe Biden
Total area: 9,826,675 km ²
Total population: 308,745,538 (2010)
Density: 33,723 hab / km ²
Currency: U.S. Dollar ($, USD)

Location.
United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising 50 states and a federal district. Most
of the country is located in the center of North America where its 48 contiguous states and Washington D.
C., the capital district, lie between the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, bordered by Canada to the north and
Mexico to the south. The state of Alaska is in the northwest of the continent, with Canada to the east and
Russia to the west across the Bering Strait. The state of Hawaii is an archipelago in the middle of the Pacific
Ocean, and is the only U.S. state that is not in America. The country also possesses several territories in
the Caribbean and Pacific.

Government and politics

United States is the world's oldest federation. It is a constitutional republic, democratic and representative
government is regulated by a system of checks and balances established by the Constitution, which serves
as the country's supreme legal document. In the American federalist system, citizens are usually subject to
three levels of government: federal, state and local, the local government's duties are commonly split
between county governments and municipalities.

The federal government is divided into three branches:

Legislature: The bicameral Congress, made up of the Senate and House of Representatives. Its
function is to create federal law, make declarations of war, approve treaties, administer public funds
and has the power of impeachment, by which they can dismiss government officials.

Executive: The president is the commander in chief of the military, can veto bills before they
become law officers and appoints the members of the Cabinet (subject to Senate approval) and
other officers, who administer and enforce federal laws and policies.

Judiciary: The Supreme Court and lower federal courts, whose judges are appointed by the
president with Senate approval, interpret laws and suppress those considered unconstitutional.

The House of Representatives has 435 elected members, each representing a congressional district for a
term of two years.
 Geography
The surface of the continental United States is approximately 7.7 million km ². Alaska, which is separated
from the contiguous United States by Canada, is the largest state of the country, with 1.5 million km ².
Hawaii occupies an archipelago located in the central Pacific, southwest of North America, covering just
over 16 000 km ².

The country has many landforms and landforms. As one moves inland, the coastal plain of the Atlantic
seaboard gives rise to deciduous forest and the Piedmont Plateau. The Appalachians separate the eastern
shore of the Great Lakes of the prairies of the Midwest. The Mississippi-Missouri River, the fourth longest
river system in the world, runs north-south through the center of the country.

The flat, fertile prairie of the Great Plains stretches to the west, until it is interrupted by a highland region in
the southeast. The Rocky Mountains, at the western edge of the Great Plains, crossing from north to south
across the country. The mountains of the Sierra Nevada and Cascade Mountains are near the Pacific coast.
With its 6194 meters, Mount McKinley in Alaska is the highest point in the country and across the continent.
Active volcanoes are common throughout Alaska and the Aleutian Islands, and Hawaii consists of volcanic
islands-only. The supervolcano located under Yellowstone National Park in the Rocky Mountains, is the
continent's largest volcanic.

Climate
For its large size and geographic variety, the country has the most types of weather. To the east of the
100th meridian, the climate ranges from humid continental in the north to humid subtropical in the south.
The southern tip of Florida and the Hawaiian Islands have a tropical climate. The Great Plains west of the
100th meridian are semi-arid, while much of the western mountains have an alpine climate. The climate is
arid in the Great Basin and deserts of the Southwest, is Mediterranean in coastal California, and oceanic in
the southern coast of Alaska, Oregon and Washington. Most of the Alaskan territory has a subarctic climate
or polar. Extreme weather is not uncommon-the states bordering the Gulf of Mexico are prone to
hurricanes, and most of the world's tornadoes develop within the country, mainly in the area of Tornado
Alley in the Midwest.

Religion
United States is officially a secular state, the First Amendment guarantees the free exercise of religion and
forbids the establishment of any religious governance. In a 2002 study, 59% of Americans said that religion
played a very important role in their lives, a higher figure than that of any other developed nation. The study
categorizes white evangelicals, 26.3% of the population, in 1990 the total number of adherents to non-
Christian religions were 3.3%, by 2007 it had grown to 4.7%., Islam (0, 6%), Hinduism (0.4%), and Unitarian
Universalism (0.3%).

Culture
United States is a multicultural nation, home to a wide variety of ethnic groups, traditions and values. The
common culture for most Americans is a Western culture, which largely comes from the traditions of
European immigrants with influences from many other sources, such as traditions brought by slaves from
Africa.
 TOURIST ATTRACTIONS

Aquarium of the Pacific - California

Aquarium of the Pacific is one of the largest aquariums in the world grnades. This aquarium is located in the
city of Los Angeles.

Papakolea beach - Hawaii

Also known as the green sand beach, Papakolea is near Ka Lae, the southernmost point in Hawaii and
across the United States. The beach is very difficult to access and even the strong blue water is calm.

Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth - Texas

It houses 2600 works of artists such as Andy Warhol and Francis Bacon,

Space Needle - Washington DC

Space Needle Sattle city is a tower built in 1962 and is located in the city center. It has a height of 184
meters and weighs 5850 tons.

Main Beach - New York

Main Beach is the main beach in East Hampton, the social center of the sophisticated New York's beaches.

Field Museum - Illinois

It is a museum located in the city of Chicago, is one of the oldest museums in the United States, besides
being one of the largest and most important of the country.

Jack London Square - California

In the city of Oakland is the Jack London Square, an entertainment and leisure space in the port of this
California city, where tourists come to enjoy the restaurants, boutiques, theaters and hotels.

Cyclone - New York

Known simply as Cyclone, is the iconic wooden roller coaster opened in the 20s.

Walt Disney Concert Hall - California

Head Symphony Orchestra of Los Angeles, the Walt Disney Concert Hall was opened in 2003, designed by
Frank O. Gehry and is a shining and stylish steel flower that opens its petals to the sun, its design
resembles Guggenhemin Museum of Bilbao, Spain.

Georgia Aquarium - Georgia

The Georgia Aquarium is the largest aquarium in the world with more than 80,000 fish and 500 species.

Madison Square Garden - New York

Definitely a place that is part of the history of the city.
 HOW CHRISTMAS IS CELEBRATED IN AMERICA?

Christmas in America is a celebration that is already framed within the so-called holiday season starting on
Thursday 4 November at the Thanksgiving Day and ends on January 6. With the start of the holiday
season, in some big cities like New York is organizing a grand parade with the figure of Santa Claus: is the
sign that Christmas shopping season started is given by.

Christmas Decorations A feature of the northern country is that the Christmas decorations is the order of the
day not only in homes but also in public places. Christmas trees, wreaths and decorated floats fill the
streets, plazas and shops throughout December.

Christmas is a religious and secular

Christmas was originally a strictly religious celebration which celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ on
December 25. In the United States it has become very commercial and a secular celebration. Department
stores, shopping malls and small shops elaborately decorate their establishments and induce customers to
spend liberally on Christmas presents. However, for many people Christmas still retains a serious religious
significance. It is the occasion for a family reunion and make annual nationwide atmosphere of generosity
and goodwill known as the "Christmas Spirit".

Christmas trees are a tradition

Many families in the United States placed a small pine tree at home and decorate with colored lights and
bright ornaments. On Christmas morning, the children awake to find their gifts in colorful wrappers under the
Christmas tree. Small, often empty stockings hanging on the fireplace and also find them filled with candy
and small toys.

Holiday Lights
Another detail of Christmas in America is that all households usually decorate the outside with elaborate
sets of lights and colors that make splendid lighting designs forming figures like trees and Santas. A family
tradition is to go around the neighborhood with the kids to admire the scenery of lights from nearby houses.

Snow Activities
Many people looking forward to the snow each year, and in many states in the North and East of the
country does not appreciate or imagine a Christmas without snow, without a "White Christmas" or White
Christmas. Many activities come with this freak of nature, including the "sledding", or go sledding, skiing,
"snowmen" or snow men, throwing snowballs at other people, and perhaps, after activity returning home ,
wet, and hot chocolate and warm and dry in front of the fire.

December 25
December 24 is a holiday in the United States - but 25, when families gather to celebrate, but in most
workplaces holidays are celebrated, and the shops are open until late for holiday shopping offer. The classic
Christmas dinner usually includes turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy and pies. A traditional drink of liquor
or Christmas Eve is eggnog made of milk, cream, sugar, beaten eggs and brandy or rum.
 How do children celebrate?
Children often receive new flannel pajamas on Christmas Eve, and gifts do not open that night as elsewhere
in the world but on the morning of 25. Therefore, the children go to bed early on 24 at night, but not before
the traditional Christmas stockings hanging from the fireplace, waiting to receive their presents in the
morning, they'll find in the average and below the Christmas tree. Christmas breakfast is shared with family,
opening presents and sipping a cup of hot chocolate. Spending Christmas in America is enjoying the classic
images of an ice cream party, chocolate, great lights and great scenery. If you have the chance to spend
Christmas in this country do not miss their traditional customs.

Christmas Cards
During this season, many people exchange Christmas cards or cards happy holidays. The cards are mailed
to friends, neighbors, relatives and business associates during the month of December. If you receive a
card is not necessary to send one back because some people just do not send cards. If you want to send a
Christmas card and are unsure of the religion of those who receive it, always choose a card with no
religious theme to avoid offense.

Family celebration
Typical activities in the month of December are shopping for Christmas gifts or Hanukkah and Christmas
partying. At parties usually find enough food, drink and merriment. Christmas Eve and are reserved for
religious observance and for family celebrations. The members of the family, near and far, get together at
Christmas for the annual celebration party. When invited to a family party, it is appropriate to bring a small
gift for the family. If there are children, sweets and a small gift is greatly appreciated.

Santa Claus is St. Nicholas of America

Santa Claus was originally based on Saint Nicholas who was a very European bishop known for his
generosity in giving gifts to poor neighbors during the harsh winters. In the United States, Santa Claus is
usually presented as a jolly, fat man, with a big white beard and dressed in a red suit. He drives a sleigh
pulled by magical reindeer eight and flies around the world, the night before Christmas, delivering toys and
candy to all children.
 Opinion.

In general, Christmas is a celebration in which all people come together as a form of family life, as it is a
date that nothing is impossible, abandons evil with good prospects for next year are have goals, new ideas
that help us realize ourselves more like people, it's nice that such a special time like Christmas exists
because there are different times to enjoy and live in harmony.

Personally ... I could say that I like the weather and feeling like I enjoy individually, is an experience that I
recommend to anyone who ask me every ... How I spend on these dates?, My best answer is this, the
weather greatly influences to reflect and motivate me to think more positively and carry out each of my
dreams either with friends, my parents and sometimes teachers, because it is they whom I live with daily .

Christmas is not just gifts and happiness, is a time of reflection on the past, the now and the future, as well
as the way we ended the year, knowing that new targets would go to the next 365 days.
 DATES REFERENCE:

http://es.wikipedia.org
http://www.nuestrorumbo.com
http://www.usatourist.com
http://www.aciprensa.com
http://es.answers.yahoo.com
http://www.navidadlatina.com
www.walbase.cc
http://www.america.gov
http://www.navidad.com.mx/
http://iipdigital.usembassy.gov