American Christmas: as it was noted by a Ukrainian living in the USA
'26.12.2018'
Source: New Time
Christmas in the States begins to prepare the day after Halloween. Ukrainka told how to celebrate the holiday in the United States and how American Christmas differs from the traditional celebration of Christmas at home.
“Oh, an ugly Christmas sweater,” a colleague commented on my new purchase with a charismatic penguin and a pattern with snowflakes. I'm a little offended. Because I did not yet know about this special category of winter clothing - Ugly Christmas Sweater, writes Maria Pruss, a journalist for the Ukrainian service of Voice of America, who lives in the United States.
This is a sweater of red and green flowers, with deer, snowflakes, elves, Santa, and all that is enough imagination, quotes Mary New Time. This trend originated in 80's and survived the times of wild popularity, then ridicule and contempt, and then got a second wind thanks to hipsters.
Now the youth holds themed parties - Ugly Christmas Sweater Parties with contests for the “ugliest” piece of knitted art.
Velvet red cakes and ginger biscuits
It is not only Ukrainians who overeat at the holiday table. At Christmas, Americans, who are usually not too generous at party guests, treat their families and friends with a great dinner.
Red and white cane mints (peppermint candy cane), red velvet cake, cupcake, baked turkey, as at Thanksgiving. And this is only true American Christmas dishes.
Tasty loans from around the world - even more. Mashed potatoes, which actually come from Britain, Chinese baked goose, English gingerbread cookies, little people or even whole gingerbread houses, German stollens.
They are washed down with Scottish eggnog (eggnog) —this is like a eggnog, only with milk or whipped cream. It can be alcoholic, like hot chocolate, to which is added liqueur or brandy. And at each party there will be German mulled wine (it is called mulled wine or Glühwein) or Indian punch (punch).
Early preparations
About the fact that Christmas is coming, you have been feeling in the USA since October. Many people remove the pumpkins and cobwebs from the houses the day after Halloween and immediately hang garlands. And even before Thanksgiving Day, which is celebrated on the last Thursday of November, we can safely wish everyone and everyone: happy holidays, that is, happy holidays.
Pre-purchased gifts, and the business of their packaging make annual revenue. For whom the prices are biting - buy wrapping paper, ribbons and wrap boxes manually.
It seems that the ability to wrap a gift is one of the basic skills of Americans, without which it is impossible to survive in the country.
Once, at the request of a colleague, she sent a parcel, and when she couldn’t collect and glue the cardboard box, which they sell there unfolded, for five minutes, postal workers and buyers looked at me as if they were a person from outside the civilized world.
Old school traditions
Christmas for the post is a hot season not only because Americans love to send Christmas presents to relatives and friends across the country. Paper greeting cards are still popular here.
Thus, in the United States, not only advertisements and congratulations in the style of Kiev local deputies can expect an addressee in the mailbox. Every year, Americans buy 6,5 billion postcards, worth $ 7-8 billion.
The most popular seasonal cards are Christmas cards, they are sold for as much as $ 1,6 billion. This tradition is gradually dying off, but for millions of families signing cards and putting them in envelopes is still an integral symbol of Christmas.
Also, American Christmas is a fair throughout the city, in every district. Everywhere, trees are lit, skating rinks are arranged, church choirs are singing, musicals and performances are being shown, and old Christmas films are being played in cinemas (from “Die Hard” to “Christmas song in prose”). In general, there are so many events that there is no question of where to go for the holiday atmosphere.
And a fabulous winter mood create old Christmas songs in various modern arrangements. Here you go to work on Monday, before Christmas for about a month, and suddenly you hear how the saxophonist-African-American perfectly plays Shchedryka at the exit of the subway (Carol of the Bells to the music of Ukrainian composer Nikolai Leontovich), - and a festive mood is guaranteed.
