Christmas in England

There’s something different and special about an English Christmas. I can’t quite put my finger on it. Perhaps it’s just the colder weather or something. But the British really do get into the festive spirit more so than I’ve ever seen the Americans do.

Of course, the Brits undoubtedly drink a lot more than the Americans, and drinking and partying is very much a part of the British Christmas celebrations. The parties tend to start around the first of December and continue throughout the entire month. Every day is a reason to celebrate. And drinking during working hours and at lunch is so commonplace that it is not frowned upon and in fact is encouraged. It’s bizarre.

Most of the Christmas traditions celebrated in America today come from England: Christmas cards, Christmas decorations and Christmas carols, to name a few. Other traditions didn’t quite make their way to the US, such as pantomimes (song and dance dramatizations of well-known fairy tales which encourage audience participation), Christmas crackers, and of course the Queen’s Christmas Message to the nation, broadcast on radio and TV.

Strangely enough, there is one tradition the Brits got from the Americans – the Christmas turkey! Before turkey was introduced to the UK from America, the Brits would celebrate Christmas dinner with a goose. Goose is still widely eaten, but not as much so as turkey. The dinner is traditionally served with roast potatoes, vegetables, and stuffing with gravy. This is usually followed by mince pies and Christmas pudding (a rich fruit cake) served with a brandy sauce or cream.

Christmas Crackers have been a part of traditional British Christmas since 1847. They are used to decorate dinner tables and are brightly-colored paper tubes, twisted at both ends, containing a paper party hat, riddle, and a small toy or trinket. When pulled by two people, the cracker pops open, making a loud cracking sound, as the contents spill out over the table.

The day after Christmas is known in Britain as Boxing Day and is a national holiday. The name is derived from a former tradition of giving a Christmas box (a gift of money or food) to the local poor people and to service people (milkman, postman, etc.). Regardless of where it comes from, it sure is nice to have an extra day off work at Christmas time.