How much do you know about the way the British celebrate Christmas?
From Boxing Day to stockings, discover what makes a British Christmas different.
When you finish this post, you’ll be an expert!
Christmas preparations
British people typically put up their Christmas decorations and their Christmas trees at the beginning of December.
At this time, they may start listening to Christmas songs, to get them in the mood!
They will probably have a Christmas work do – a ‘do’ here means a party. Their company will organise it and there will be a meal, drinks and dancing.
People will start their Christmas shopping. There are a number of special Christmas markets.
Children will start opening their advent calendars. These usually have a piece of chocolate for each day, but these days they might also have a toy or something else.
Children might go to see Father Christmas and write their Christmas lists (the presents they would like that year).
* Obviously, some people in the UK don’t celebrate Christmas at all, some are of a different religion or culture, some are vegan so they don’t eat turkey etc. I am talking about a traditional British Christmas only.
Singing at Christmas
Traditional Christmas songs are called carols. They were originally sung in church but you can hear them anywhere these days.
Nowadays we have pop songs too for Christmas but people still know the carols and they are still a part of Christmas.
I love carols – here are some of my favourites, which are all very well known.
- Away in a Manger
- The Holly and the Ivy
- Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
- O Come, All Ye Faithful
- God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen
Do you want to listen to some carols? Try this playlist.
The carols are old – some are from the Middle Ages! – so they use some old vocabulary that we don’t use anymore. For example:
- ye – a word meaning ‘you’, used when talking to more than one person
- thou – an old, informal form of ‘you’ (yes, English used to have a formal and an informal ‘you’!)
- lo – look!
- hark – listen!
- glad tidings – meaning ‘good news’
- yuletide – Christmas time
Christmas Eve traditions
The 24th of December is Christmas Eve (‘eve’ means ‘the day before an important event’).
It’s the time for last-minute preparations.
Children hang their stockings by the fireplace or in their bedrooms. These are big socks that Santa Claus will fill with smaller presents.
Naturally, children will struggle to get to sleep because they’re so excited!
British people do not get a day off (public holiday) on this day.
Christmas Day celebrations
Christmas Day (the 25th of December) is the most important day for British people.
Early in the morning, the children will wake everyone up to say that Father Christmas has been.
Everyone will go downstairs to the Christmas tree and start opening their presents.
Then they will eat the main Christmas meal, called Christmas dinner, which is eaten at lunchtime.