Hello I give my talk about Christmas. I have chosen this subject, because it is almost Christmas.

I divided my talk in 6 chapters:
1.Christmas
2.Christmas star
3.Christmas delicacies
4.The Christmas tree
5. Who is the Santa Claus?
6.Christmas music

Chapter 1. Christmas

Christmas is, as we know a fest to celebrate the birth of Jesus. Jesus was born in a stable, when Josef and Maria where on their way to Bethlehem.
That Christmas is on the 25th of December is nothing new to us.
But do you know why we all have a Christmas tree in our living room? Or why we have these other traditions? Or where Christmas comes from?

Long before we celebrated Christmas, as we know it’s the Germans celebrated their winter en noel party’s. They showed their appreciation to the spirits for what they had at those parties’s, and for what would come.
They went on for 13 days and 12 nights from the 24th of December until the 6th of January.
And after that it was slaughter time. They didn’t work but ate and drank a lot. That’s also where the turkey that we eat at Christmas comes from.

The Romans celebrated the birth of the god Mithras on the 25th of December.
Mithras was a god that stood for new light.

Julius Africanus, an army officer thought in 221 that it was a good idea to celebrate the birth of Jesus on that date. Because every religion have his own party at that date. Or around that date. Christmas is the fest of the Christians for example; the Jews celebrate Chanukah.

Chapter 2. Christmas star

The Christmas star is as one of the little Christmas symbols that directly lead back to the Christmas story, as that in the gospel of Mattheus is described. The Star of Bethlehem gave the place at where the Christ child would be found.
The lighting of candles and other light has to make natural as much as with old Midwinter traditions.

Chapter 3. Christmas delicacies.

A Christmas meal is most an extensive meal that is consumed often together with family. The meat court can be with chicken or turkey, but also rabbit or roe.
In America is Thanksgiving Day as the day by which especially turkey is eaten. That day rather is to be compared with our Thanksday for Plant and Work, in Dutch: Dankdag voor gewas en Arbeid, but here becomes that day not with an extensive dinner celebrated. That is done mainly with Christmas.

Chapter 4. The Chrismas tree

Why we have a tree in our house is because in every culture people honour a tree.
In Egypt was it the palm tree. Egypt was also the first place were they celebrated Christmas, because it was from the romans, at that time in Rome it was, as we now know it the Christmas tree.
In England and America it was the mistletoe that stands for friendship and love. Now it’s a tradition to give someone a kiss when he/she stands under a mistletoe.
And in India they decorate and honour the banana tree.

That decorations in our trees have a history that has to do with witches and evil spirits is something a lot of people don’t know. In the beginning they hung apples and shiny things in the tree but later on it were shiny balls as what we now know as Christmas ball.
People thought that shiny balls in front of the window and in the tree would hypnotise a witch or an evil spirit that looks at it and if they would touch the ball it would capture them and would never let them out. And so is the most of our Christmas decoration for protecting us.

In the Netherlands about 45% of the people buy a Christmas tree but there are also people who have a fake tree

Chapter 5. Who is the Santa Claus?

Every year the Santa Claus gives just like Saint Nicholas gifts away. Everybody knows he comes from the North pool. He is a big fat men, who is dress in red whit a little bit white. Little elf’s and gnome’s help the Santa Claus. To the does the Santa Claus goes flying around whit his horse-sleigh over the houses and bring his gifts away. He’s goes the houses in true the chimney. Before the horse-sleigh he have got a few reindeers.

But in reality Santa Claus got his face from Thomas Nast who drawing the first Santa Claus. He made him for coca cola but it wasn’t a cheerful guy.
So Haddon Sundblom made Santa in 1931, as we all know him today a big cheerful guy in a red suit and with a big with beard.
Sundblom's original model for Santa was his friend and neighbor Lou Prentice, a retired salesman.

Lou Prentice died in the late 1940's, so Haddon Sundblom find his model by looking in the mirror. The remaining Santa paintings use Sundblom as his own model -- he said he added the beard as he painted, rather than growing one. Haddon Sundblom painted 35 years of Santa portraits for the Coca-Cola Company.

In some countries the pressents are not brought by the Santa Claus, but through other persons. For example:

Russia: here Baboesjka brings the presents. The story goes that Baboesjka (grandmother) gave to three rich dress travelers accommodation, food and a bed. It appeared that they were the three ways. They were on the way to Bethlehem. Baboesjka went them afterwards with a basket of bread and presents for the child. When she arrived was everybody already left. She laid her gifts in the kribbe and went back to home.

Hungary: On Christmas Eve, Christmas angels lay the presents, not packt, under the tree.

Germany: During the midnight mass, the Christmas child brings the presents under the Christmas tree

Chapter 6. Christmas music

With Christmas there is special Christmas music. Sometimes become sounds uses that the image of an sleigh must call up (jingling bells, etc.) The music can for instance be children chorus or rock music.

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