14/12/2017 Newsround

Good morning, I'm Hayley and this

is Newsround on Thursday morning.

Now, it's almost Christmas,

but did you know a couple

of hundred years ago,

Christmas wasn't really

celebrated that much at all?

Can you imagine that?!

But then, all of that changed.

I love Christmas, and I hear

it was actually the Victorians

who are responsible for some

of the things that I enjoy

during the festive period.

So I've come to this Victorian town

to find out what some

of those things are.

Now, one thing I love

about Christmas is sending cards.

So let's find out more about that.

So, tell me, who's going to be

sending Christmas cards this year?

Me!

What are we doing here?

We are here in the Victorian print

shop, because it was the Victorians

that invented Christmas cards.

The first card was invented in 1843

by a man called Sir Henry Cole,

then invented stamps as well.

The Victorians sent

a lot of Christmas cards

because during Victorian times,

more and more children went

to school and learnt to read

and write, and that meant that

people wanted to send more mail,

especially at Christmas.

So, we have Victorians to thank

for Christmas cards.

Next stop, a sweet shop for

the history of Christmas crackers.

I love crackers!

We are here in a sweet shop,

and we are here because a Victorian

invented Christmas crackers.

He saw sweets in Paris wrapped

in paper, and he brought

this back to Britain.

When did they make them?

He made them in the 1840s,

so around 170 years ago.

In the Victorian

times, did they bang?

They did, it wasn't added

until a little bit later,

but apparently the man who invented

Christmas crackers was sat next

to a fire and he heard a log

crackle, and he thought let's add

that snapping sound to a cracker.

Well, that's cracking, isn't it!

Bad pun!

I thought that joke was good

enough to go in a cracker?

Anyway, last stop, one of my

favourite things about Christmas.

The tree.

Look how Christmassy

it looks in here.

You've got these guys

decorating the Christmas tree.

Looking good!

You guys carry on.

Why are the Victorian times

so important when it comes to having

a Christmas tree in your house?

Well, it was the Victorians

who really brought the tradition

of Christmas trees to Britain,

and it was actually

Queen Victoria's German husband

Prince Albert who brought this

tradition over with him.

He had had a Christmas tree

as a boy living in Germany,

so he brought this over with him

and really popularised it.

Everyone saw it and thought

yes, I want a tree too.

Well, this tree is looking amazing!

There's only one thing left

to do then, isn't there?

ALL TOGETHER: Merry

Christmas Newsround!

Next, I'm sure your family's got

lots of their own Christmas

traditions, like we always get

new pyjamas on Christmas

eve and make a nativity

scene in the front room.

But what if celebrating Christmas

here in the UK was new to you?

We've been to meet some refugees

who had to leave their home country

of Syria because of the war there.

This is just the second time they're

trying out Christmas,

so what are they looking forward to?

Hello, my name is Amina.

I'm Muhammed.

I'm Amna.

We are all from Syria.

Last year we came in the UK,

and experienced Christmas

for the first time.

Last Christmas I had

a Christmas dinner and I tasted

turkeys, and it was nice.

My favourite thing about Christmas

is the tree and Father Christmas.

The old people play with the younger

people, they give them a present.

I'm happy when people

give me Christmas cards,

because I didn't get it before.

This Christmas I look forward

to hanging out with my friend.

I'm looking forward to decorating

the Christmas tree.

Be happy in your Christmas

and enjoy with your family,

and I want everything to be peace.

ALL TOGETHER:

Merry Christmas!

Next, lots of you probably bring

in a Christmas present

for your teacher on the last day

before the holidays.

But some kids in Falkirk in Scotland

have been told not to,

because the local council says it's

no longer allowed.

The council say they've

decided this because not

all families have the money,

or want to buy

presents for teachers.

But some kids and parents

aren't happy about it.

And, we want you to get in touch

and tell us if you think buying

teachers Christmas presents

is a good idea or not.

Head online to let us know.

That's all from me for now,

but I'm back with more top stories

in just over half an hour.

Make sure you check out the website

for all the other news today and

I'll see you in a bit!

Bye!