Everywhere you go, it’s getting more and more like Christmas. But, on the other hand, Christmas looks different in different places. How people celebrate Christmas is very different from one country to the next. Even within a country, there are a lot of different Christmas traditions, customs, and fun ways to spread holiday cheer. Even the United States isn’t an exception. So, how do people in the U.S. celebrate Christmas? So, here are some of my favorite traditional ways to celebrate Christmas in the United States:
One Gift on Christmas Eve
Every kid’s favorite Christmas tradition is to open one gift on Christmas Eve. The excitement and eagerness have reached a peak, and most parents can’t take it any longer. Surely ripping the paper off of just one gift will help ease some of the tension. In some American homes, the kids get to open two gifts the night before Christmas because pajamas don’t count.
Leaving Cookies Out for Santa
One of the top ten American Christmas traditions is for kids who still believe in Santa to leave him a few cookies and a tall, cold glass of milk. On one hand, it’s a kind thing to do. The other is that it is a bribe. If Santa likes your cookies more than usual, you might get an extra toy in your stocking. And when the kids wake up and find a half-eaten cookie and an empty glass of milk, they are sold.
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Hanging Stockings
Christmas in America makes parents all over the country get creative. This is clearest in the stockings that were made just for her. Some kids hang simple red and white stockings, but other kids, like me, get to hang special keepsakes that were made with love. Also, the very lucky kids use collectible stocking hangers that look like their favorite cartoon or fairytale characters. Fun!
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Picking out a Christmas Tree
For many families across the country, picking out a tree is the first step in getting ready for Christmas. After dragging the tree through the house and getting needles all over the floor and furniture, it’s time to decorate the house before hanging up tree ornaments. But it can be hard to choose a Christmas tree. Are the size and shape right? And does it have any holes or spots that aren’t covered? The way people are chosen is an art.
Topping the Christmas Tree
Then, if you’re celebrating Christmas in the United States, it’s time to put the star on top of the tree after the Christmas lights, wall decorations, and tree ornaments have been put up. Most American Christmas trees have a Star of Bethlehem or an angel on top.
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Most of the time, the people who keep these things for decades have a special place in their hearts for them. And putting the star on top of the tree is the last step in decorating. It means that the house is now ready for Santa Claus and his bag of gifts.
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Caroling
Maybe I’m a Grinch or a Mr. Scrooge, but I have to say that I’m not a big fan of caroling, whether I’m the one singing or listening. I’m not sure. I just don’t feel right about it. When carolers come to my door, it makes me feel weird to just stand there and smile. Also, it seems to make you feel like you have to give them eggnog and cookies or even pay them. And, I don’t sing. Still, it is one of the most loved Christmas traditions in the United States.
Driving around to See Christmas Lights
As a child, my favorite thing to do at Christmas in the United States was to drive around the neighborhood and look at the Christmas lights on the houses of our neighbors. Even before I could talk, I would “oooooh” and “ahhhh,” which made my mom happy.
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The traffic lights also used to get me excited for the same reason. I also liked seeing which houses won awards for “Best Decorations,” “Most Lights,” and so on, and putting them up. Now that’s good, clean fun for the whole family.
Gingerbread Houses
At some point, someone in my family probably made a Gingerbread house. But when it came to the Lewis family, this much-loved American Christmas tradition fell by the wayside. But a lot of families love getting their kids together to make something edible. To decorate your tiny house, all you need are graham crackers for the walls and roof, frosting for the mortar, and candies. Delicious!
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Take a look at the Christmas in United States Instagram account.
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Secret Santa
Most people know what Secret Santa is and how it works. But for those who don’t, a group of people who like to celebrate Christmas gets together and decides that each person will buy one gift for a person chosen at random. So, no one will have to buy gifts for everyone in the group.
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So, you pick names and buy each person a gift. And when the person who got the gift opens it, he or she has to figure out who their Secret Santa was. It’s a great gift for a group of coworkers.
Making Your Ornaments
Your kids’ handmade Christmas ornaments are a keepsake that you can enjoy for years to come. I remember making Christmas decorations out of paper, food items sealed with glue, and even trash. It doesn’t matter how it looks or how well it was made. When your child gives you a handmade ornament, it is the thought that counts. Making homemade ornaments has become a creative hobby for many people in the past few years. So, get out there and make crafts that show how much you love Christmas.
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