Christmas in the UK

Save to My Favourites

December comes, and children begin to get excited because of Christmas. About 2,000 years ago Jesus was born in the town of Bethlehem. At Christmas people remember that special time. Today Christmas is a very important time in the Christian year, but it is also very important to people who do not go to church. It is a time for presents, parties and time with the family. People start to get ready for Christmas in late October or early November. They decorate their shops with lights, trees and other decorations. Shops get very busy and stay open later. In the middle of December most families buy Christmas trees, put them inside the house and put colourful decorations on them. They also send cards to friends and family. The cards say things like “Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year” or “Season’s Greetings”.

Many children learn about the baby Jesus at school. Sometimes they do a play about the story and sing Christmas songs called carols for their mothers and fathers. A lot of schools have parties for the children, and many adults have parties at work in December. Most people do not have to work on the 25th and the 26th of December, and many have a week’s holiday from the 25th of December to the 1st of January. They usually spend this time at home with their family, or perhaps they visit friends or family who live far away. The Christmas holiday begins on the 24th of December, Christmas Eve. People often finish their Christmas shopping. They put special Christmas paper on the presents and leave them under the tree. Children leave a stocking for Santa Claus, called Father Christmas in Britain, when they go to bed. Santa is a big man with white hair and red clothes who brings presents for children during the night. Mothers and fathers tell their children that Santa only comes when they are sleeping. They also tell them that Santa leaves presents for good children, but for bad children he only leaves a piece of black coal. Some children leave a drink and a mince pie for Santa, and some vegetables for his animals.

Many people go to church at midnight on Christmas Eve. They listen to the Christmas story and sing carols. Next morning it is Christmas Day, the 25th of December. Children usually wake up very early. They look in their stockings to see the presents that Santa put there for them. After breakfast they open their other presents around the tree. Christmas dinner is in the afternoon and is the biggest meal of the day. Before they start to eat, people pull crackers. The crackers make a loud noise and have a small game and a paper hat inside. Dinner is usually turkey with lots of winter vegetables, and then a Christmas pudding. Often there are hot mince pies too.

The 26th of December is called Boxing Day. It is a holiday for many people, but a lot of shops open on this day. In the 19th century rich people gave boxes of presents to their workers on Boxing Day. Now people enjoy eating, drinking and watching television at home, or going out to watch some sport. Another British Christmas tradition is the pantomime. A pantomime is a kind of play with a children’s story, like Cinderella or Aladdin, and lots of music and songs. There is usually a man who wears women’s clothes and plays an old woman. She is not very beautiful, but she is usually very funny. Children like pantomimes because they can laugh, sing, shout and make lots of noise. They often go with their school or family. The Christmas season ends on the 12th day after the 25th of December, which is the 6th of January.