Christmas

Christmas is the main public holiday in Britain and the USA when people (to spend) time with their families, (to eat) special food, and (to drink) a lot. Christmas is a Christian festival to remember the birth of Jesus. Every year people (to look forward) to this holiday.

Because people (to give) each other presents, in the days and weeks before Christmas the shops (to become) very busy and everybody often (to spend) a lot of money. People also (to buy) and (to send) Christmas cards to their friends, usually containing the message «Merry Christmas». The cards often (to show) pictures of Nativity /the birth of Christ/, Santa Claus, Christmas trees, Robins. People usually (to decorate) their houses and many people (to have) a Christmas tree in their house which they also (to decorate). Children (to believe) that Santa Claus (to bring) them presents if they (to behave) well. Children sometimes (to write) a letter to Santa Claus and (to tell) him what presents they would like for Christmas. They (to hang up) a stocking /really a sock/ on Christmas Eve because they (to believe) that Santa Claus (to come) down the chimney in the night and (to fill) it with presents. December 24th, the day before Christmas Day, is called Christmas Eve. Some people (to go) to a special church service called Midnight Mass /in BrE, Christmas Eve service in AmE/ at 12 o'clock at night. The most important meal is Christmas dinner. The typical meal (to consist) of roast turkey with potatoes and other vegetables. In Britain they (to eat) Christmas pudding. Americans (to bake) special biscuits called Christmas cookies which they (to eat) over the Christmas season. At the start of the meal, British people often (to pull) a cracker, which (to contain) a small toy, a paper hat, and a joke. Twelve days after Christmas /Twelfth Night/ is the time when people (to take) down their decorations and (to remove) their Christmas trees.

The Past Indefinite (Simple) Tense

Употребление

Обозначает действие, произошедшее в прошлом; последовательно произошедшие в прошлом действия; повторяющиеся действия в прошлом.