WewishyouamerryChristmas,wewishyouamerryChristmas…"Haveyouheardthatsong?Yup!It'sChristmastime!ThisChristmas,Istayedwithmy"hostfamily"1.ItwasanamazingexperiencetoseehowatypicalAmericanfamilywouldcelebratethebiggestwesternfestivaloftheyear.Christmas,likeourSpringFestival,hasameaninginitself.ChristmasDay,whichisonDecember25,isthebirthdayofJesusChrist--thesonofGod.That'swhyitiscalledChristmas.Onthatday,ChristianswouldgettogetherwiththeirfamiliestocelebratethebirthdayofJesus.Butnowadays,thereligiousmeaningofChristmashasbecomelessemphasized.Tomanyfamilies,itisjustatimeoffamilyreunionandtheever-excitingpresent-giving.OurschoolhadbeenonwintervacationsinceDecember11.Istayedatmyfriend,StephenStapczynski'shouse--hisfamilywasmy"hostfamily".AlthoughChristmaswasstillmorethantendaysahead,thefestivespirithadalreadybeenteemingeverywhere.TheChristmastreehadalreadybeensetup,andoneverywindowsill,therewereChristmaslights.OnthefirstdayIarrivedattheirhouse,StephenandIhelpedMrs.StapczynskiputdecorationsontheChristmastree.Thetreelookedsonicewithallthelightsonandthebeautifulornamentsdanglingfromitsbranches.AsChristmascamecloser,thewholeneighborhoodhadmadepreparationstoo.Somepeoplewouldholdpartiesattheirhouses,invitingalltheirneighborstocome.Soeverynight,ifyouwentout,youwouldseealonglineofcarsparkedinfrontofsomehouse--aparty'son!What'smore,theChristmasdecorationsthatsomepeopleputontheirwindowsandingardenswerejustamazing.Ononenight,wewentoutinourcarfora"touroflights".Therewasonestreetthatwassofamousforitslightsthatitgotitswayintothelocalpaper.Wehadahardtimefindingthewell-hiddenstreet,butitturnedouttobeworththeeffort.Lightsshonebrightlyinfrontofnearlyeveryhouse,ontrees,bushes,doors,windows…everywhere,takingdifferentshapes,makingitseemalmostlikedaytime.Hugeinflatablefiguresinthefrontgardenswerewavingtous:therewereSantaClauses2,ofcourse,chucklingmerrilyaway;andtherewerealsootherChristmasfigures,likeRudolph3--thered-nosedreindeer--withhisrednosegleamingeversobrightly;evenBartSimpson--acharacterinthefamouscomedyTheSimpsons--hadjoinedthejollyparty,wearingaSanta'shat.Thestreetsetoffalotof"ooh"sand"aah"sinsidethecar.4Whenweleft,therewasalineofcarsinthestreet,alltheretoseethelights.Christmasisthetimeforexchangingpresents.StephenandNikohadbeenthinkingabouttheirChristmaslists(alistofthingstheywish"Santa"togivethemforChristmas)foralongtime.Ididn'twanttoaskforanything,buttheStapczynskisweresokindto"force"memakeonelistaswell(Mr.StapczynskitoldmeifIdidn'tmakeonehewouldchopoffmylegs).SoIwrotedownacoupleofthingsthatIwouldliketohave,andgavethelisttothem--sorry,mymistake--toSanta.Finally,ChristmasEvecame.TherewasaspecialChristmasserviceatthechurchat6p.m.Itwascertainlyaveryinterestingexperienceforme.Theprieststartedtheservicereadingandsangoutextractionsfromaholybook--TheDivineLiturgy.Forseveraltimes,wewouldstandupandpray.Sometimes,thechurchchoirwouldstartsinging.Theatmospherewasveryquietandholy.Thentherewasaceremonycalled"TheReceivingCommunion".Peoplewaitedinlineto"receive"aspoonfuloffoodfromthepriest.ItwasaveryspecialChristmastradition.Thefoodwasmadefrombreadandwine.ThebreadrepresentsthebodyofJesus,andthewinerepresentshisblood.Afterthisceremony,thepriesthadaspeech.HeremindedusnottoforgetthetruemeaningofChristmas,andletJesusreallyliveinsideus--thatis,tolovethepeoplearounduswholeheartedly.IthinkthatnomatterifyouareaChristianornot,thisprincipleshouldbepartofourlives.Afterthepriestfinishedhisspeech,thepartthatIenjoyedmostcame:Christmascarols5.ChristmascarolsaresongsthatpeoplesingatChristmas,suchas"JingleBells","WeWishYouaMerryChristmas","SilentNight"andsoon.Somewereverymerry,otherssoundedquiteholy,butallofthemwerebeautiful.Iclosedmyeyes,andletallthepeacefulnessandhappinessthatwereinthesongsflowthroughme.Whatafeelingitwas!WewenttosleepearlierthatdayforwehadtogetupearlyonChristmasDaytoopenourpresents.Sureenough,whenIwasstillhalf-wayduringasweetdream,Stephenburstintomyroomandtoldmetogetupandopenpresents.TherewereahugepileofpresentsundertheChristmastree,andtherewassuchamysteriousmistshroudingthemthatmademeeagertoseewhattheyallwere.Soonebyone,wewentthroughallthepresents.Mr.andMrs.StapczynskihadboughtmeeverythingIhadwrittenonmyChristmaslist--andalotmore!IgotmusicCDs,filmDVDs,clothes,books…Iwasveryhappy,andIdidn'tknowhowtoexpressmyappreciationforwhattheyhaddoneforme.StephenandNikohadgottenalotofpresentstoo,andtheyhadalreadybeentryingouttheirnewgames!Intheafternoon,wewenttoMrs.Stapczynski'sbrother,UncleStan'shouse.Theyhadpreparedamarvelousmealforus.Alotoftheirfriendsandrelativesalsocame.IsawStephenandNiko'sgrandparents,YiayiaandPapou(wordsofgrandmaandgrandpainGreek--Mrs.Stapczynski'sparentscamefromGreece,sotheyliketheboysusingGreekwordstocallthem).Theywereverykindtome,andtreatedmejustlikeoneoftheirfamilymembers.Wehadaveryluxuriousmeal,consistingofturkey,beef,pork,andallsortsofotherfood.
