Christmas Season and Gifts
Part 1: Listen and Read: Listen to the recording, answer the questions, and then read along with the audio recording.
In many parts of the world, Christmas is the day when people celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ in Bethlehem two thousand years ago. People who remember Christmas as a religious holiday celebrate the birth of Jesus and his coming into this world. To them, he is recognized as the Son of God and the Savior of the world. According to the Bible, Jesus was born in a manger because there was no room for him and his parents, Mary and Joseph, in an inn. Today, people often attend church, organize family gatherings, and decorate their homes and businesses with real or artificial Christmas trees. People feel the giving spirit and donate their time and money to worthy causes, or provide volunteer service to the needy. Christmas is also celebrated as a secular holiday when parents and children talk about Santa Claus and Rudolf the Red Nose Reindeer.
Is Christmas celebrated by people in your country? What kinds of Christmas gifts do people give to each other? If not, do you have other holiday traditions or days at the end of the year? What meaning does Christmas day have for you or other people you know?
Although Christmas is not celebrate by all people around the world, it does have important significance in the lives of many people. Choose a country and use the Internet to find out how Christmas is celebrated in that country.