Travelling into foreign cultures - Christmas in the UK

Christmas in the United Kingdom

Most families have a Christmas Tree in their house for Christmas.

Christmas Trees were first popularised in the UK by Prince Albert, the husband of Queen Victoria. Prince Albert was German and thought that it would be good to use one of his ways of celebrating Christmas in England.

Holly, Ivy and Mistletoe are also used to decorate homes.

Nativity Plays and Carol Services are also very popular at Christmas time.

Children believe that Father Christmas or Santa Claus leaves presents in stockings or pillow-cases. They are usually hung up by the fire or by the children's beds on Christmas Eve. Children sometimes leave out mince pies and brandy or milk for Father Christmas when he visits them.

Children write letters to Father Christmas with their requests, but sometimes instead of putting them in the post, the letters are tossed into the fireplace. The draught carries the letters up the chimney and Father Christmas reads the smoke.

Boxing Day is a very old custom that started in the UK and is now taken as a holiday in many countries around the world.
Boxing Day in the United Kingdom is the day after Christmas Day, December 26th. Traditionally, it was a day when employers distributed money, food, clothes or other goods to their employees. In modern times, it is an important day for sporting events and the start of the post-Christmas sales.

In the UK, the main Christmas Meal is usually eaten at lunchtime or early afternoon on Christmas Day. It was traditionally roast beef or goose, although it's common to have turkey, roast vegetables and 'all the trimmings' which means stuffing and sometimes bacon and sausages.