CRI听力:Christmas Preparations Underway

Christian families in Gaza are waiting to see if they will be allowed to travel and be reunited with their family members for Christmas.

"First of all, the celebration of the nativity is a big thing for us, not just because this is Jesus' birthday but also it is the time I see the people closest to my heart. I hope that they will get the permits and be able to come here from Gaza. It is not fair that they are only allowed to come at Christmas."

Currently, there are around three thousand Christians living in Gaza.

They need to receive special permits from Israel to leave the region.

Around the world, in the Finish community of Rovaniemi, purportedly home to Santa's village, the last presents are said to be being packed as Santa Claus makes his final preparations ahead of his long journey around the globe delivering presents to children.

Each year, thousands of letters arrive in Santa's post office.

Last year, most of the letters were sent from Italy, followed by the United Kingdom, Poland and China.

Meanwhile, in Paris, last minute shoppers are racing to fill their Christmas shopping lists.

Over the weekend, customers flocked to department stores, such as Galeries Lafayette, which saw its total number of visitors surge to 200-thousand a day.

"People pay more attention to what they are buying and they really want to get something they will enjoy so we're being more vocal about exactly what we want. There's less of that Christmas magic, the surprise of discovering what others got you, but you are happy to receive something you really enjoy."

Amid the shopping frenzy, in the UK, heavy rains and strong winds have disrupted road and rail travel as people there head into the Christmas break.

A severe ice storm also affected hundreds of thousands of households in Canada and the northern U.S., where many may face a Christmas without electricity.

Around 400-thousand in eastern Canada and 280-thousand in the US state of Michigan are currently without power.

Authorities in Michigan are warning it could be the end of the week before power is eventually restored.

For CRI, I'm Lucy Du.