The document outlines the biblical story of the angel Gabriel visiting Mary to announce the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem, where he was born on December 25. It also discusses the historical evolution of Santa Claus, including his traditional appearance and the concept of advent calendars leading up to Christmas. Additionally, it describes the customs surrounding Christmas Eve, where children leave offerings for Santa and wake up to find evidence of his visit on Christmas Day.

1. CHRISTMAS
BACKGROUND INFORMATION

2. BACKGROUND STORY

3. AN ANGEL VISITS MARY
-About 2,000 years ago an
angel Gabriel visited Mary
a Jewish woman.
-Gabriel told Mary she
would have a
son, Jesus, who would be
the Son of God!
-She had faith in God and
said, "I am the Lord's
servant. Let it be as you
say.”

4. NO PLACE AT THE INN
When Joseph and Mary
got to Bethlehem,
there was no place for
them to stay because
the inn was already
full. They ended up
spending the night in a
stable, a place where
animals were kept.

5. JESUS WAS BORN 25th December
Jesus was born in a manger in Bethlehem, to a virgin mother.

6. WISE MEN VISIT JESUS
Wise men from the
East came to
worship
Jesus, bringing gifts
of
gold, frankincense,
and myrrh.

7. CURRENT FOLKLORE

8. SANTA USED TO
WEAR GREEN
Urban myth has it that the red suit
only appeared after the Coca Cola
company started an advertising
campaign depicting a red suited
Father Christmas in the 1930s.
However, the red suit was used long
before, including by American
illustrator Thomas Nast.
It's likely he represented the coming
of spring and wore a long green
hooded cloak and a wreath of
holly, ivy or mistletoe and had the
ability to make people happier
during the long winter months.

9. Father Christmas…
Santa Claus...
Kris Kringle...
Old Saint Nick...
Father Christmas often appears as
a large man, often around seventy
years old. He is dressed in a red suit
trimmed with white fur, often
girdled with a wide black belt, a
matching hat, often long and
floppy in nature, and dark boots.
Often he carries a large brown sack
filled with toys on his back.
Lives in the North Pole.

10. ADVENT CALENDER
A calender with either a picture or piece of chocolate
inside 24 miniature doors leading up to Christmas day.
One to be opened each day of December.

11. OLD ADVENT CALENDER
Picture about Christmas everyday with a picture of
Jesus on the 24th day.

12. CURRENT ADVENT CALENDER
Contains chocolate in each window
which counts down the days till
Christmas (25th December).

13. CHOLOLATES WITH CHRISTMAS THEME
SHAPES BEHIND EACH DOOR.

14. BRIEF

15. Offerings to
Santa and
his reindeer

16. It is traditional for children to
leave a letter for Santa along
with a glass of milk, a mince pie
and a carrot for his reindeer.

17. Christmas offerings to Santa
24th December – Christmas Eve

18. SANTA EATS MINCE PIE

19. SANTA DRINKS THE MILK

20. SANTA
READS
LETTER
FROM
CHILD

21. What actually happens…?

22. Parents wait for their children to be
fast asleep. Then they remove the
offerings, leaving only traces that
Santa has been.

23. CHRISTMAS DAY
The children wake up to find the remains
of the mince pie and see that their
letter has been taken. This makes them
extra excited to open their presents.