Christmas traditions in England include sending Christmas cards in November, decorating homes with holly, ivy, mistletoe and Christmas trees, and baking cakes and puddings for Christmas Day. Families also attend Nativity plays and pantomimes. On Christmas Eve, mince pies and carrots are left out for Santa and his reindeer. A typical Christmas Day involves opening presents, eating a turkey dinner with trimmings, and playing board games. The 12-day Christmas season traditionally ended with New Year's Eve celebrations and sleeping in on New Year's Day before returning to normal routines.

1. Christmas in England

2. Time to write Christmas
cards. Only a hundred to go!
NOVEMBER
...and bake puddings and
cakes for Christmas Day

3. Put up the tree
(Prince Albert brought this tradition from Germany in the Victorian era)
Prepare the advent wreath
(Another recent German tradition)
Decorate the house and church
(use lots of holly, ivy and mistletoe)
DECEMBER 1ST
HOLLY – wards away ghosts and demons (Germanic tradition)
IVY – symbol of Bacchus, Roman god of revelry and feasting
MISTLETOE – has magical healing powers, sacred to the Celts

4. N
A
T
I
V
I
T
Y
P
L
A
Y
Admire yor favorite small person as Mary,
Joseph ...or an ox.

5. Attend one performance of a British Christmastime specialty:
THE PANTO
A stage production where the audience
is as important as the actors and where
there is always at least one man in drag
and one girl dressed as a guy!
Have a look yourself by clicking below...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FnTU6KKYzfs

6. CHRISTMAS CAROLLING
Go Christmas carolling with a group of friends around the
neighbourhood. You're bound to be invited in for mulled wine
and mince pies as thanks for the serenade.

7. CHRISTMAS EVE
Leave out mince pies and sherry for Santa
...and carrots for the reindeer!

8. CHRISTMAS DAY
A typical British Christmas day according to a survey by Jarlsberg cheese:
7:55 am - wake up
8:19 am - open presents
8:39 am - first chocolate of the day
9:02 am - breakfast
9:58 am - first family squabble
11:07 am - parents yell at the kids
11:48 am - first alcoholic drink.
15:24 pm - dinner of turkey with all the traditional trimmings (85%).
16:59 pm - father takes a nap
17:46 pm - family starts playing board games
23:39 pm - to bed.

9. CHRISTMAS DAY
Average Calories Eaten at Christmas Dinner
DRINKS 1101
STARTERS 1233
DESSERT 1214
SALAD 405
MAIN 1913

10. ONCE UPON A TIME THERE WERE 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS BUT TODAY THE HOLIDAY
SEASON ENDS WITH DANCING AND DRINKING ON NEW YEAR'S EVE AND SLEEPING
LATE ON NEW YEAR'S DAY. JANUARY 2ND IS THE BEGINNING OF ''LIFE AS USUAL''!