A Trip Around English Language: Christmas in the United Kingdom

United Kingdom Christmas celebrations include the beautiful Christmas music, decorated Christmas Trees and hang up evergreen branches. The English gift giver is called Father Christmas and he wears a long red or green robe, and leaves presents in stockings on Christmas Eve. However, the gifts are not usually opened until the following afternoon.

From the English we get a story to explain the custom of hanging stockings from the mantelpiece. Father Christmas once dropped some gold coins while coming down the chimney. The coins would have fallen through the ash grate and been lost if they hadn't landed in a stocking that had been hung out to dry. Since that time children have continued to hang out stockings in hopes of finding them filled with gifts.
The custom of singing carols at Christmas is also of English origin. During the middle ages, groups of singers called "waits" would travel around from house to house singing ancient carols and spreading the holiday spirit. The word "carol" means "song of joy." Most of the popular old carols we sing today were written in the nineteenth century.

The hanging of greens, such as holly and ivy, is a British winter tradition with origins far before the Christian era. Greenery was probably used to lift sagging winter spirits and remind the people that spring was not far away. The custom of kissing under the mistletoe
is descended from ancient Druid rites. The decorating of Christmas trees, though primarily a German custom, has been widely popular in England since 1841 when Prince Albert had a Christmas tree set up in Windsor Castle f or his wife Queen Victoria, and their children.
In the UK, the main Christmas Meal is usually eaten at lunchtime or early afternoon on Christmas Day. It was traditionally roast goose, although it's common to have turkey now, roast vegetables and 'all the trimmings' which means stuffing and sometimes bacon and sausages. (In Scotland, some people might even have Haggis instead of turkey!) Dessert is often Christmas Pudding. Mince pies and lots of chocolates are often eaten as well! The dinner table is decorated with a cracker for each person and sometimes flowers and candles.

Here's a recipe for Christmas Pudding.

Christmas puddings take two days to make. On the first day, you mix the ingredients. On the second day, you prepare the basins and steam the puddings.
These Ingredients will make one 2lb / 900g pudding or two 1lb / 450g puddings
Ingredients:
Metric:
200g Currants, washed
200g Sultanas, washed
200g Raisins, stoned and chopped
100g Mixed Peel, chopped
200g Breadcrumbs
200g Demerara Sugar
200g Shredded Suet
The finely grated rind and juice of one Lemon
100g Almonds
200g Plain Flour
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1 level teaspoon ground Nutmeg
1 level teaspoon ground Cinnamon
1 level teaspoon Mixed Spice
3 eggs
275ml of old beer or stout
Imperial / American:
7oz Currants, washed
7oz Sultanas, washed
7oz Raisins, stoned and chopped
3 1/2oz Mixed Peel, chopped
7oz Breadcrumbs
7oz Demerara Sugar
7oz Shredded Suet
The finely grated rind and juice of one Lemon
3 1/2oz Almonds
7oz Plain Flour
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1 level teaspoon ground Nutmeg
1 level teaspoon ground Cinnamon
1 level teaspoon Mixed Spice
3 eggs
1/2 pint of old beer or stout
Method:
Mix the currants, sultanas, raisins and peel together in a large basin. Stir in the breadcrumbs, sugar, suet and lemon rind. Blanch the almonds; to do this by pouring boiling water over the nuts and then leave them to stand for a few minutes. The skins will now come off easily. Chop the almonds fairly finely and add to the fruit.
Sift the flour, salt and spices together. Beat the eggs and add the lemon juice and stout/beer to them. Add the flour and egg mixture to the other ingredients and mix all well together. Leave overnight.
Next day, brush the basin with melted fat and fill with the pudding mixture. Cover the basin with greased greaseproof paper, pleated across the top, and tie firmly with string. Steam the large pudding for at least eight hours, or the smaller ones for six hours.
When the pudding is cold, re-cover it with fresh greaseproof paper, and store it in a cool, dry place. On Christmas Day (or when you want to eat it!) re-heat the pudding exactly the same way, steaming for at least two hours.