Spend Christmas in Britain

After the last mad dashes to get all the Christmas gifts on the list, and get them sent of to Santa of course, most people in Britain traditionally settle in for a quiet Christmas Eve with the family. Likewise Christmas Day is a family affair, involving a huge feast of turkey, stuffing, sprouts, etc etc.

Traditionally, Goose was the bird of choice for Christmas dinner, as remembered in the old rhyme:–

‘Christmas is coming the goose is getting fat please put a penny in the old mans hat’.

But over the years a bigger bird from the States, the turkey, has come to grace the British Christmas dinner table, joined by cranberry sauce. After dinner in many British households, the family sits down in front of the television in time to watch the Queen’s Speech, and then sleep off the turkey!

In Britain, the day after Christmas Day is known as Boxing Day. This day is so named as, it was traditionally the day when church collection boxes were opened up and distributed to the poor and needy. This day, like Christmas, is a public holiday and would traditionally be marked by a number of sporting events, such as fox-hunts and football matches, in modern times its when many shops begin their sales.

The next and last big celebration of the festive period is New Year. In London people gather in Trafalgar Square to celebrate the coming of the year with the chimes of Big Ben and throughout Britain celebrations of all kinds are held, while in Scotland they have Hogmanay. Now the Scots know how to throw a party and Hogmanay is the Scottish celebrating at their best, with kilts, tartan, street dancing and whisky galore!
So however you spend your Christmas this year, we at myguideBritain, wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!