虽然上海的平安夜已极度商业化(commercilized),但除了苹果和火鸡大餐，难道就没有其他可聊的了么？不不不，我们还想知道原汁原味的西方人是如何过圣诞的。

Christmas Day, which is on December 25, is the birthday of Jesus Christ（耶稣诞辰）.

Like the Spring Festival, it is a time for us to get away from our busy lives (go on vacation), a time for family reunion, and a time to have some fun (throw a Christmas party).

Preparations start in advance, with the sending of Christmas cards（圣诞贺卡）

People set up Christmas tree and put ornaments and Chirstmas lights on it（装扮圣诞树）. They usually decorate their houses with evergreens indoors, such as a wreath of holly on the front door.

Bunches of mistletoe(槲寄生青藤环) are often hung above doorways

- any couple passing underneath must exchange kisses!

They also place lights and other decorations on the outside of the house and the outdoor shrubs and trees. By then, the whole house is full of Chirstmas spirit(圣诞氛围).

Practically everyone sits down to a Christmas dinner in the early afternoon of Christmas Day.

Christmas meal would include turkey, potatoes, vegetables, sausages and wine gravy(葡萄酒肉汁汤), followed by Christmas pudding（圣诞布丁） or mince pies（甜馅饼）.  Brandy（白兰地酒） is poured over the pudding, then set it on fire (对，点燃它).

（mince pie 这个甜馅派好大）

After dinner, everyone relaxes by going for a walk, playing games, enjoying their presents or watching television. Presents（圣诞礼物） are bought and wrapped, and traditionally placed under the Christmas tree on Christmas Eve.Many families like to attend a midnight service at church on Christmas Eve,or celebrate Christmas in church on Christmas morning（平安夜或第二天早上参加教堂活动）.

Children hang up their stockings(长筒袜) around the fireplace or at the foot of the bed for Father Christmas to fill with gifts.

They hope that the Santa Claus will arrive in his reindeer-drawn sleigh(麋鹿拉雪橇) and descend down the chimney（烟囱） to fill children’s stockings with presents. In America, kids even write letters to Santa and put them in the mailbox.

Well, now, the Christmas party is on and remeber to wear a christams hat（圣诞帽）.