the Christian celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ which takes place on 25 December. Before Christmas, in the UK and US, people send Christmas cards to their friends and family showing traditional Christmas symbols such as Santa Claus , angels, holly and snowmen. Shops are decorated for Christmas from September and in the weeks before Christmas people do their Christmas shopping , buying Christmas presents for friends and family. A few days before Christmas, families decorate a Christmas tree , a fir tree covered in lights and colourful decorations, in their home. Many people go to midnight mass in church on Christmas Eve . Young children believe that Santa Claus will bring them presents during the night and they usually wake up to find a stocking ,a long sock filled with small presents, by their bed. Presents wrapped in coloured paper are put under the Christmas tree and on Christmas morning many families open their presents together. Families try to get together at Christmas and celebrate with special food. In Britain people eat mince pies and Christmas cake , and in the US they make Christmas cookies . They share a special meal, Christmas dinner , which in Britain usually consists of roast turkey and vegetables, followed by Christmas pudding . On the day after Christmas, called Boxing Day in Britain, many sporting events take place, and in the US large shops begin their sales.
See also carols and carol singing .