THE ENGLISH TERM CHRISTMAS (“MASS ON CHRIST’S DAY”) IS OF FAIRLY RECENT ORIGIN; THE [3].... TERM YULE MAY HAVE DERIVED FROM THE GERMANIC JŌL OR THE ANGLO-SAXON GEŌL, WHICH REFERRED TO THE FEAST OF THE WINTER SOLSTICE.

[4] .... THE EARLY 20TH CENTURY, ... [->]

[<-] CHRISTMAS [5] ... A SECULAR FAMILY HOLIDAY, OBSERVED BY CHRISTIANS AND NON-CHRISTIANS ALIKE, WHERE PEOPLE EXCHANGE GIFTS.

IN THIS SECULAR CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION, SANTA CLAUS (OR FATHER CHRISTMAS IN THE UK) BRINGS GIFTS TO CHILDREN. THIS MYTHOLOGICAL FIGURE IS BASED ON A MONK NAMED SAINT NICHOLAS [6] .... WAS BORN IN TURKEY AROUND 280 A.D. AND GAVE AWAY HIS WEALTH TO HELP THE POOR AND THE SICK.

SAINT NICHOLAS FIRST [7]..... AMERICAN POPULAR CULTURE IN THE LATE 18TH CENTURY IN NEW YORK, WHEN DUTCH FAMILIES GATHERED TO HONOR THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE DEATH OF “SINT NIKOLAAS” OR “SINTER KLAAS” FOR SHORT.

UNITED KINGDOM - CHILDREN SOMETIMES LEAVE OUT MINCE PIES AND BRANDY FOR FATHER CHRISTMAS TO EAT AND DRINK WHEN HE VISITS THEM. BRITISH PEOPLE ALSO PULL CHRISTMAS CRACKERS, THAT IS, NICELY-WRAPPED CARDBOARD TUBES WHICH [8] .... A PAPER CROWN, A SMALL GIFT, AND A JOKE.

AUSTRALIA - CHRISTMAS COMES IN TOWARDS THE BEGINNING OF THE SUMMER HOLIDAYS, [9] .... PEOPLE OFTEN CELEBRATE AT THE BEACH AND BY HAVING BARBECUES.

RUSSIA - PEOPLE CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS ON 7TH JANUARY BECAUSE THE ORTHODOX CHURCH STILL [10] ..... THE OLD JULIAN CALENDAR FOR RELIGIOUS FESTIVITY.

JAPAN - THERE AREN'T MANY CHRISTIANS IN JAPAN, SO CHRISTMAS [11] .... CELEBRATED ONLY FOR THE LAST FEW DECADES.

JAPAN - CHRISTMAS EVE IS OFTEN CELEBRATED MORE THAN CHRISTMAS DAY. CHRISTMAS EVE IS THOUGHT OF AS A ROMANTIC DAY, IN WHICH COUPLES SPEND TIME TOGETHER AND EXCHANGE PRESENTS. YOU WON'T BELIEVE IT, BUT THE [12] ..... FOOD ON CHRISTMAS DAY IS FRIED CHICKEN!