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Christmas Eve/Day (December 24 and 25 )
Although this Christian festival is, of course, celebrated in many countries around the
globe, Americans did come up with a number of original holiday traditions. On Christmas
Eve, many American families like hanging stockings over the fireplace, often with their
names on them. Homes are decorated with mistletoes, holly, a Christmas tree, and other
seasonal decorations. Outdoor decorations – such as fairy lights or Santa Claus figures –
have become very popular as well.
Children often leave milk and cookies by the fireplace for Santa Claus, who will slide down
the chimney at midnight and bring gifts for everybody. The main celebration takes place on
Christmas day, often with a big family dinner.
As we have pointed out elsewhere in this expat guide, the US is home to a highly diverse
populace. Christmas is only one of a number of festivals taking place towards the end of
the year; others include Hanukkah and Kwanzaa, for example.
However, although public institutions, people working in retail, and some employers usually
try to keep the festive season nondenominational and all-inclusive (e.g. wishing people
“Happy Holidays” instead of “Merry Christmas”), Christmas does have an inescapable
quality to it. Walking through your neighborhood or your local mall or browsing the online
retailers for gifts, you will soon notice that Christmas is the main focus of the season.