When it comes to western festival, there is no denying that an increasing number of our young people have a special affection for Christmas Day which is full of joyfulness and gifts. And the minute we think about Christmas Day, it occurs to us that Santa Claus would give us presents by crawling into the chimney and putting those gifts into the stocks which we have well placed already in our room. I do not believe that there is an elder man who will send us gifts on Christmas through chimney, but I am truly curious to know how American celebrate their Christmas and desire to experience it on my own. Fortunately, my wish becomes true and I am going to share my stories with you all.

　　First of all, I have to confess that am really a lucky dog who got the opportunity to be an exchange student at Ferrum College which is a college in Virginia, USA. I went to America in September, 2013, and I was back to China in January, 2014. American students have Christmas break before the Christmas Day which is also winter holiday lasting for one month. It goes without saying that it is time to go back home when the winter holiday begins. However, two of my western teachers, Nicki and Jeremy, who used to teach in CTGU contacted me by Facebook, and what amused me most was that they invited me to spend Christmas with them. After I left the campus, I went straight to Boston for traveling for three days, then I took the air to Dallas where Nicki and Jeremy lived and they picked me up in airport. Nicki and Jeremy are lovers and they rented a house. I lived with them during the days I was in Dallas. Then the story of my first Christmas began in the next day when I arrived in Dallas.

　　What is known to us all is that Christmas Day is on December 25th. Nevertheless, I could never imagine that American would celebrate Christmas before 25th. Nicki, Jeremy and I went to Nicki’s Mom’s house in the evening on 22th for celebrating Christmas. We had dinner together in Nicki’s Mom’s house, then Nicki’s mom began to give us presents which she had prepared before we came. The first gift that we got was a big stock which was filled with all kinds of presents, such as pajama, ear rings, lip stick, perfume, pen and so on. Beside this stock, everybody also was also given another two or even more presents like shoes, watch, clothes and other useful stuff. What I loved most in the presents I got is a Christmas Snow Ball given by Nicki’s mom. She said that was my first real Christmas, and this ball was a souvenir making me to remember it forever. After we all got presents from Nicki’s parents, it was time to give parents gifts. After the exchange of the Christmas gifts, we took lots of photos together. We spent 4 hours in Nicki’s Mom’s house, then we drove back to home at around 9 pm. Celebrating Christmas with Nicki’s family is a part of the whole process until the end of the 25th December.

　　Nicki and Jeremy went to work as usual on 23rd and 24th, but they bought a lot of presents during these two days. I helped Nicki to wrap all gifts in the night on 24th. And in the morning of 25th, we three went to the Nicki’s grandparent’s house for Christmas first in the morning, we met all Nicki’s cousins there. Everyone brought some foods and helped with the lunch. After we had lunch there and exchanged gifts, then we went back to the house rented by Nicki and Jeremy in the afternoon, cause Jeremy’s mom and sister came to their house for Christmas. After we had food together and exchanged the gifts, then we drove to Nicki’s father’s house for Christmas too. We stayed there for more than 3 hours and chatted a lot, finally we made our way home at 10pm. It was really an excited and also exhausted day that I spent.

　　From what I experienced in USA, I come to conclude that Christmas is just like the Spring Festival in China. They are both a festival for family members getting united and having a wonderful time together. The difference is that western people give gifts while Chinese prefer money which is covered in red letter. I had a meaningful Christmas which I can not forget forever, and one day, I am going to go back and meet my American family again.