Christmas in Great BritainBy Sarah Vallis

The Countdown to Christmas

• In Great Britain: Shops can start selling Christmas items from August. This year Harrods opened its festive shop on the 26th July!

• In the USA: Christmas shopping officially starts the day after Thanksgiving, known as ‘Black Friday’. However, shops can start selling items from September.

The Countdown to Christmas

• People put up Christmas decorations and the Christmas tree on the 1st of December and take them down 12 days after Christmas day.

• During the month of December people have a chocolate advent calendar which counts down the days until Christmas with a different chocolate every day.

Christmas Performances in the UK

• Pantomime shows are traditionally performed from mid December until January. Pantomimes are well-known fairy tales that have been adapted to be humourous.

• Children perform the Nativity Play at schools which recounts the birth of Jesus.

• In the USA they show the Nativity Play in church, not in school.

On Christmas Eve

Children….• Write a letter to Father Christmas

• Leave a Carrot for the Reindeer to eat

• Leave milk and cookies for Father Christmas

• Hang up their stockings

Christmas Day Routine in the UK

• In the morning, all of the family open their presents.• The family then all eat Christmas dinner together – the

biggest meal of the year!• At 3pm most people watch the Queen’s speech where the

Queen talks about the years major events and gives her personal feelings. It is broadcast throughout the Commonwealth countries.

• For dinner people eat the leftovers of lunch.

Christmas Dinner

Turkey

Gravy

Cranberry and Bread Sauce

Roast Potatoes

Carrots and Parsnips

Brussel Sprouts

Chestnut StuffingPigs in Blankets

UK Tradition: Christmas Cracker

Before you can eat your meal everybody must pull a Christmas cracker.

Inside the cracker there is usually a paper crown, a joke, and a small toy.

Whoever is left with the larger portion of cracker can keep the gifts.

Other Christmas Food

Christmas Pudding

Christmas Cake

Mince Pies

Other American Christmas Food

Pumpkin Pie

Pecan Pie

Eggnog

26th December – Boxing Day

• Boxing day is a national holiday and another day to spend with family.

• Traditionally, it was a day off for servants when they received a ‘Christmas Box’ from the master. The servants would also go home to give ‘Christmas Boxes’ to their families.

• Nowadays, it is an important day for sport. Horse racing is particularly popular with meets all over the country. Many of the best football teams play on Boxing Day.

• It is also a day for shopping because it is when the sales start.

Thank you!