MyChristmasTradition
Christmasismeantforjoyandlaughter,notinjuriesandpain.Eachyeartherearehundredsof injuriesthatoccuronthemorningofDecember25th.WhentheholidayapproachesAmericanslove togetintotheChristmasspiritEachfamilycelebratesChristmaswiththeirowntraditionsand ritualsthatdeterminetheirholidayactivities.Iwouldhaveneverthoughtthatmyfamily'straditions forChristmasmorningwouldhelpmeshapemyvalues.
Asachild,myfamilywouldcelebrateeveryholidaywithgrandeur,especiallyChristmas.Wehave specifictraditionsandritualsthatwecarryoutduringtheseason,butthemostimportantofour traditionsiswhatwedoonChristmasmorningOurritualsandtraditionsreflectourvaluesaswell asmyownoffamily,unity,andtradition.Themorningoftheholidaymymotherhasalwayswoken mybrotherandI,andthenbroughtustoourdadsowecouldallwalkdowntothefamilyroom.As wegatherinthefamilyroomaroundourtreeandpresents,mymomservesuseachapieceofher Christmascasserole,savedforthisspecialmorning.Followingourvideo–tapedwalkdowntoour presents,mybrother,mother,father,andIopenonegiftfromeachotherandthefirstthinginour stocking.Afterthisritual,mybrotherandIwouldgodownstairstoourin–lawsuitewhereour grandmotherlived,towakeupourMimiandpullherupstairssothatwecouldfinishopening presentsandhavehotchocolatewithourentirefamilyOneChristmasmorning
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Duringtheholidayseason,itiseasytoforgetthetruemeaningofChristmas.Asclichéasthismay soundIfindittobeverytruthful.Thereseemstobealotofpressureputonregulareveryday averageAmericans,tocelebrate,sharethegoodwillandgetthatperfectgiftforthatspecialsome oneinyourlife.Possiblyyourlover,motherorbrother.Eachyearthesametrendseemstobe followedSeptemberandOctoberrollaroundandtheseasonbeginstochangeThetreescolorturn lightredandyellowastheybegintoloosetheirleaves.ThetemperaturedropsanditissoonOctober 31st,Halloweenasweallknow.Afuntraditionthatallenjoyparticipatingin.Childrendressupin costumesandrunfromdoortodoortryingtospreadshowmorecontent
Andeachculturehastheirownlittletwisttotheholiday.SimilartotheEasterBunnyonEaster,we somehowadoptanothercharacterthathasnothingtodowiththebirthofJesus,andthatcharacter goesbythenameofSantaClause.Anelder,fat,whitehairedman,wearingaredsuitandstocking cap,withcherryrednoseandalaughthatcanbringjoyandbeheardformiles.Heisknownfor livingattheNorthPoleandtravelingaroundtheworldbysleighpulledbymysticalflyingreign deer.Ascrazyasitallsounds,Ipersonallybelievedinthemanatayoungerage.Thisisstrange, becausehedoesnotexsits.Atleastintoday'sdayandage.Theverythoughtofastrangefatman breakingintoahomeviachimneyandleavingabunchofwrappedupjunkunderadeadtreeseems ludicrous,andIwouldhavecalledthepolicebynow.Butthisfantasycharacterisspoonfed.You hearaboutthemanonlyonceayear,andhecanbereadaboutinstorybooks,hecanbeseenatyour localmall,heissplashedalloverstoresandmerchandise,writtenintocartoonshowsandseenon thenewsandTVsitcoms.AsmuchasSantadoesnotexistheisasrealaspresidentGeorgeW. BushMayberespectedalittlemoreAndinasenseSantaClauseisthedrivingforceofChristmas asweknowit.Oratleastthat'stheshowthatisputonfortheyouthof
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Likelastwinterholiday,Ididapart–timejobforamonthinordertoexperiencesociallifeandearn someextramoney.AftersevendayswhenIstayedathome,Iwenttoalocalsupermarketandfound ajobwhichtopromotetheproducts.ItwasgoodformebecauseIjusthadtospend6hoursperday toworkoutside.NeverthelessthebiggestshortcomingisthatduringtheworktimeIhadnotimeto playwithmyfriendsandrelativesThus,Ididn'tdoanythingfununtilFeb20Attheendofthe holiday,IwenttoseeamidnightmovieandateBBQwithmyfriend.IdidfeelhappywhenIcould havefunwitholdfriendsandspendtimeearningsomemoney.Allinall,Ienjoyedmywinter holiday!Warm–up#2Ifyoucouldtravelanywhereintheworld,wherewouldyougoandwhy?IfI cangotoanyplaceintheworld,IwanttogotoFinlandmost.Theideacomesfromavarietyshow. ItshowsmeabeautifulFinland.Snowgleamswhitethere,likeakingdomthatiscoveredbysnow. Wecangofishingonthefrozenriver,andsitonthesleighcarpulledbyreindeer.Wecanalsosee theaurora.Finland,homeofSantaClaus,ithasafamousChristmastown.Finnishpeoplearevery friendly,ifIgetachance,I'dliketogoshowmorecontent
ItisbecauseIpersonallyliketoeatdessertverymuch.Ithinkitcanbringpersonthefeelingof happiness.Ibelievethatmostpeopleloveeatingdessert.Becomingadessertchef,spreadmy dessertchainallovertheworld.Whatawonderfulthingitis!Everytimewhenipassthecoffee shoparoundthecorner,Ican'tdoanythingbuttogoinside.Drinkingacupofwarmcoffee,tastinga mouthfulofsoftpastries,andtheshopisfilledwiththefragrance,whichmakespersonfullyrelaxed andforgettheworries.Dessertcouldincreaseyourhappinesswhenyoufeelpleasant,itcould removeyourbadmoodwhenyouaredown.Tobecomeadessertchefwhobringshappinessto everyoneismysimpleandordinarydream
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ThemostcollectivelycelebratedholidayoftheyearisundeniablyDecember25th,Christmas.Most peopleacknowledgethatthe"Christ"inChristmasisrepresentativeofJesusChrist,SonofGod,and forChristians,thedayissetasideasacelebrationofhisbirth.ManypeopleintheUnitedStates (andworld)however,eitherdonotbelieveintheChristianviewofChristmas,havedifferentnon–Christianreligiousbeliefsorcelebrateforotherreasons,ifatallBecauseofthemulti–cultural differencesthatincorporateourcountry,ChristmasshouldbedeclaredbyCongressassimplya FederalHoliday.Thiswouldbeachievedifthedominant"Christ"aspectfrom"Christ"–maswas removedbyrenamingtheholidaytoTheWinterHoliday,showmorecontent
ManyseculartraditionshavebeenincorporatedinAmericaoverthelast140yearsincludingtree decorating,exchangingcardsandgifts,non–religiousChristmassongs,SantaClaus,twinkling lights,amongmanyothertraditions.Someofthesetraditionswereexpandedfromreligious traditionsforexample;giftgivingisbasedonthebeliefthatTheThreeWiseMenbroughtgiftsto JesusinthemangerHowevercommercialismhaslongownedthis"tradition"andinfact,ithasbeen widelyrecognizedthatThanksgivingDayandChristmasarenecessaryforgettingtheeconomy movingandoutofthe"red"hence;BlackFriday,the'first'dayoftheholidayshoppingseason.Itis alsotruethatPresidentFranklinD.RooseveltmovedThanksgivingtothefourthThursdayof Novemberinordertoextendtheholidayshoppingseasonforpreciselythispurpose.
CongressdeclaredDecember25thafederalholidayintheUnitedStatesin1870.PresidentUlysses S.GrantsignedthebilltoenactChristmasalongwith3otherholidays:NewYear's,July4thand ThanksgivingaspublicholidaysManypeoplehoweverbelievethatincludingChristmaswiththese secularholidayswasanerrorbecausebackthenChristmasonlymeantthecelebrationofJesus' birth,whichisconstruedbymanyasaconflictoftheseparationofchurchandstate.TheFirst AmendmentofourConstitutionclearlystates,"Congressshallmakenolawrespectingan establishmentof
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NowthatI'molderandmoremature,IbelievethatInowunderstandthemeaningofChristmas betterbutIamnotasexcitedfortheholidaythanIwasasachild.LastChristmasEve,Iwasexcited formybrothersandgrandparentscomingdownfromthecity.Iwouldhavetowakeupreallyearly inthemorningtocleanthewholehouse,suchas,sweepingthehallsandcleaningthedinnertables. WhileIwascleaning,mymotherstartedcookingandtakingouttheturkeyoutofthefridge,thathas beenpreparedandmarginatedsincethedaybefore.IwouldtakesmallbreaksjustsoIcouldwatch herbecauseshewasusingmygreatgrandmother'srecipewhichconsistedofusingtwentytomatoes forthesauceMyeyeswouldburnasshecutthetomatoesandonionssincetheaciditymixed together,thenshewouldputtheminahugepotalongwithputtinginchickenbrothandhispanic peas.Whenshestartedtoheatupthesauce,thearomafilledthewholehouseandmymouthwater alreadyimaginingwhatitwouldtastelike.Thesaucewasmyfavoritepartofthefoodsinceitwas sosavoryanddelicious,itwashardnottoenjoyit.Mymotherwouldbathetheturkeywiththe sauceandeachbeadletofsaucewouldeitherbesoakeduporslideofftheturkey'sback,itwasvery beautifulinaweirdway.Afterbathingtheturkey,shewouldputtheturkeyintheovenandon occasionshewoulddothesameprogressagain,butjustintheoven.Thenextstepwasmakingmash potatoes,whichwent
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