THE CHRISTMAS BOOK

By Grace Wang

Dedicated to:Lawrence Mak

The Star Wars fan

Willow McGeeOne of my best friends

Iliana ChungMy other best friend

Copyright 2010. SNOWSHOP

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And everyone else, you know who you are.

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My Christmas traditions

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One of my traditions is that most years, I make a nativity scene with things around our house, like childhood toys, handmade stuff, and more different stuff, really. (For those who don’t know what a nativity scene is, it is a scene depicting the birth of baby Jesus.) I also used to have a Christmas tree, but since we moved into an apartment, we can’t put it up due to size concerns. Also, I go to the light thing at Stanley Park

almost every year now too. It is a thing at Stanley Park where every Christmas, they put up very pretty lights around the park area. I don’t remember my favorite light there, but there are arches and a whole bunch of other Christmas lights. Now enough of that, Let’s get to Santa! I never remembered what got me into Santa, but there was something quite special I remember when I was younger. It was Christmas Eve and I was in bed, almost asleep. But before I fell asleep, I heard bells! Yes, it was pretty interesting… Well, those are some of my traditions!

China Christmas

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Originally, China did not have Christmas because there weren’t many Christians back then in China. But since the world is getting more and more connected, even non-Christian Chinese people are participating. How Christmas is spreading so fast in China, many people call this a “Chinese phenomenon”.

The people decorate their houses with lights, lanterns, flowers and trees called “trees of light”, which they decorate with paper decorations. The children hang muslin stockings for Sun Den Lao Ren, which is Chinese for Santa Claus (it actually translates to Old Man Christmas). And if you take a walk in an urban area, you can see signs of Christmas everywhere. There are people wearing Santa hats, and men dressed up like Santa Claus can be found at stores too.

People give beautiful gifts to their cared ones to signify that they love and care for each other. One of the most important festivals during Christmas is the Spring Festival, where children are given lots of different gifts. But mainly, it’s to honour their ancestors.

The virgin and child changed to Chinese costumes.

Egyptian Christmas

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The Christmas starts off with Advent and fasting. But some people fast on the last week of Advent. Then On the Eve of Christmas, they dress up in their new clothes, and head to their church. They end the service at midnight with the bells ringing. And when they go home, they eat a meal called fata, which consists of rice, bread, garlic, and meat.

On Christmas Morning, people in Egypt go and visit their friends and neighbours. They bring with them a shortbread called kaik and a drink called shortbat.

At some Egyptian churches, there is special bread called Qurban where they hand it to the people there. It is also made a lot at festivals. It is decorated with a cross and has 12 dots to represent the 12 disciples. There is also a type of sweet biscuit for the Nativity which is decorated with a cross.

Merry Christmas in Egyptian

Santa Claus Poem

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So Jolly!A lot of presentsNice kids get the giftsThe spirit of ChristmasA very good man

Christmas man coming down the chimneyLives with elvesAs amazing as everUsually busy with gifts Santa Claus

Snowflakes Poem

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SnowCold, White

Drifting, Chilling, ScrunchingSoft ice from the sky

Ice

Christmas Tree

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The lights of the Tree,Twinkling softly at midnight,

At the fire place

Midnight snow

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Through the night, the wind will blow

Carrying along the soft, white, snow

In the morning, I will see,

Frozen ponds and a frosty tree

The Snowflake GuideSimple prismThis type of 3D snowflake is the simplest geometrical shape. It can vary, from a flat plate to a thick column,

Stellar plateThe stellar plate is a common type of snowflake. It is very thin and has six broad arms. It is also very detailed.

Sectored plateWhen the ridges to a stellar plate get more complex and fancy, the stellar plate is now called a sectored plate. Some of these types of snowflakes are hexagons that have sections.

Stellar dendrites These ones are called stellar dendrites because dendrites mean “tree-like”. They are also easily seen, and are common for the Christmas season.

Fern like stellar dendritesThis type of snowflake is like a stellar dendrite, but as the name suggests, the arms look very fern-like. These snowflakes make good powder snow as well because they are very light.

Hollow columns Most times, a tall hexagonal column will get empty at the ends. These are hollow columns. They are symmetrical, and sometimes, the ends get grown over, so there are bubbles in the column.

Needles Needles are thin, tall snow columns. They are often joined and look like bits of small hair on your jacket.

Capped columnsThese start off as a column with stubby things on each end. Then, the ends grow bigger and bigger so there are plates at each of the end now.

Double platesFor these ones, the column is really short, so one plate blocks the other one from collecting water vapors. So, one of the two plates stays small.

Split plates and starsThese are actually double plates but the two plates both grow.

TriangularThese plates are very rare, and when they form arms, it might look a little like a strange stellar plate

12 sided snowflakeThese are columns that have plates that are turned 30 degrees exactly. They are very rare.

How Holly got StartedIt started with the Pagans, who believed that holly kept the world beautiful when oaks lost their leaves. They used to wear sprigs of it in their hair when they went to see priests cut mistletoe. At that time, the Romans were Pagans, and they thought that holly was sacred to Saturn, so they used it in the Saturnalia festival. The Christian living there wanted to avoid persecution, so they decorated with holly. And since there are more Christians now, holly lost its Pagan roots.

Now, for Christians, holly represents eternal life. The berries are the drops of Jesus’ blood. The leaves are the mock thorn crown that the Romans made Jesus wear. They also believed that holly can ward away evil spirits , so they hang holly on the doors and windows.

My Stained Glass Window

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My Favorite Carol

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My most favourite Christmas Song is “Let it Snow”. I like it because it really fun to sing. It is also very cherry and it makes you want snow. It also helped me win a singing contest and some yummy cookies! And the meaning of the song is hoping for snow.

Commercial Aspects

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When people say “stores and business are seemingly clouding over the real meaning of Christmas”, they mean that stores and business are using Christmas to their advantage. How? They make it so that shopping is the true meaning of Christmas, but it really isn’t. The true meaning is spending time with your family.

Toys

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Toys for every age group.Babies : soft toys to put on baby stroller thingsToddlers : toys that will help them learn Kids: toys to help them learn as wellMiddle school people : game consoles Teenagers : phones

Emotions

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Good emotions at ChristmasJoyJollyGivingLovingDecorative Bad emotions at ChristmasDisappoint : their family can’t come, or they did not get what they want.Loneliness : nobody to accompany them.Grumpy : they just don’t like Christmas.

Symbols

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I think the thing that belongs to Christmas the most is the Christmas Tree. I think it is the Christmas tree because it has the most Christmas related things of all the Christmas symbols. Like the star on top, the candles on it, and the fact that the tree is usually a evergreen. We also use it to put presents under it!

Christmas ColorsRed

The red color symbolizes warmth, the blood of Jesus, and it is the color of Santa Claus.

Green

The green color symbolizes evergreen trees. I think it also symbolizes life.

White

White represents the snow. It also represents purity.

Gold

Gold represents the king, Jesus. It also represents light and warmth as well.

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About the Author

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The author, Grace Wang, lives in Coquitlam, British Columbia. She 12 years old and is a only child. Her birthday is December 16. In her free time, she likes to go online, read, and make stuff.

This book was made as a school assignment. It is filled with different stuff about Christmas.