Its the holiday season!
The majority of Americans celebrate Christmas with the exchange of gifts and greetings and family visits. Homes are decorated with holly, mistletoe and branches of trees and most have a Christmas tree decorated with electric lights, tinsel, baubles, and candy canes.
Of Mistletoe, Holly and Christmas decorations
Today Christmas trees and decorations are usually the focal point in the American home. With all the modern advances, Christmas decorations have become an art form.
During the holiday season the magic of Christmas comes alive with the creativity of the themed Christmas trees and decorations.
The original American tradition of the outdoor Christmas lights is a cheerful delight throughout the holiday season.
The mistletoe in the doorways as Christmas decoration and kissing tradition comes from the Norse myths. Mistletoe was believed to possess powers of healing sickness and averting misfortune. Holly, with its dark green spiky leaves and red berries, was believed to have the ability to drive demons away, was traditionally used for Christmas decorations.
These days most American families follow the tradition of putting up Christmas tree and decorations right from 2nd week of December. Since the 19th century, the poinsettia has been associated with Christmas. Other holiday plants are holly, mistletoe, red amaryllis, and Christmas cactus.
Celebrations on Christmas Eve
On Christmas Eve, there are evening church services. Attention is focused on the nativity scene, while all join in singing Christmas carols. On Christmas Day, there are other religious ceremonies at churches which families attend before they make their rounds to visit friends and relatives.
At Christmas Eve gatherings adults drink eggnog. The Christmas table is almost like a Thanksgiving feast of turkey or ham, potatoes and pie. Christmas is incomplete without lots of desserts, and nothing symbolizes Christmas more than baked breads and cookies.
Many American traditional Christmas desserts, like other Christmas customs, were started long ago in other parts of the world. Hard candies such as peppermint candy canes and curly green and red ribbon candy are traditional gifts and goodies.