Christmas in Germany In the Bavarian Alps, Christmas Shooting is a tradition that dates back many hundreds of years. In southern Germany, too, at Christmas time the so-called Berchtenrunners are part of the traditional scene. Named for Frau Berchta, who in old German folklore made the fruit of the fields grow, these runners today wear frightening masks. Carrying chains, brooms and pickaxes, they go from farm to farm asking for little presents in payment for Berchta’ s services. Canadian Christmas The most spectacular creation is the Santa Claus parade. The parade consists of a series of house—drawn floats, each one to the elaborate portrayal of some scene from story book or fairy tale, such as "Snow White and Seven Dwarfs" or "Red Riding Hood". Fabulously spectacles are created from these characters of fiction and fantasy by the department store window dressing staffs. The high point of the parade occurs when the fairy saint with his eight reindeer hitched to a sleigh winds up the rear in a blaze of glory. Christmas in Switzerland We notice that many homes on Christmas Eve are serenaded by "star singers" as the Swiss call them, from the fact that their leader carries a large white star shining with the light of a candle within. In the Middle Ages, when the custom originated, the "star singers" dressed in costumes representing Joseph, Mary, the shepherds, and the Magi, and the peasants believed that the houses where they stopped to sing would be blessed with happiness and prosperity in the next year. Christmas in Italy Everywhere in Italy, the custom of the Presepio, is faithfully followed. The Presepio is a visual presentation of the Nativity through the use of statues or statuettes representing the Holy Family. In its simplest form it consists of a manager on the straw-covered floor on which rests the crib with the newly born Christ Child. Around the crib one finds Mary and Joseph, one or two shepherds, an ox and a donkey. In doing this, the churches and the homes welcome the birth of the Redeemer and surround it with a sweetly poetic atmosphere. Christmas in Mexico The pinata is a clay pot disguised as a lamb, siren moon ,bull or other appropriate or inappropriate to the occasion. The pinata is then hung from the ceiling. Each guest, after being blindfolded and turned around until dizzy, takes a whack at it with a large stick. If the pinata is hit, it will crack and the goodies will come showering down on the guests and a mad scramble results to retrieve the treasures of the pinata. Now match each of the referred in different countries with the appropriate statement. Note: there are two extra statements. statements [A] a vessel which contains lots of goodies [B] a group of carolers who brought happiness and prosperity [C] an activity held in memory of Frau Berchta [D] a character in fairy tales who wears a red cap

[E] an exhibition of statues representing Christ Child and his Holy family[F] a clown who is made for fun[G] a character who appeared in the Santa Claus parade