This is how we celebrate Christmas in US
¤ Watch the tree lighting in Washington, D.C., on the White House lawn. The president presses a button that
makes the tree instantly sparkle with lights, in keeping with a tradition that began in 1923 with President
Calvin Coolidge.
¤ Go caroling in your neighborhood, as is common in Boston. Bring bells with you to make music to go along with the songs.
¤ Watch an ox parade on the streets of New
¤ Participate in a New Mexican Las Posadas, which is a play depicting the drama of Mary and Joseph looking for a
room at an inn. Act out the various parts with your neighbors.
¤ Visit Santa Claus on the East Coast. For instance, there is a Christmas village in Connecticut where you can go see
Santa and receive gifts. You can also stop by a New York town called the North Pole, which has a post office, church
and blacksmith shop, where the reindeers' shoes are maintained.
¤Consider reviving the old German tradition of "Belsnickeling," which was common in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley in
years past. People would disguise themselves to visit their neighbors, hoping to be served refreshments while they
were there.
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