The biggest festival in the year

Christmas is normally the biggest festival in the English year. Once the festival lasted
two days, today it seems to last almost two months. Christmas Day, December 25th, is the
day when most people in Britain sit down to a special meal of roast turkey and Christmas
pudding; but Christmas Day is just the high point of the "Christmas period".
In the weeks before Christmas, life is very busy. There are parties; there are trips to the
cinema or the pantomime; and of course there's all the shopping.
On Christmas day, Britain closes! For most people, Christmas is a time to relax at
last after many long and busy weeks. The presents have been bought and sent, dozens of
cards have been sent and received, the food is waiting to be eaten. For two days at least (if
not three or four, depending on the year), the shops will be shut, and the postman will not
deliver any letters. For a day or two, even the trains stop running.
Nowadays, Britain's Christmas shopping season lasts almost four months! The rst
Christmas catalogues come through letter-boxes at the start of September!
Lots of busy people like shopping online, because it is easy. All they have to do is
choose from the pages of a colourful catalogue, or shop on the Internet. A few days later,
goods are delivered to the door..... or at least one hopes they are. Some Internet shops
work 24/24 in the weeks before Christmas, to make sure that everyone gets their presents
on time..
Many Christmas catalogues come from charities. Each charity has its own specialities –
nature and animals from WWF, the RSPCA and others; "green" products from Greenpeace
and Friends of the Earth; and hand-made articles from developing countries from charities
like Oxfam and Save the Children. Big charities like these earn a lot of money from their
Christmas catalogues.
In the streets, Christmas arrives at the start of November. Santa Claus and Christmas
decorations start appearing in shop windows soon after "Guy Fawkes Night" (5th
November). There are no other festivities between Guy Fawkes Night and Christmas
In the streets, vendors sell Father Christmas hats, and reindeer horns! Many shops need
extra staff; some shops sell as much in November and December as they do in the other 10
months of the year. Shops stay open later in the evening, and on Sundays too.
During December, sometimes even earlier, the Christmas lights come on in the streets,
and the big shops put on special "Christmas windows", to bring in the shoppers. As
Christmas gets closer, the shops become more and more crowded. Nowadays, many shops
start their "New Year Sales" before Christmas; some people therefore wait till the last days,
in order to pay less for their presents.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 

 
 
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 When the shops nally close for the holiday, most people are happy that the shopping is
over. For a day at least, everything is shut... except pubs and restaurants, which do a lot of
business on Christmas day (though not in 2020, on account of Covid 19). In the past, most
people used to go to church on Christmas morning; today some people go to church for a
special
Christmas service, but most stay at home to open presents and prepare the Christmas lunch.
In the afternoon, it's time for more presents, or to watch a good lm, or go our for a walk
in the country, or in the park.
Then, after Christmas, the shopping season starts again, as people spend their Christmas
money and look for bargains in the New Year sales.
Most people have a week's holiday between Christmas and the New Year. Some, of
course, have to keep working; but for most, the last week of the year is a time to relax,
enjoy more parties, and do a bit more shopping.
January sometimes seems very at and empty!

WORD GUIDE
bargain: special offer, special cheap price - busy: very occupied - charity: benevolent
association, non-pro t association - closer: nearer - crowded : full of people, busy -
deliver: bring - faith : religion, belief - goods: articles - last: continue - over : nished -
pantomime: theatrical comedy - reindeer: an animal used by Father Christmas - RSPCA:
Britain's animal protection society - Sales: when shops sell things more cheaply - Santa
Claus: Father Christmas - service: mass - staff: employees - trip: journey, excursion -
turkey: a big bird.

1. What do people eat at Christmas in England ?

2. What do people send to their friends at Christmas?

3. Some people do their shopping at home: how and why do they do this?
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 

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 4. Why is Christmas a good time for many big charities?

5. When does the Christmas shopping season really begin?

6. How do shops function during the Christmas shopping period?

7. When do the "New Year Sales" begin?

8. How long do Christmas holidays last for many people?

9. What do people do during their Christmas holiday period?

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 Shopping for Christmas

Christmas will soon be here again. For Britain's shops, specially shops in cities, November
and December are the busiest months of the year. In fact, some big shops do half their
year's business in those two months.
Yet in 2021, with Covid-19 still with us, Christmas shopping will not be the same! Many
people do not want to go into cities, or into big shopping centers. They are afraid of
catching Covid. More and more people are now shopping on the Internet! Internet shops
are safe for shoppers, and they never shut... not even on Christmas Day !

Most people, however, spend their money before Christmas. "Christmas shopping" is
different from ordinary shopping, and people like to do it differently. They go to different
shops, or different online stores, more expensive shops very often. They don't just buy food
from their supermarket and clothes from big department stores. They look round, they take
time (if they can), they browse and they choose.
City shops do their best to attract them with exciting windows, and special offers. In the
West End of London, shops spend thousands of pounds on lights, decorations, and special
window displays. Some visitors come to London, just to see the lights and shop windows;
but others come to shop in famous shops like Harrod's or Hamley's, Europe's biggest toy
shop.
For shop assistants, it is a frantic season . There is not much time to rest. Just time for a
cup of coffee or tea perhaps, then back to work. It's a good season for pay! As Christmas
gets nearer, shops stay open longer, sometimes until 10 p.m. That means more pay for the
staff. It also means extra staff. Some people nd a job, for a few weeks at least.

Then, at about 5 p.m. on Christmas Eve, it all stops. The shops are suddenly empty -
just a few people running round, looking for last minute presents. In many shops, there is a
small party, a bottle of wine and mince pies or something like that. And then it's over. The
shop doors close, but the lights stay on. Out in the streets, which were so busy a few hours
before, there is hardly anyone. Just a few people going home, or singing in the street.
Christmas shopping is over again.... until next October or November.
But for some shops, the doors will only stay closed for a day. After Christmas shopping,
there is New Year shopping! The New Year sales used to start after January 1st. Now in
some shops they start on the day after Christmas, and the crowds rush back for a few more
days. Lots of things are cheaper now.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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WORD GUIDE
busy: active - display: show - extra: more, supplementary - staff: employees - Christmas
Eve: 24th December - mince pies: special Christmas tarts - shutters: shutters protect
windows - hurry: go fast - sale: when shops sell things cheaper than usual