What activities do foreigners do at Christmas?

Santa Claus and the gifts he bringsnbsp;nbsp;Gift-giving at Christmas has almost become a global custom. The concept of a mysterious figure bringing gifts to young children is derived from Saint Nicholas, a kind-hearted bishop who lived in Asia Minor in the 4th century. The Dutch imitate him in giving gifts on St. Nicholas Day (December 6). In North America, British colonists incorporated this tradition into the celebration of the Christmas holiday, and Sinterklaas accordingly became Santa Claus or Saint Nick. In the British-American tradition, Santa Claus always happily arrives on a sleigh pulled by reindeer on Christmas Eve, climbs into the house from the chimney, leaves gifts for the children, and eats the food left by the children for him. . He spent the rest of the year busy making gifts and monitoring and documenting the children's behavior. nbsp;nbsp;In French, Santa Claus is called Pèren Noel (almost exactly the same as Santa Claus). His red and white clothes once inspired the Coca-Cola Company to create an image of Santa Claus that spread around the world in the 1930s. In some cultures, Santa Claus is accompanied by Knechtnbsp;Ruprecht, or a guy called "Black Peter" (Blacknbsp;Peter). In some versions, gnomes in a toy workshop make holiday gifts, and sometimes Santa and Mrs. Claus are husband and wife. During the Christmas season, in supermarkets in North America and the United Kingdom, there are Santa Clauses who children can ask for gifts from. nbsp;nbsp;In many countries, children prepare empty containers so that Santa Claus can fill them with small gifts such as toys, candy or fruit. In the United States, children hang Christmas stockings on the fireplace on Christmas Eve because Santa Claus has said that he will come down the chimney and put gifts in the stockings on Christmas Eve. In other countries, children place empty shoes outdoors so that Santa Claus can deliver gifts on Christmas Eve (or Saint Nicholas Day, December 5). Gift giving is not just about Santa Claus, family members and friends also give gifts to each other. nbsp;nbsp;Gift-giving timenbsp;nbsp;In many countries, Saint Nicholas Day is still a day for exchanging gifts. In many places in Germany, on the night of December 25th, children take out their shoes and put them on the windowsill. The next morning they will find that the shoes are filled with candies and small gifts. In Germany, the main gift-giving date is December 24, when Santa Claus brings gifts or places them under the Christmas tree. The same is true in Hungary, except that the person giving gifts is "Little Jehovah" instead of Santa Claus. nbsp;nbsp;In many areas, including the Netherlands, the Christmas holiday still retains its religious character. In Spain and other countries with similar traditions, the people who give gifts on Epiphany, January 6, are priests (Magi), fortune tellers and pagan priests. nbsp;nbsp;The song Twelve Days of Christmas tells one of the gift-giving customs. It describes the British tradition of celebrating by giving each other gifts every day from Christmas to Epiphany. In most parts of the world, Christmas gifts are given on Christmas Eve night or Christmas morning. Until recently, British people gave gifts to their friends on Boxing Day. nbsp;nbsp;Christmas Cardsnbsp;nbsp;Christmas cards (Christmas cards) are very popular in the United States and Europe, and are also regarded as one of the ways to maintain relationships with distant relatives and friends. Many families bring annual family photos or family news with the greeting cards. The news usually includes the merits and specialties of family members in the past year. nbsp;nbsp;Christmas decorationnbsp;nbsp;In Western countries, Christmas is also a festival of family reunion and joy, and Christmas trees are usually decorated. Regardless of whether you are a Christian or not, you must prepare a Christmas tree when celebrating Christmas in the West to increase the joyful atmosphere of the holiday. Christmas trees are usually made of evergreen trees such as fir and cypress, symbolizing eternal life. The tree is decorated with various lights, colorful flowers, toys, stars, and various Christmas gifts. On Christmas night, people sing and dance around the Christmas tree and enjoy themselves. nbsp;nbsp;Christmas decorations include Christmas trees decorated with Christmas decorations and Christmas lights, and indoor decorations with garlands and evergreens. Special holly and mistletoe are traditional materials. In North and South America and a few European regions, outdoor decorations are traditionally decorated with lights, including illuminated sleighs, snowmen, and other Christmas figures.

nbsp;nbsp;The traditional Christmas flower is orangutan tree (also known as poinsettia, Christmas red, flower colors include scarlet, pink, milky white, etc.). Christmas plants also include holly, red amaryllis, and Christmas cactus. nbsp;nbsp;Generally, municipal governments will also support Christmas decorations, hanging Christmas banners on the streets or placing Christmas trees in squares. In the United States, decorations have been prosecuted many times for including religious themes. Prosecutors believe that the government endorses a specific religious behavior and violates religious freedom. nbsp;nbsp;Social Aspects and Entertainmentnbsp;nbsp;In many countries, businesses, schools, and organizational groups hold Christmas parties and dances in the weeks leading up to Christmas. Some organizations also have Christmas parade performances, which sometimes include the story of the birth of Christ. Some groups will also have open-air singing activities, such as visiting neighbors' homes to sing Christmas carols. Some people want to use the holidays to draw attention to relationships, engage in special volunteer work, or conduct charity fundraisers. nbsp;nbsp;On Christmas Day or Christmas Eve, people often prepare a sumptuous Christmas dinner to enjoy, usually with traditional dishes from the country where they live. In many areas, especially in Eastern Europe, people fast for a while before the family Christmas dinner. In many countries, sweets and feasts are also an important part of Christmas celebrations. Legend has it that a candy merchant who wanted to witness Jesus invented the candy of the saint.