Christmas Traditions
These days, many argue that Christmas has lost it's original meaning and has become too commercialised and focused on gifts, money and partying. Yet there are some long-standing Christmas traditions that remain strong, even in these days of online shopping and last minute spending.
In the UK, Christmas shopping begins early - the shops often start stocking Christmas items early in Autumn, and, once halloween and Guy Fawkes are out of the way, all the shops and supermarkets really ramp up their efforts and Christmas shopping mania really begins! (Of course when it comes to shopping for Christmas gifts, there's no reason why you can't shop for Christmas all year round - just keep an eye out for suitable gifts throughout the year and have a special cupboard, box, or space in the attic to store everything ready for Christmas!)
Christmas shopping aside, Brits get busy preparing Christmas puddings and cakes many weeks before Christmas, as well as ordering the turkey!
Preparations for school nativity plays and Christmas fayres and fetes begins in the autumn term and often the main event is played out in late November or early December.
November is also a good time to start thinking about Christmas cards - particularly if you have relatives or friends overseas. It'also a good time for children to consider writing a letter to Santa Claus - here the child can say which presents they would really like for Christmas this year and declare that they have been a good boy or girl!
Decorating the home with festive trimmings usually comes later - mid-December seems to be the most popular time, although there are always some people who like to get their Christmas decorations sorted by the start of December - including tonnes of outdoor lights and novelties!
Closer to Christmas itself, on Christmas Eve it is traditional in the Uk for children to hang up their stockings - so that Father Christmas can leave them a little something. Often, a mince pie and drink are left for Santa too - and even a carrot for Rudulf and his colleagues! Meanwhile, preparations for Christmas lunch begin - vegetables peeled and prepared, turkey prepared for a long slow roast in the oven ahead of the big meal on Christmas day.
On Christmas morning, the celebrations normally begin with the family opening gifts and sharing Christmas greetings.
Christmas lunch is usually served at lunchtime and is a chance to show off all the family's best crockery, glasses and tableware. Often the dinner table features festive decorations or centrepieces with candles. Each Christmas lunch guest usually receives a Christmas cracker which can be pulled with fellow guests. Christmas crackers normally contain a small gift, a party hat and a bad joke!
Another Great British Christmas tradition occurs mid-afternoon when families sit down to watch The Queen's Speech - a long standing tradition where the British Monarch addresses the nation.
Other Christmas traditions popular in the UK, old and new include the hanging of mistletoe for romantic Christmas kisses, watching classic film 'The Great Escape' on TV, secret santa gift schemes, office parties, and, for the very lucky, perhaps even a holiday in the sun to see in the new year!
