Christmas in the United Kingdom

ATMOSPHERE
In the UK, families often celebrate Christmas together. Most families have a Christmas Tree in their
house for Christmas. Christmas Trees were first popularised the UK by Prince Albert, the husband of
Queen Victoria.
Most villages, towns and cities are decorated with Christmas lights over Christmas. Often a famous
person switches them on. The most famous Christmas lights in the UK are in Oxford Street in London.
Every year they get bigger and better.
Carol Services (Рождественские пения) are also very popular at Christmas time. The Church that I
go to always has a Carols by Candlelight It is a very special service and always makes me feel very
Christmassy!
Royal Christmas Message
The tradition of sending out a Christmas Message to the public began in 1932 with George V. Current
day the Queen gives a speech on Christmas Day at 3p.m. in England.
SANTA
Children believe that Father Christmas or Santa Claus leaves presents in stockings. These are
normally hung up by the fire or by the children's beds on Christmas Eve. Children sometimes
leave out mince pies and brandy for Father Christmas to eat and drink when he visits them.
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 and Father Christmas/Santa
reads the smoke.
FOOD
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 vegetables like carrots & peas,
and sometimes bacon and sausages. It's often served with cranberry sauce and bread.
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 (пироги с начинкой из сухофруктов) and lots of
chocolates are often eaten as well!
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
WEATHER
In the UK, it doesn't snow very often. Statistics show that in the UK, they have snow at
Christmas about 1 in 10 years (but often this is only normally in Scotland!).
BOXING DAY
Boxing Day got its name when Queen Victoria was on the throne in the 1800s . The name comes
from a time when the rich used to box up gifts to give to the poor. Churches also played a part in
the creation of Boxing Day. They took money from churchgoers in the form of a collection and
hand it out at Christmas. Many of them stored the collection money in a box, which they opened
on Christmas Day. The money was then handed out to the poor the next day - on Boxing Day.
Boxing Day is the day after Christmas Day and falls on 26 December. It's also a public bank
holiday in the UK. It is also the traditional day that Pantomimes started to play. Pantomimes
(panto) are traditional British Christmas plays and a chance for people to go to the theatre.
For some people, Boxing Day is a time to spend with family or friends. Many people will gather
for meals, spend time outside, or simply relax at home and enjoy the day off.
Boxing Day is considered also a shopping holiday, with stores offering reduced prices for
Boxing Day sales, similar to Black Friday.

Brits say you need to take your tree and decorations down within 12 days of Christmas or
you’ll have bad luck for the next year. Don’t be that house on the street with blinking lights that
go on through Valentine’s Day! Get that stuff down!