On Christmas Eve, everything is hurried and busy. Offices and public buildings close at one o'clock, but the shops stay open later. Most big cites, especially London, are decorated with colored lights across the streets and enormous Christmas trees. The trains, and buses are crowded with people traveling from all parts of the country to be at home for Christmas. In the homes, there is a great air of expectation. The children are also decorating the house with colored lights. Christmas cards - with the words "Merry Christmas to You" or "Wishing You a Merry Christmas and Prosperous New Year", or "With the Compliments of the Season", etc. - are arranged on shelves, tables, and sometimes hung around the walls. Mean while, the housewife is probably busy in the kitchen getting things ready for the next day's dinner. The Christmas turkey is being prepared, the pudding is inspected and the cake is got out of its tin. In small towns and villages, one may still see carol-singers who come and stand in front of the house and sing or play Christmas carols. They collect money in a Christmas box. The money collected is to help old people. l. The shops close at one o'clock on Christmas Eve. 2. Colored lights are decorated across streets in big cities. 3. People expect to be at home on Christmas Eve. 4. Trains and buses are almost empty on Christmas Eve. 5. Colored lights are also decorated at homes.