0:00:12 > 0:00:16Good morning, I'm Hayley and this is Newsround on Thursday morning.
0:00:16 > 0:00:18Now, it's almost Christmas, but did you know a couple
0:00:18 > 0:00:20of hundred years ago, Christmas wasn't really
0:00:20 > 0:00:22celebrated that much at all?
0:00:22 > 0:00:24Can you imagine that?!
0:00:24 > 0:00:28But then, all of that changed.
0:00:28 > 0:00:31I love Christmas, and I hear it was actually the Victorians
0:00:31 > 0:00:34who are responsible for some of the things that I enjoy
0:00:34 > 0:00:36during the festive period.
0:00:36 > 0:00:39So I've come to this Victorian town to find out what some
0:00:39 > 0:00:41of those things are.
0:00:41 > 0:00:44Now, one thing I love about Christmas is sending cards.
0:00:44 > 0:00:46So let's find out more about that.
0:00:46 > 0:00:49So, tell me, who's going to be sending Christmas cards this year?
0:00:49 > 0:00:51Me!
0:00:51 > 0:00:52What are we doing here?
0:00:52 > 0:00:55We are here in the Victorian print shop, because it was the Victorians
0:00:55 > 0:00:58that invented Christmas cards.
0:00:58 > 0:01:04The first card was invented in 1843 by a man called Sir Henry Cole,
0:01:04 > 0:01:06then invented stamps as well.
0:01:06 > 0:01:09The Victorians sent a lot of Christmas cards
0:01:09 > 0:01:14because during Victorian times, more and more children went
0:01:14 > 0:01:17to school and learnt to read and write, and that meant that
0:01:17 > 0:01:19people wanted to send more mail, especially at Christmas.
0:01:19 > 0:01:21So, we have Victorians to thank for Christmas cards.
0:01:21 > 0:01:25Next stop, a sweet shop for the history of Christmas crackers.
0:01:25 > 0:01:28I love crackers!
0:01:28 > 0:01:32We are here in a sweet shop, and we are here because a Victorian
0:01:32 > 0:01:33invented Christmas crackers.
0:01:33 > 0:01:35He saw sweets in Paris wrapped in paper, and he brought
0:01:35 > 0:01:36this back to Britain.
0:01:36 > 0:01:38When did they make them?
0:01:38 > 0:01:41He made them in the 1840s, so around 170 years ago.
0:01:41 > 0:01:45In the Victorian times, did they bang?
0:01:45 > 0:01:48They did, it wasn't added until a little bit later,
0:01:48 > 0:01:51but apparently the man who invented Christmas crackers was sat next
0:01:51 > 0:01:54to a fire and he heard a log crackle, and he thought let's add
0:01:54 > 0:01:57that snapping sound to a cracker.
0:01:57 > 0:01:58Well, that's cracking, isn't it!
0:01:58 > 0:02:01Bad pun!
0:02:01 > 0:02:05I thought that joke was good enough to go in a cracker?
0:02:05 > 0:02:07Anyway, last stop, one of my favourite things about Christmas.
0:02:07 > 0:02:09The tree.
0:02:09 > 0:02:11Look how Christmassy it looks in here.
0:02:11 > 0:02:13You've got these guys decorating the Christmas tree.
0:02:13 > 0:02:14Looking good!
0:02:14 > 0:02:16You guys carry on.
0:02:16 > 0:02:19Why are the Victorian times so important when it comes to having
0:02:19 > 0:02:21a Christmas tree in your house?
0:02:21 > 0:02:23Well, it was the Victorians who really brought the tradition
0:02:23 > 0:02:28of Christmas trees to Britain, and it was actually
0:02:28 > 0:02:30Queen Victoria's German husband Prince Albert who brought this
0:02:30 > 0:02:31tradition over with him.
0:02:31 > 0:02:34He had had a Christmas tree as a boy living in Germany,
0:02:34 > 0:02:36so he brought this over with him and really popularised it.
0:02:36 > 0:02:39Everyone saw it and thought yes, I want a tree too.
0:02:39 > 0:02:41Well, this tree is looking amazing!
0:02:41 > 0:02:44There's only one thing left to do then, isn't there?
0:02:44 > 0:02:50ALL TOGETHER: Merry Christmas Newsround!
0:02:50 > 0:02:53Next, I'm sure your family's got lots of their own Christmas
0:02:53 > 0:02:56traditions, like we always get new pyjamas on Christmas
0:02:56 > 0:02:59eve and make a nativity scene in the front room.
0:02:59 > 0:03:03But what if celebrating Christmas here in the UK was new to you?
0:03:03 > 0:03:06We've been to meet some refugees who had to leave their home country
0:03:06 > 0:03:08of Syria because of the war there.
0:03:08 > 0:03:11This is just the second time they're trying out Christmas,
0:03:11 > 0:03:14so what are they looking forward to?
0:03:14 > 0:03:15Hello, my name is Amina.
0:03:15 > 0:03:16I'm Muhammed.
0:03:16 > 0:03:17I'm Amna.
0:03:17 > 0:03:18We are all from Syria.
0:03:18 > 0:03:21Last year we came in the UK, and experienced Christmas
0:03:21 > 0:03:24for the first time.
0:03:24 > 0:03:26Last Christmas I had a Christmas dinner and I tasted
0:03:26 > 0:03:31turkeys, and it was nice.
0:03:31 > 0:03:37My favourite thing about Christmas is the tree and Father Christmas.
0:03:37 > 0:03:42The old people play with the younger people, they give them a present.
0:03:42 > 0:03:44I'm happy when people give me Christmas cards,
0:03:44 > 0:03:47because I didn't get it before.
0:03:47 > 0:03:51This Christmas I look forward to hanging out with my friend.
0:03:51 > 0:03:56I'm looking forward to decorating the Christmas tree.
0:03:56 > 0:03:59Be happy in your Christmas and enjoy with your family,
0:03:59 > 0:04:04and I want everything to be peace.
0:04:04 > 0:04:07ALL TOGETHER:Merry Christmas!
0:04:07 > 0:04:10Next, lots of you probably bring in a Christmas present
0:04:10 > 0:04:12for your teacher on the last day before the holidays.
0:04:12 > 0:04:15But some kids in Falkirk in Scotland have been told not to,
0:04:15 > 0:04:19because the local council says it's no longer allowed.
0:04:19 > 0:04:22The council say they've decided this because not
0:04:22 > 0:04:24all families have the money, or want to buy
0:04:24 > 0:04:25presents for teachers.
0:04:25 > 0:04:31But some kids and parents aren't happy about it.
0:04:31 > 0:04:34And, we want you to get in touch and tell us if you think buying
0:04:34 > 0:04:37teachers Christmas presents is a good idea or not.
0:04:37 > 0:04:40Head online to let us know.
0:04:40 > 0:04:43That's all from me for now, but I'm back with more top stories
0:04:43 > 0:04:47in just over half an hour.
0:04:47 > 0:04:51Make sure you check out the website for all the other news today and
0:04:51 > 0:04:53I'll see you in a bit!
0:04:53 > 0:04:58Bye!