What is christmas ?
• Christmas is an annual celebration, which marks the winter solstice and the birth of Jesus Christ.
• They are celebrated from the 24th till 26th December (24. December is Christmas Eve, 25. December is Christmas Day, but the 26. December is Second Christmas)
Christmas traditions
• Christianity assumes that in the 25th December Jesus Christ was born, but the Orthodox churches calculate the date from the Julian calendar, so most of the Orthodox Christmas is celebrated in early January.
• For Latvians the winter solstice has never been a quiet peacefully celebration, everybody in these winter solstice where happy and they where having fun. People considered Christmas eve like block evening because of the block pulling tradition.
• One of the best known of Christmas traditions is mummers parade. People disguised in various masks and went from one house to another .One of the best known ancient mummers mask was a bear mask, because the bear with his growling is able to scare away the evil spirits.
• Before Christmas people usually prepares everything for feast. Families together bake gingerbread, bacon pies, pigs shout and lot more different kind of foods.
• Before Christmas there is big shopping and everybody are preparing their gifts for their loved ones.
• All family together decorates their Christmas tree.
• On Christmas morning family comes together and opens their gifts. Children are counting poems and singing songs.
• Everyone visits their friends and family and are having a wonderful time together.
• On Christmas people go to church.
