1. CHRISTMAS GREETING FROM HUNGARY

2. SzentesteIn Hungary, Christmas Eve is veryimportant and is called Szent-estewhich means Holy Evening.

3. Christmas treePeople spend the evening with their family anddecorate the Christmas Tree. Sometimes only theadults decorate the tree (without the childrenthere), so when children come in and see the tree,its a great surprise and they are told that angelsbrought the tree for them.

4. Christmas mealThe main Christmas meal, which is also eatenon Christmas eve, consists of fish and stuffedcabbage and a special kind of poppybread/cake called Beigli.

5. Midnight massThe Midnight Mass service is verypopular in Hungary. Most people go toChurch after their Christmas meal.

6. The other daysOn the first and second days ofChristmas people visit their closefamily.

7. MikulsSt Nicholas also visits Hungary on the 6th December.In Hungary he is known as Mikuls. Children leaveout shoes or boots on a windowsill to be filled withgoodies! Presents might also be brought by Tlap(Old Man Winter).

8. Famous Hungarian song at Christmas Kiskarcsony, nagykarcsony, kislt-e mr a kalcsom? Ha kislt mr, ide vle, Hadd egyem meg melegbe! Jaj, de szp a karcsonyfa! Ragyog rajta a sok gyertya! Itt egy szp knyv ott, egy labda! Jaj, de szp a karcsonyfa! Bke szlljon minden hzra, Kis csaldra, nagy csaldra! Karcsonyfa fenyga, Hintsl bkt a vilgra! Kis fenyfa, nagy fenyfa, kislt-e mr a malacka? Ha kislt mr, ide vle, Hadd egyem meg melegbe!

9. Every time a hand reaches out To help another... that is Christmas. Every time someone puts anger aside And strives for understanding That is Christmas. Every time people forget their differences And realize their love for each other That is Christmas. May this Christmas bring usCloser to the spirit of human understanding Closer to the blessing of peace!

10. We would like to wish a MerryChristmas and a Happy New Year for all of our friends in Poland, in Italy and in Catalonia: Your Hungarian friends from OMK Simon Istvn Street Primary School