ChristmasinUnitedStatesofAmerica

　　SantaClauswasborninUSinthe1860'shewasnamedthisashehadawhitebeardandabelly,sohewasnamedSantaClausasthiswastheDutchwordforStNicholas,Sintaklaas.AlthoughtheDutchhadboughthimwiththeminthe17thcentury,hedidnotbecomeanimportantpersonatChristmasuntiltheNovelistWashingtonIrvingputhiminanovelthathewrotein1809.ThisfirstSantaClauswasstillknownasSt.Nicholas,hedidsmokeapipe,andflyaroundinawagonwithoutanyreindeer,buthedidnothavehisredsuitorliveattheNorthPole,hedidhoweverbringpresentstochildreneveryyear.

　　In1863HewasgiventhenameSantaClausandboretheredsuit,pipe,andhisreindeerandsleigh.

　　NowChristmascelebrationsvarygreatlybetweenregionsoftheUnitedStates,becauseofthevarietyofnationalitieswhichhavesettledinit.

　　InPennsylvania,theMoraviansbuildalandscape,calledaputz-undertheChristmastree,whileinthesamestatetheGermansaregivengiftsbyBelsnickle,whotapsthemwithhisswitchiftheyhavemisbehaved.

　　EarlyEuropeansettlersbroughtmanytraditionstotheUnitedStates.ManysettledintheearlydaysintheSouth,thesesettlerswouldsendChristmasgreetingstotheirdistantneighborsbyshootingfirearmsandlettingofffireworks.InHawaiithispracticeisstillinuseasunderthesunnyskies,SantaClausarrivesbyboatandChristmasdinneriseatenoutdoors.

　　InAlaska,astaronapoleistakenfromdoortodoor,followedbyHerod'sMen,whotrytocapturethestar.Colonialdoorwaysareoftendecoratedwithpineapple,asymbolofhospitality.

　　InAlaska,boysandgirlswithlanternsonpolescarryalargefigureofastarfromdoortodoor.Theysingcarolsandareinvitedinforsupper.

　　InWashingtonD.C.,ahuge,spectaculartreeislitceremoniouslywhenthePresidentpressesabuttonandturnsonthetree'slights.

　　InBoston,carolsingingfestivitiesarefamous.Thesingersareaccompaniedbyhandbells.

　　InNewOrleans,ahugeoxisparadedaroundthestreetsdecoratedwithhollyandwithribbonstiedtoitshorns.

　　InArizona,theMexicanritualcalledLasPosadasiskeptup.ThisisaritualprocessionandplayrepresentingthesearchofMaryandJosephforaroomattheinn.Familiesplaythepartsandvisiteachother'shousesenactingandre-enactingthedramaand,atthesametime,havingalookateachfamily'scrib.

　　InHawaii,ChristmasstartswiththecomingoftheChristmasTreeShip,whichisashipbringingagreatloadofChristmasfare.SantaClausalsoarrivesbyboat.

　　InCalifornia,SantaClaussweepsinonasurfboard.

　　InAmericathetraditionalChristmasdinnerisroastturkeywithvegetablesandsauces.Fordessertitisrich,fruityChristmaspuddingwithbrandysauce.Mincepies,pastrycasesfilledwithamixtureofchoppeddriedfruit.

　　ThemajorityofAmericanscelebrateChristmaswiththeexchangeofgiftsandgreetingsandwithfamilyvisits.Formany,thedaybeginsonChristmasEvewiththeMidnightMass.AtChristmasitsnowsinmanystates,sodinnerisusuallyeatenindoors.Dinnerusuallyisroastturkey,goose,duckorhamservedwithcranberrysauce,thenplumpuddingorpumpkinpiefollowedbynutsandfruit.

　　Americanhomesaredecoratedwithholly,mistletoeandbranchesoftrees,mosthaveaChristmastreehungwithelectriclights,tinsel