Christmas

Christmas is the most important annual festival in both Britain and North America. In its origins, it combines the Christian (CELEBRATE) of the birth of Christ, on 25 December, with the ancient tradition of a winter feast during the darkest period of the year.
Christmas carols – a special kind of religious songs – are an important part of it. You may hear them (COUNT) times over the radio but it is quite different when you listen to people sing carols around you in church. At this time, too, many carol (SING) make door-to-door visits to people at home, collecting money for this or that charity. Many weeks before Christmas, shops start selling (VARY) Christmas cards and Christmas gifts.
Shop (OWN) decorate their shops with holly, mistletoe, candles and colourful paper chains and lanterns. All kinds of traditional Christmas food are also (WIDE) available.