Christmas in the United States

As is the case in other western cultures, in the United States, Christmas is the most popular holiday, especially among the Christian population. Most workers and students are compulsorily given time off from work or school, shops close early (if they are even open at all), and the local malls ring with the sounds of "White Christmas" and "Jingle Bells" surrounded by a sea of evergreen sprigs and Christmas lights.

In countries throughout the world, Christmas is celebrated both as a religious day of observation and as a national holiday. In the United States, American children write letters to Santa Claus and tell him all the gifts they would like to find under the tree in their letter. Generally children put their letters in the mail addressed to the North Pole. Santa Claus is an integral part of Christmas in the United States, and he is one of the most popular Christmas legends in the country. Santa Claus is a stout, red-faced old man with a long white beard and hair that lives in the North Pole with his wife, Mrs. Santa Claus. According to the legend, Santa Claus has a workshop in the North Pole that is run by little Christmas Elves, who make toys all day. When Christmas rolls around, Santa Claus (and maybe a Christmas elf or two) sets out on his sleigh--which is drawn by a team of flying reindeer one of which possesses an oddly bright red nose--to deliver gifts to all of the good children in the world.

While other Christmas icons choose to leave gifts outside the front door of the home, or in the shoes of the children. Santa Claus' method of entry into the home is to land his sleigh on the roof of the home and climb down the chimney. According to the popular Christmas poem, "Twas the Night Before Christmas," Santa lays his finger beside his nose and winks to get into the chimney into the home, and to get back through the chimney onto the roof. He leaves gifts under the Christmas tree, and in areas where there are more fireplaces, children may choose to leave a stocking hanging on the mantel. The reason for this is usually because they have left the jolly old elf some traditional milk and cookies (and sometimes a few carrots for his reindeer) and are expecting him to leave toys, cookies, and candy in them in return.

In the United States, Christmas is truly a time for the children. Television specials (usually in clay-mation) of Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer, Santa Claus, Frosty the Snowman, and tales of the Christmas story are shown every year, usually more than once. These are a holiday tradition, and an important part of the celebration of Christmas in the United States.