Christmas Traditions in UK

Christmas traditions
In the UK
Marin Felicia
Josan Alexandra
 Most villages, towns and cities are
decorated with Christmas lights over
Christmas. Often a famous person
The Christmas switches them on. The most famous
Christmas lights in the UK are in Oxford
lights Street in London. Every year they get
bigger and better. Thousands of people
go to watch the big 'switch on' around the
beginning of November.
 Children write letters to Father
Christmas/Santa listing 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/Santa reads the
smoke.
This Photo by Unknown author is licensed under CC BY.

 In the UK, the main Christmas Meal is usually eaten
at lunchtime or early afternoon on Christmas Day.
It's normally roast turkey, roast vegetables and 'all
the trimmings' which means vegetables like carrots
& peas, stuffing and sometimes bacon and sausages.
It's often served with cranberry sauce and bread
sauce. Traditionally, and before turkey was
available, roast beef or goose was the main
Christmas meal. One vegetable that is often at
Christmas in the UK are brussel sprouts
 Dessert is often Christmas Pudding. Mince pies and lots of chocolates are often
eaten as well!
 Trifle is also a popular dessert at Christmas. It's made in a large bowl and consists
of a layer of sponge cake (or sponge fingers) at the bottom of the bowl (which is
often soaked in sherry or brandy) then there's a layer of fruit (normally suspended
in a fruit flavored jelly) and it's topped with a layer of custard and then whipped
cream. In Scotland there's a variation called 'Tipsy Laird' which uses whiskey to
soak the sponge and the fruit are raspberries.
 The dinner table is decorated with a Christmas Cracker for each person and
sometimes flowers and candles.
 The UK is also famous for Christmas Cake - some people love it and some people
really don't like it! It's traditionally a rich fruit cake covered with marzipan and
icing - and often top with Christmas themed cake decorations like a spring of
holly.
 The cracker is a paper tube, covered in foil, twisted at
both ends. It’s shaped like a large sweet with hidden
treasures inside. Each person crosses their arms, using
Crackers their right hand to hold their cracker, and pulling their
neighbor’s cracker with their left. POP! The cracker will
make a bit of a bang with the contents spilling out which
usually is a joke to be read at the dinner table, a small
trinket and a paper crown.
 Everyone is a king on Christmas! The paper crowns are made of tissue paper and unfold
into an actual crown. Adults and children alike don the crown making it a colorful sight.
The paper hat was added to the crackers in the early 1900s and the tradition has carried on.
Tea
 Christmas tea usually rolls around 6pm and it is

round two of a sit down with family and treats.
Pretty much, any proper English event involves
tea. Mince pies or sausage rolls might accompany
the tea party.
 It just wouldn't be Christmas without our beloved Queen delivering her Christmas message.
The Queen's speech often focuses on the moments that have defined the nation's year, as
well as personal events in her own year. The Queen's speech is a moment that many
families look forward to each year. The tradition was started off by Queen Elizabeth II's
grandfather, King George V, in 1931, and the ritual has been observed every year since
then. The Queen has been delivering the yearly message since 1952, at the very start of her
reign.
 In North Derbyshire and South Yorkshire (in the north of
England), some very special carol singing, called 'The Sheffield
Carols', happens in some pubs during the weeks leading up to
Christmas (the traditional day for sorting the carol singing is
Armistice Sunday near the middle of November). The pubs are
often rural and out on the hills in that part of England. The carols
are often very local ones and the same carol often varies from pub
to pub. Not all the carols are ones about the Christmas story. The
pubs are often packed, especially the nearer it is to Christmas. The
singing can be lead/accompanied by local folk musicians, an organ
in the pub or sometimes the singing is un-accompanied.
THANK YOU!
Have a wonderful
Christmas!

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Christmas traditions

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 Christmas tea usually rolls around 6pm and it is

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