When exactly is Christmas Day?

No one knows when Jesus was born. Early Christians tried to calculate the date of Christ’s birth when Mary was told she was pregnant. If this is taken as the conception of Christ, nine months later it is 25 December.

Others say Jesus and Mohammed shared the same birthday. Mohammed was born on the 12th of the Muslim month of Rabi-ul-awal in the 7th century which this year was celebrated in April. Muslims use a lunar calendar, so Mohammed’s birthday will eventually fall in December. Most Eastern Orthodox churches celebrate Christmas on 7 January.

Christmas was first celebrated on 25 December in the 5th century in the time of the Constantine, the first Christian Roman emperor.

Read the text, translate it.

Answer the questions.

• Did it snow last year at Christmas?

No, it didn’t snow last year at Christmas.

• Did you believe in Santa Claus when you were a child?

Yes, I believed in Santa Claus when were a child.

• Did you enjoy last Christmas?

Yes, I enjoyed last Christmas very much.

• Do people behave differently during Christmas?

Yes, people behaved differently during Christmas.

• • Do they try to be better?

Yes, they tried to be better.

• • Do you donate something (money, clothes…) to charities?

Yes, we donate toys and clothes to charities.

• Do you celebrate Christmas in your country?

Yes, we do.

• Do you celebrate Christmas in a special way?

Yes, we eat fish and vegetables that day.

• Do you celebrate Christmas in a traditional way?

No, we don’t.

• Do you enjoy Christmas time?

Yes, I do.a

• Do you enjoy singing Christmas songs?

Not very much.

• Do you exchange presents with your friends at school?

Yes, we do it.

• Do you go to church on Christmas day?

No, we don’t.

• Do you hang up a stocking?

No, we don’t.

• Do you have a Christmas party at school?

No, we don’t have a Christmas party at school.

• Do you have a Christmas tree?

Yes, of course.

• • If so, how do you decorate it?

We decorate it with Christmas toys, artificial snow and christmas star.

• • When do you put it up?

We put it up at December 15.

• • When do you take it down?

We put it down at January 30.

• • Is it real or artificial?

It’s artificial.