How things were at Christmas… before
economy changed it all!
England today is a multi-cultural and
multi-faith country. But although not
many people go to church each week,
Christmas, the big Christian feast day, is
still the biggest festival of the year. In
fact, it just keeps getting bigger.
Christmas is the biggest festival in the
English year. Once the festival lasted two
days, today it seems to last almost two
months. Christmas Day, December 25th,
is the day when most people in Britain
sit down to a special meal of roast
turkey and Christmas pudding; but
Christmas Day is just the high point of
the "Christmas period".
In the weeks before Christmas, life is
very busy. There are parties; there are
trips to the cinema or the pantomime;
and of course there's all the shopping.
On Christmas day, Britain closes! For
most people, Christmas is a time to relax
- at last - after many long and busy
weeks. The presents have been bought
and sent, dozens of cards have been sent
and received, the food is waiting to be
eaten. For two days at least (if not three
or four, depending on the year), the
shops will be shut, and the postman will
not deliver any letters. For a day or two,
even the trains stop running.
Nowadays, Britain's Christmas shopping
season lasts almost four months! The
first Christmas catalogues come through
letter-boxes at the start of September!
Lots of busy people like shopping online,
because it is easy. All they have to do is
choose from the pages of a colourful
catalogue, or use the Internet. A few
days later, goods are delivered to the
door..... or at least one hopes they are.
Some Internet shops work 24/24 in the
weeks before Christmas, to make sure
that everyone gets their presents on
time…
Many Christmas catalogues come from
charities. Each charity has its own
specialities – nature and animals from
WWF, RSPCA and others; "green"
products from Greenpeace and Friends
of the Earth; and hand-made articles
from developing countries from
charities like Oxfam and Save the
Children. Big charities like these earn a
lot of money from their Christmas
catalogues.
Christmas shopping
In the streets, Christmas arrives at the
start of November. Santa Claus and
Christmas decorations start appearing in
shop windows soon after "Guy Fawkes
Night" (5th November). There are no
other festivities between Guy Fawkes
Night and Christmas.
In the streets, vendors sell Father
Christmas hats, and reindeer horns!
Many shops need extra staff; some shops
sell as much in November and December
as they do in the other 10 months of the
year. Shops stay open later in the
evening, and on Sundays too.
During December, sometimes even
earlier, the Christmas lights come on in
the streets, and the big shops put on
special "Christmas windows", to bring in
the shoppers. As Christmas gets closer,
the shops become more and more
crowded. Nowadays, many shops start
their "New Year Sales" before Christmas;
some people therefore wait till the last
days, in order to pay less for their
presents.
When the shops finally close for the
holiday, most people are happy that the
shopping is over. For a day at least,
everything is shut... except pubs and
restaurants, which do a lot of business
on Christmas day. On Christmas
morning, some people go to church in
the morning, others stay at home to
open presents and prepare the
Christmas lunch.
In the afternoon, it's time for more
presents, or to watch a good film, or go
our for a walk in the country, or in the
park.
Then, after Christmas, the shopping
season starts again, as people spend
their Christmas money and look for
bargains in the New Year sales.
Most people have a week's holiday
between Christmas and the New Year.
Some, of course, have to keep working;
but for most, the last week of the year is
a time to relax, enjoy more parties, and
do a bit more shopping.
January sometimes seems very flat and
empty!
WORD GUIDE
bargain: special offer, special cheap
price - busy: very occupied - charity:
benevolent association, non-profit
association - closer: nearer - crowded :
full of people, busy - deliver: bring -
faith : religion - goods: articles - last:
continue - over : finished - pantomime:
theatrical comedy - reindeer: an animal
used by Father Christmas - RSPCA:
Britain's animal protection society -
Sales: when shops sell things more
cheaply - Santa Claus: Father Christmas
- staff: employees - trip: journey,
excursion - turkey: a big bird.
Student Worksheet
Christmas in England
Comprehension/expression: Answer the
following questions, based on this
article:
1. What do people eat at Christmas in
England ?
2. What do people send to their friends
at Christmas?
3. Some people do their shopping at
home: how and why do they do this?
4. Why is Christmas a good time for
many big charities?
5. When does the Christmas shopping
season really begin?
6. How do shops function during the
Christmas shopping period?
7. When do the "New Year Sales"
begin?
8. How long do Christmas holidays last
for many people?
9. What do people do during their
Christmas holiday period?
Verb forms and tenses: replace the
missing verbs in this extract, using the
right forms and tenses:
At Christmas time, Britain ____________!
For most people, Christmas is a time to
relax at last after many long and busy
weeks. The presents _____ been ________
and _____, dozens of cards have _______
______ and ________, the food ________ to be
________. For two days at least (if not
three or four, depending on the year),
the shops ______ ___shut, and the
postman _____ not ________ any letters. For
a day or two, even the trains _______
____________.
