Christmas (or Xmas in short) in the USA is celebrated by approximately 90% of the population, with some considering it the most important time of the year. Families from across the United States gather together, sing carols, and open presents from Santa Claus in the morning of December 25th. Traditional American Christmas meals often include turkey with stuffing, ham, and eggnog flavored with cinnamon and nutmeg.
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When Christmas is Celebrated in the USA
American Christmas gradually begins after Thanksgiving. Stores are filled with somewhat tacky decorations, homes are decorated with lights, and Christmas movies dominate TV schedules.
Christmas in the USA is celebrated on the same days as in other countries, but traditions and customs differ:
🎅 December 24th – Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve is not a public holiday in most U.S. states. People usually work or take vacation days to travel and visit family. Last-minute decorators string up lights, shop for gifts, and families with children hang stockings by the fireplace in the evening.
🎅 December 25th – Christmas Day
Christmas Day is the most important day of the holiday season in the USA. Excited children wake up early in the morning and rush to unwrap presents from Santa Claus. Some families consider Christmas Eve dinner the main celebration, while others save the feast for December 25th.
🎅 December 26th – Day after Christmas
December 26th is recognized as an official public holiday only in South Carolina, North Carolina, and Texas.
In all other states, it depends on individual employers. If circumstances allow, families visit one another on this day, and tables are filled with food.
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Who Delivers Presents in the USA
In America, gifts are delivered by Santa Claus on the night of December 25th, entering homes exclusively through chimneys and fireplaces. Santa is overweight and sometimes gets stuck in a chimney.
Santa does not travel with commercial airlines such as American Airlines or Delta Air Lines; he uses a sleigh pulled by reindeer. According to the 1823 poem A Visit from St. Nicholas, there are eight reindeer: Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner (also known as Dunder), and Blitzen.
The original eight are sometimes joined by the most famous, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, and the often-forgotten Olive the Reindeer.
Children aim to stay on Santa’s good side by leaving a glass of milk and a plate of cookies for the jolly man in red and some carrots for the reindeer. The bearded man from the North Pole keeps a list of good and naughty children. Good children unwrap presents on December 25th, while naughty ones find only coal in their stockings.
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American Christmas Traditions and Customs
Neighbors often compete to see who has the tallest tree and the most lights on their house. The most dedicated decorators start in late November, with over-the-top light displays featuring Santas, reindeer, and other characters. According to a 2024 study by Deloitte, the average American spends approximately $1,778 on Christmas gifts and decorations.
The center of Christmas celebrations is Rockefeller Center in New York City. Since 1933, an enormous Norway spruce, cut from an East Coast state, has been displayed here. The record-holder is a 100 ft tall tree from Killingworth, Connecticut, in 1999. The lighting ceremony takes place annually between late November and early December.
The National Christmas Tree stands from early December to early January near the White House in the northern part of Ellipse Park. The first lighting is traditionally attended by the President of the USA.
Popular Christmas movies in the USA include Home Alone, Miracle on 34th Street, The Santa Clause, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, and Elf. These movies often emphasize family, generosity, and other values associated with Christmas.
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Christmas Food and Desserts in the USA
Christmas food in America varies by the ethnic origins of the family. Traditional American families serve meals similar to Thanksgiving, featuring roast turkey with stuffing and cranberry sauce, ham, roast beef, and pudding. Christmas pudding typically includes plums, nuts, ginger, raisins, and cloves.
On Hawaii, traditional Christmas dishes include pork with cabbage, while in Alaska, crab is served. In Utah, many families enjoy green bean casserole.
In Italian-American families, the “Feast of the Seven Fishes” is a tradition, featuring seven types of fish or seafood. In Louisiana, the réveillon feast is served after evening mass, with dishes like gumbo, made with chicken, vegetables, dark roux, shrimp, sausage, and rice.
American Christmas desserts often include pies such as apple, carrot, pumpkin, or pecan. Smaller treats include gingerbread cookies and candy canes. Sweet red-and-white-striped sticks are typically peppermint-flavored. Classic Christmas treats are colorful and shaped like snowmen, Santa Claus, or stars.
During Christmas in America, people drink hot chocolate, apple cider, and eggnog, which can be served with or without alcohol.
Discussion (1)
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