Decorating with Christmas Ornaments

Read the text. Four sentences were moved from it. Choose from the sentences A – D the one which fits each gap (1-4).

A. The invention of plastic in the mid 1900’s created new Christmas tree decorations.

B. They are ornamental by nature and lend beauty or attractiveness to the Christmas trees.

C. Later decorations included painted eggshells, cookies, and candies.

D. Other materials being used today are glass, metal, clay, wood, ceramics, and paper.

To decorate a tree with ornaments is an adornment. __1__  German families adopted the custom of decorating a wooden pyramid with greenery and other objects in place of the Paradise Tree. In 1605 a Christmas tree in Strasbourg was brought indoors and decorated with paper roses, wafers, nuts, lighted candles, and sweets on trees. __2__  Until the mid 1800’s Christmas trees were decorated with edibles such as cookies, raisins, nuts, and pretzels. The tops of Christmas trees held flags, angels or stars. By the 19th century toys, bells, garlands and paper ornament decorations were being included as decorations.   __3__   Character ornaments depicting all walks of life, cartoon characters, angel ornaments, and an endless array of character ornaments are produced with injection molding. No other ornament medium to date has had such an impact on the variety, style, cost, and quality of ornaments as the injection molding process. __4__

Many people that buy and collect unique Christmas tree ornaments find special meaning in their keepsake ornaments. Hanging the holiday ornaments with family and friends invites us to tell stories of the decorations as they are hung and passes down to future generations our Christmas traditions and history.

Fill in the correct word from the list.

character, top, decorate, hanging, indoors, keepsake, pyramid, future, depicting, impact.

  1. _____________ a tree with ornaments
  2. wooden _____________
  3. was brought _____________
  4. the _____________ of Christmas trees
  5. _____________ all walks of life
  6. _____________ ornaments
  7. an _____________ on the variety
  8. special meaning in their _____________
  9. _____________the holiday ornaments
  10. passes down to _____________ generations

Decide whether the following statements are true or false.

  1. In 1605 people brought a Christmas tree indoors. __
  2. Until the mid 1800’s Christmas trees were decorated with edibles. __
  3. By the 18th century paper ornament decorations were included as decorations. __
  4. People produced character ornaments with injection molding. __
  5. Not many people buy and collect Christmas tree ornaments. __
  6. People hang the ornaments with family and friends. __
  7. Christmas tree ornaments pass down to future generations. __

What are your favourite Christmas ornaments? Tell when and how you decorate your Christmas Tree.