Christmas traditions in the UK. Lyceum SSTU 11 "D" Borodich Inessa

Christmas. Christmas is celebrated on the 25th of December as a religious and cultural day among billions of people all over the world. The whole British family comes together to celebrate it.

Christmas decorations. Most villages, towns and cities are decorated with Christmas lights before Christmas. There is a tradition that a famous person switches the lights on.

Christmas decorations. The most famous Christmas lights in the UK are in Oxford Street in London. Every year they get bigger and better. Thousands of people go to watch the big 'switch on' at the beginning of November.

Christmas decorations in London.

Christmas Decorations. British people always decorate their houses not only inside, but outside. Walking across the streets in the UK you will see Christmas wreaths on the doors. This is the tradition that came from the 16th century.

Popular Christmas dishes. Christmas pudding is a type of pudding traditionally served as part of Christmas dinner in Britain, Ireland and some other countries where it has been brought by British emigrants. It has its origins in medieval England, and is sometimes known as plum pudding or just "pud“.

Popular Christmas dishes. A mince pie is a fruit-based mincemeat sweet pie of British origin that is traditionally served during Christmas season. Its ingredients are traceable to the 13th century, when returning European crusaders brought with them Middle East recipes containing meats, fruits and spices.

Christmas Eve. Night time on Christmas Eve though is a very exciting time for young children. It is the time when Santa or Father Christmas comes. They hang up their stockings and go to sleep. Santa and his elves make all the toys for Christmas in his home in Greenland. On Christmas Eve he piles all of the toys onto his sleigh and rides across the sky with his 9 reindeer (Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner (or it may be Donder), Blitzen and of course... Rudolf!). The most famous one is Rudolf who is always the one at the front, to lead the way with his red nose. In the morning when children wake up they open their stocking presents.

British Christmas dinner. It is the traditional to eat Christmas goose, which people are still cooking. Ducks are popular too, but roasted turkey served with stuffing is the most popular dish. And then a bunch of vegetables, most commonly carrots (sliced and boiled), parsnips (sliced and roasted), turnip/swede (mashed), and dreaded sprouts as well.

The Legend of a Christmas Stocking. A Christmas stocking is an empty sock or sock-shaped bag that is hung on Christmas Eve so that Father Christmas can fill it with small toys, candies, fruits, coins or other small gifts when he arrives. The British hang it on the mantelpiece and in the morning on Christmas day they go to see all the presents.

The Legend of a Christmas Stocking. Very long ago, there lived a poor man and his three very beautiful daughters. He had no money to get his daughters married, and he was worried what would happen to them after his death. Saint Nicholas was passing by when he heard the villagers talking about the girls. St. Nicholas wanted to help, but he knew that the old man wouldn't accept his charity. He decided to help in secret.

The Legend of a Christmas Stocking. When it became dark he threw three bags of gold through an open window, one landed in a stocking. When the girls and their father woke up the next morning they found the bags of gold and were greately surprised. The girls got married and lived happily. Other versions of the story tell us that Saint Nicholas threw three bags of gold directly into the stockings which were hanging by the fireplace to get dried.

Boxing day. The 26 th of December is a Boxing Day. Traditionally boys from the shops asked for money at Christmas. They took boxes of wood with them. At each house people gave them money. So, the name comes from boys’ wooden boxes. Boxing day is an extra holiday after Christmas day.

Merry Christmas to you!!!