Kaffy Mintcake

I thought this might be a fun topic. I was trying to give advice on what sorts of Christmas gifts would be considered very American, and it occurred to me that I don't really have an understanding of what a traditional British Christmas would be like.

When you think of Christmas in the UK, what comes to mind?

MrEmjoy

Socks and Lynx (or Axe as its called here)

They are the only two that come up every year.

Elvira

Well, for a start, presents are often secondary. It's mainly about the atmosphere. Open fires, Christmas cards (not 'Holiday' cards...) strung on lines along living-room walls, Christmas trees and decorations mainly inside the house rather than outside. Christmas markets and chestnuts and mulled wine. All the high streets and shop windows decorated for Christmas. People have Christmas parties where guests dress up and champagne flows. Office parties where all sorts happens...

Oh - and Christmas lasts from Christmas Eve until New Years Eve ........... that's probably the best part!

I'm actually off to London tomorrow so hopefully will catch some of the Christmas spirit - for a few weeks at least

helwardman

I had 38 Christmases in England and never once touched a chestnut

Poppy girl

Most definitely, none of this taking the decorations,tree, down the day after Christmas day whats that all about!!......to me the 25th to the 2nd January is Christmas week.

AmerLisa

A lot of people have had them up since Thanksgiving weekend and have had enough by the day after Christmas!

Poppy girl

Well 1 more week won't hurt them then

lisa67

yeah...me neither...but mulled wine is yummy :-)
mince pies
Christmas pudding and custard
our "traditional" family breakfast for Xmas morning was sausage rolls, cheese and pickle ( a friends was pickled red cabbage...eeww)
a tin of quality street
stuffed dates
turkish delight in a box
the salvation army float coming around with the nativity scene on it and playing Xmas carols
school nativity and carol services
"victorian" Xmas markets
PANTOMIMES!!

Elvira

OMG how could I forget the school nativity plays. I think I must have repressed the memory because it makes me cry. Somewhere I still have a video of one such nativity play.

Afternoons spend at spent at PTA members' houses, sorting through and labelling donations, in preparation for the Christmas Fayre at the school.

Midnight mass on Christmas Eve.

lisa67

I used to teach music in primary schools so have very, very fond memories of school nativity plays and carol services
and if it snowed........

Poppy girl

Oh yes there has to be snow, still a sucker for a white christmas

Poppy girl

Oh and Santa greeting and making the kids christmas wish come true, and if your lucky, there was always when I was a kid, the magical ride that transported you to the grotto

Kaffy Mintcake

Magical ride? Now it sounds like you're describing Harry Potter.

Poppy girl

When some of us were kids the larger department stores would take you on a little ride in a kinda darkened room, you would all sit there and when the door opened again you were in santas presence.

Bob

Putting up with annoying relatives
Getting drunk because of said relatives
Crappy pantomines with naff actors from aussie soaps
Roasted chestnuts on the streets
Mulled Wine
Towns getting dressed up for the holidays
Charity cards and nice blank cards...I can write my own dribble thank you very much
Mr Kipplings Mince Pies
Horrid Fruit pudding
Overly sweet and nasty Chocolate log
Crackers, especially with the shite jokes and naff toys and those dumb hats
Cheesy holiday movies and tv specials
Hoping for snow but never getting any
Boxing day, recovering, eating left overs and contemplating bothering with the sales
Carol singers knocking door to door, usually being rubbish
Tinsel, everyone hates it but it's tradition and you always used it
Same for those naff glass ball decorations which you always end up breaking one
Pretending to like those crap gifts your gran gave you like those wollen socks