English Christmas Traditions

In a country where tradition is still very much a part of everyday life, it is hardly a surprise that the holidays are celebrated in age-old ways. English people are notoriously fond of old customs and habits - and this becomes clear when you look at the enthusiastic way in which they celebrate Christmas.

The Christmas craze begins a few weeks before the actual holiday, when Christmas cards are sent off to relatives, friends, loved ones and business contacts. According to the history books this particular tradition dates back to 1840, and it hasn't ceased to increase in popularity ever since. Every year more than one billion (!) Christmas cards are sent in Great Britain - December is decidedly not the easiest month to be a postman in the UK.

Merry Donkey

Another eagerly awaited event in the run-up to Christmas Eve is the nativity play: each year hundreds of thousands of school kids act out the story from the Bible about the birth of Christ. They dress up as Joseph, Mary, Jesus and the three Wise Men - and the unlucky children get to don ox and donkey costumes. Equally popular are the pantomimes: they are cheerful musical interpretations of classic fairy tales that are performed by professional or amateur actors - and the audience: crowd participation is a big part of pantomime fun.

The Christmas tree tradition may have originated in Germany, but it is very popular in England, too. Legend has it that the first Christmas tree in England was the one Prince Albert, the spouse of then-ruling Queen Victoria, placed in their royal home in Buckingham Palace. There are lots of trees in public places as well, the most famous being the huge (and beautifully decorated) one in Trafalgar Square.

Kissmass

And the English don't stop at pine trees: holly and mistletoe are equally essential natural Christmas decorations. Mistletoe's popularity obviously has something to do with the custom of kissing the person with whom you stand underneath it - a tradition that allegedly dates back to ancient Roman times, when enemies who met under it were said to have to give up their rivalries.

Christmas food in England is pretty straightforward: Christmas dinner is usually a huge stuffed and roasted bird (usually a turkey), served with roast potatoes and followed by mince pies. The highlight of the meal is the Christmas pudding, which is typically doused in brandy and set alight. Those who can still move after all that rich food can indulge in a piece of Christmas cake, a sugar coated fruit cake with loads of marzipan.

The most original English Christmas tradition, however, is the Christmas cracker: the popular small paper tubes with little gifts inside were invented by a baker from London in the mid 19th century and have gone on to conquer the world. It is traditionally opened by two people who each pull on one end of the cracker untill it, well, cracks. Merry Christmas!