At Christmas, all the windows of rural houses in the UK are lit by candles, so among local residents The night before Christmas is called the "Night of the Candles". In England today, on Christmas Eve, instead of the traditional Christmas log, a thick Christmas candle is lit. In Wales, lit candles on Christmas Day decorated not only private houses in rural areas, but also rural churches and chapels. Candles for decorating the church were made and presented to the priest by the inhabitants of the parish.

At Christmas, all the windows of rural houses in the UK are lit with candles, so among the locals the night before Christmas is called "candle night". In England today, on Christmas Eve, instead of the traditional Christmas log, a thick Christmas candle is lit.

In Wales, lit candles on Christmas Day decorated not only private houses in rural areas, but also rural churches and chapels. Candles for decorating the church were made and presented to the priest by the inhabitants of the parish.

In many villages, shortly before the holiday, women held competitions for the best decoration of Christmas candles. These decorations were made from strips of colored paper, foil, gold and silver threads, bright ribbons, etc.

In some areas of Wales, with the same decorated and lit candles in their hands, the inhabitants of the parish went to the morning mass, which used to begin at 2-3 in the morning. Many similar candles were lit that night in private homes.

Ever since the Middle Ages, the church began to use the old rites of disguise in order to give the people a more vivid impression of biblical stories. Thus, the "mysteries" arose - dramatic representations of such religious scenes as the annunciation, the visit of the baby Christ by the three wise men of the East, etc.

Participants in dramatic versions of biblical stories were usually masked or covered with a headscarf, as were the performers of ancient pagan rites. Among the performances of this kind among the English, the dramatic pantomime game about St. George and the dragon, widely known in many other countries.

There is information about masquerades and pantomimes at Christmas already from the XIV-XV centuries. So, in one of the sources it is reported that in 1377 a Christmas pantomime was arranged at the Scottish royal court for entertainment little prince Richard. In the treasury registers of Scotland in the 15th century. often the funds spent on the arrangement of court masquerades for Christmas are transferred.

Another one was connected with the arrangement of masquerades. interesting custom in Britain: for 12 days of Christmas time in each palace or castle, the manager of the entire festival was chosen, called in England "Lord Misrule" (Lord Misrule), and in Scotland - "imaginary abbot" (Abbot of Mock). The lord of disorder was chosen by the one who could joke well, arrange various entertainment, carnivals. He himself selected his retinue, the members of which were dressed in a bright dress, decorated with ribbons and bells.

In Scotland, the retinue of the "imaginary abbot" was attended by such characters characteristic of folk processions of mummers as Hobbie-horse - "Hobbie-horse" - a guy who portrayed a horse. Such a noisy company, and especially its leader, were allowed to do whatever they wanted - to break into any houses to play some kind of joke on their inhabitants, arrange games, dances and other entertainments. This custom was banned by Henry VIII.

In many villages in Scotland, on Christmas Day, men and young men, led by bagpipers and accompanied by many people, went outside the village and played football, balls on some lawn, organized various sports competitions: running, exercises in hammer throwing, etc. The winner all games received a beret, decorated with feathers and ribbons; after the competition, the youth sang and danced, and in the evening they returned to the village with the winner at the head. In the evening, the winner of the competition presided over the ball.

All these old traditional customs were attacked with great force by the new Protestant church in the 17th century. The feast of Christmas was especially persecuted in Puritan Scotland. Every pagan rite and custom, even the most innocent, was ruthlessly cursed by the church. So, according to the records of the church session in 1574, several people were accused of playing, dancing and singing Christmas songs on this holiday.

Even baking Christmas bread was considered a crime by Protestant clergy. In December 1583 Glasgow bakers were required to name those for whom they baked Christmas bread. In 1605, five people were called to court in Aberdeen for walking around town at Christmas wearing masks and dancing. Finally, in 1644, the celebration of Christmas was banned throughout England by a special Act of Parliament.

After such persecution in Scotland, the celebration of Christmas never reached its former popularity, only a few rites survived, most of them began to coincide with the New Year. And now December 24-25 there are working days, and a holiday is considered New Year- January 1-2.

In England, already at the end of the 17th century. Christmas began to be celebrated again, but during the 19th century the rites that accompanied it changed, and by the beginning of the 20th century. From a great social event throughout the community, Christmas has become a purely family holiday, only a few of its old customs have survived to this day.

Everywhere, for example, the custom is observed among the British to exchange gifts on Christmas Day. With the introduction of Christianity, this custom was associated with the bringing of gifts to the baby Jesus by three magicians of the East. In memory of this, gifts are given primarily to children.

The good old gentleman Santa Claus, ruddy-cheeked, with a long white beard, dressed in a red fur coat and a tall red hat, delivers gifts to children. Some identify Santa Claus with the creatures of the underworld - gnomes, which, in their opinion, confirms his appearance. Usually at Christmas gifts are received not only by children, but also by adults, before dinner they are presented to everyone by the youngest member of the family.

Since the 19th century it became customary to exchange greeting cards - instead of the once obligatory personal congratulations on the holiday. In 1843, the first Christmas card was printed in the printing house, and soon their production became a special branch of printing production. In the design of postcards, motifs of old traditional Christmas customs are often found: the robin, which since the 18th century. often replaces the wren in rituals, branches of evergreen - holly, ivy, mistletoe, and on Scottish postcards the image of heather twigs intertwined with tartan ribbons is the national symbol of Scotland. Such postcards are sent in large numbers to Scottish emigrants in all parts of the world by Christmas as a reminder of their homeland.

Even today, Christmas dinner includes such traditional dishes as stuffed turkey (in the English) or roast goose (in Wales, Ireland) and an indispensable plum pudding.

The old custom of decorating the house for Christmas with branches of eternal greenery - ivy, holly, etc. is still preserved. As before, they strengthen a sprig of white mistletoe above the door.

According to custom, once a year, on Christmas Eve, men have the right to kiss any girl who stops under a decoration from this plant. This does not happen often, and in order not to waste time in vain, one person decided to decorate a mirror with amela branches so that he could kiss all the girls who stopped to admire themselves.

Apparently, the late transformation of the custom of decorating houses with evergreens was the Christmas tree-tree, as a symbol of undying nature. The custom of decorating spruce appeared in England relatively recently, in the middle of the 19th century, and was brought here from Germany. Queen Victoria and Prince Albert hosted the first Christmas tree for their children at Windsor, and the fashion quickly spread.

Now almost every English house for Christmas, they decorate the Christmas tree with multi-colored shiny toys and sweets, at the top of it they usually strengthen the Christmas fairy or a large silver star.

During the Second World War in England, where at that time the Norwegian king and government were located, a huge fir tree was first smuggled from occupied Norway, which was installed in Trafalgar Square. Since then, such a spruce has been annually presented by the city of Oslo to the British capital, and it is installed on the same square. It is decorated with Christmas toys, multi-colored electric bulbs.

Finally, from the once common processions of mummers and dramatic performances, Christmas pantomimes and masquerade balls, arranged in all theaters and concert halls on the days of Christmas time, originate. The second day of Christmas in the church calendar is dedicated to St. Stephen. In England this day is called Boxing Day. This name comes from the custom to install special piggy bank boxes in churches before Christmas, where offerings for the poor were lowered.

On the day of St. Stephen's pastor distributed the collected money among his parishioners. Later, boxes were no longer installed in the church, but the poor of the parish gathered in groups on St. Stefan with a piggy bank went around the houses, receiving small coins. Such groups consisted of apprentices, apprentices, messengers, etc. And now there is still a tradition of giving small amounts of money to letter carriers, messengers and servants on this day.

In England and Scotland, an essential part of the Christmas holiday is ceremonial food - dinner on Christmas Eve and lunch on the first day of Christmas. The English and the Scottish nobility, who trace their origins to the Scandinavians or Normans, throughout the Middle Ages, the traditional Christmas dish was a boar's head.

However, among the Celtic peoples, this dish never appeared on the festive tables. Perhaps the reason for this was the ancient Celtic ban on eating pork. Such a ban persisted for a long time in some remote corners of the Highlands.

In Scotland, Ireland and Wales, a piece of roast beef or goat meat was usually prepared for Christmas dinner - the Christmas bull (Yule bull) or the Christmas goat (Yule goat). But gradually, roasted (in Ireland, Wales) or smoked (in Scotland) goose became a traditional meat dish for Christmas. It has remained the main Christmas dish to this day in Wales and Scotland (Highland). in England since the 18th century. fried or stuffed turkey took its place.

Drinks and foods made from cereals had ritual significance. In Aberdeenshire and the north-east of Scotland it was customary to place a large goblet of a special Christmas drink called sowans on the table on Christmas Eve. It was prepared from fermented and fermented barley grain, with the addition of honey and cream. The drink was poured into small wooden cups, on the bottom of which some object was placed: if the drinker saw a ring at the bottom, this is for a wedding, a coin for wealth, a button for celibacy, etc.

For many centuries, all the inhabitants of the British Isles, a common food for Christmas was a special plum-porridge porridge (plum-porridge), cooked in meat broth, bread crumbs, raisins, almonds, prunes and honey were also added to it and served very hot.

During the XVIII century. plum-porridge is gradually replaced by plum-pudding (plum-pudding), and by the middle of the XIX century. the latter becomes the main dish of the Christmas table. Plum pudding is made from bread crumbs with the addition of various spices and fruits; before serving, it is doused with rum and lit. It remains the custom to hide small silver coins and jewelry in the Christmas pudding - "for good luck."

In the past, it was customary for the Scots, Irish and Welsh to bake special bread for Christmas. It was supposed to be baked only on Christmas Eve, between sunset and sunrise.

Christmas bread was a large round cake on which a cross was cut with a knife before baking. They also baked Christmas oatmeal cakes - round, with jagged edges and a hole in the middle; judging by the shape, they were supposed to symbolize the sun. It was customary in the Highlands to invite every passerby into the house at Christmas. The guest was offered a piece of such a cake with cheese and a sip of alcohol.

In all wealthy houses, baking was carried out and beer was brewed not only for themselves, but also for distribution to the poor, watchmen, workers, and shepherds. On the eve of Christmas Eve, on the so-called "little Christmas Eve" (Swedish - lille ju-lafton, Norwegian - julaften, Danish - ju-leaften), rich alms were distributed, especially in the houses of priests, to each house included in the parish. The gifts consisted of bread, meat, porridge, beer, candles.

On Christmas Eve before sunset, all the villagers gathered in the church. Upon returning home, everyone sat down for a festive treat. With Christmas comes the general celebration; there is not even a single poor house where this event would not be celebrated. The smallest bread cake is always kept hidden from one Christmas to the next or even longer. It was not uncommon for an 80-90-year-old woman to keep a bread cake baked in her youth.

And now in the UK they still prepare special traditional dishes for the New Year. For breakfast, they usually serve oatmeal, pudding, a special kind of cheese - kebben (Kebben), for lunch - roast goose or steak, pie, apples baked in dough. New Year's oat cakes among the Celtic peoples had a special shape - round with a hole in the middle. We tried not to break them when baking, as this would be a bad omen.

The table decoration is a Christmas cake. According to an old recipe, it should be stuffed with the following items, which allegedly predict fate for the coming year: a ring - for a wedding, a coin - for wealth, a small horseshoe - for good luck.

Currently baked in Scotland for New Year's table a large round shortbread cake, with pinches at the edges, decorated with sugar-cooked almonds, nuts, sweets, sugar and marzipan figurines. Every year great amount such cakes are sent to all corners of the globe to Scots in exile. They are usually decorated with national emblems - heather, Scottish cross, arms crossed over the sea, mountains, etc.

In the UK, you'll be greeted with Christmas carols, church mass, and typical English cuisine with pudding and turkey. On Christmas Eve, crowds of people gather in Trafalgar Square, at the main Christmas tree in England, where charity organisations arrange performances for adults and children with the singing of hymns. About the same thing happens in Leicester Square, where a fun fair takes place. Residents and tourists can enjoy carnivals and festivities at the Coven Garden, warm up at the traditional Christmas Peter Pan swimming competition, and then relax in Hyde Park and the Serpentine Pond.

In Edinburgh, on New Year's Eve, there are especially many people on Princes Street. New Year's services are going on in the churches. Fruit and confectionery shops are open all night. The onset of the New Year is heralded by the ringing of bells, whistles and sirens of factories. After 12 o'clock everyone congratulates each other and goes home to the festive tables.

Christmas Day, December 25, is probably the most popular holiday in Great Britain. It is a family holiday. Traditionally all relatives and friends give each other presents. So, before Christmas all the department stores and shops are crowded, everybody is choosing a present.

In general, people get prepared for this holiday very carefully. They decorate their houses in the traditional way. Christmas trees are set up in houses, in the streets and churches. They are always decorated with fairy lights, angels and small toys. In addition, little packets with nuts, candies and special biscuits are hung on the tree. Presents are put around the tree and artificial "frost" is scattered over the branches.

The Germans are believed to be the first to use the Christmas tree in their celebrations and Martin Luther was the first to place a star on the top of the tree. This star represents the star appeared over the stable in which Christ was born.

In Great Britain, the Christmas tree became popular while Queen Victoria ruled the country.

Besides the Christmas tree, holly and mistletoe are used to decorate the house. Branches of holly are put up behind pictures and mistletoe is hung over doors, so the young people have a chance to kiss the girls under it, plucking each time a red berry from the mistletoe. It is said that the girl who was not kissed under it at Christmas would not get married that year.

On the eve of Christmas children hang their stockings, so that Santa Claus could put presents into them: oranges, sweets, nuts and if the child didn't behave properly Santa Claus can put there a piece of coal as punishment.

Santa Claus got his name from a man known as St. Nicolas, who lived in the fourth century. He gave his wealth to the poor and often to children. After he died, the Dutch brought this legend to colonial America. Soon the Dutch name Sinter Klaus became Santa Claus.

Carol singing is an essential part of Christmas. No church or school is without its carol service. Carols may be traditional or with some variations that express different feelings. Carols were used for the first time during Christmas in the fifteenth century.

Usually children come around in the evening to the front doors and start singing carols and people who live in these houses give children candies, nuts, pies and so on, to thank them for carol singing.

A typical Christmas lunch includes turkey with cranberry sauce and pudding. Every young woman in each household helps to stir the Christmas pudding, if she wishes to be married that year. Usually a coin or two are hidden inside the pudding and part of the fun is to see who finds it.

After the lunch they go to the sitting room to listen to the Christmas speech of the Queen, shown on TV.

So, Christmas is a merry family holiday for all the people of Great Britain. Christmas comes but once a year.

How Christmas is celebrated in Britain

December 25, Christmas is probably the most popular holiday in the UK. This is a family holiday. Traditionally, all relatives and friends give gifts to each other. So, before Christmas, all department stores and shops are full, everyone chooses a gift.

In general, people prepare for this holiday very carefully. They decorate their houses in the traditional way. Christmas trees are placed in buildings, streets and churches. They are always decorated with fairy lights, angels and small toys, as well as small bags of nuts, candy and Christmas biscuits. Gifts are placed around the Christmas tree, and artificial snow scattered over its branches.

The Germans are believed to be the first to use the Christmas tree in their celebrations; Martin Luther was the first to decorate the top of the tree with a star. This star symbolizes the star that appeared above the stable where Christ was born.

In Britain, the Christmas tree became popular during the reign of Queen Victoria.

In addition to the Christmas tree, holly and mistletoe are used to decorate the house. Holly branches are hung behind paintings, and mistletoe is hung on doors, so that the young man has a chance to kiss the girl every time she nibbles on the red mistletoe berry. It is believed that a girl who is not kissed under the mistletoe at Christmas will not get married this year.

On Christmas Eve, children hang their stockings so that Santa Claus can put gifts in them: oranges, sweets, nuts, and if a child misbehaves, Santa Claus can put a piece of coal in the stocking as a punishment.

Santa Claus got his name from a man known as St. Nicholas who lived in the fourth century. He often made donations to the poor and very often to children. After he died, this legend was brought by the Danes to colonial America. Soon the Dutch name "Sinter Kluas" (Sinter Kluas) became Santa Claus.

Christmas caroling is an important part of Christmas There is not a single church or school that does not sing a Christmas carol. Christmas carols can be traditional or with some variations to express different feelings. The Christmas carol first appeared in the fifteenth century.

Traditionally, in the evening, children come to the front door and begin to sing, the people living in these houses, in order to thank them for singing, give the children candies, nuts, pies, and so on.

A typical Christmas dinner includes turkey with cranberry sauce and pudding. Every young woman, if she wants to get married this year, helps make the Christmas pudding. Usually a couple of coins are hidden in the pudding and they are looking forward to who will find these coins.

After breakfast, everyone goes into the living room to listen to the Queen's Christmas speech broadcast on TV.

So Christmas is a fun family holiday for all the people of the UK. Christmas comes only once a year.

It is celebrated by most Christian denominations on December 25, which is considered the birthday of Jesus Christ. The Orthodox Church celebrates Christmas on January 7th (corresponding to December 25th in the old Julian calendar, while Western denominations adhere to the new Gregorian calendar). Armenian Christians celebrate Christmas on January 6, together with the feast of the Epiphany.

• The exact date of the Nativity of Christ has not been established - according to the assumptions of many historians, Christmas should be celebrated in September.

The word Christmas (note its pronunciation: [ˈkrɪsməs], the sound [t] drops out) comes from the Old English Cristes maesse (Christ's mass - "Christ's Mass", a church service in honor of Jesus Christ).

The tradition of abbreviated writing of this word - Xmas - has gone since the times of early Christianity (the first letter of the word Christ, "anointed one", in Greek spelling coincides with the Latin letter X).

Christmas Eve (Advent) or Advent Post

Christians begin to prepare for Christmas 4 weeks before the holiday itself, and in some church denominations - 40 days before it. Many believers observe the Advent fast - they avoid certain types of food. The severity of fasting depends on the charter of the church denomination.

12 days after Christmas - Christmas time and Epiphany

Traditionally, it is customary to celebrate Christmas for 12 days, ending the holiday on the evening of January 5th(the so-called "twelfth night", Twelfth Night - the name of the play of the same name by Shakespeare is recalled; also known as Epiphany Eve or Christmas Eve).

And each of the twelve days of Christmas time (Yule) is a great occasion to indulge in fun after a long fast.

The day after Christmas Eve, Christians celebrate the Baptism of the Lord (Epiphany), when they honor the wise men (Three Kings) who visited the newborn Jesus and His Baptism (Baptism) in the Jordan River by John the Baptist.

Candlemas - the end of the Christmas holiday

Many people think that the celebration of Christmas ends with the removal of the tree - but it's not! According to the Christian canon, the end of the winter Christmas holidays is Candlemas.- very important religious holiday, which occurs in February, 40 days after Christmas. Its name in English comes from the expression Candle Mass (“Mass of candles”), since during the church service on this day the ceremony of consecrating candles takes place.

The Secret Meaning of Christmas Symbols

	Saint Nicholas, the real prototype of Santa Claus, lived in the 4th century AD in the city of Mira in the province of Lycia on the southwestern coast of Asia Minor (modern Turkey). In Orthodoxy - Nicholas the Wonderworker (Nicholas of Mirlikiy, Nikola Ugodnik). The name Santa Claus [ˈsantə ˈklɔːz] arose as a result of a distortion of the pronunciation of Saint Nicholas [ˈs(ə)nt ˈnɪkələs].
	The tradition of setting up an evergreen coniferous tree (spruce, pine, fir) for Christmas originated in Germany in the 16th century and gained popularity in England by the middle of the 19th century thanks to Prince Albert, a German by birth, husband of the then ruling Queen Victoria. Evergreen trees symbolize stamina and endurance in the face of danger, and according to some beliefs, they are able to drive away evil spirits from the home.
	Holly (holly) - an evergreen unfading plant, symbolizing eternal renewal and immortality and, according to legend, drives away evil spirits. Early Christians saw a deeper meaning in this plant - its leaves personified for them the crown of thorns, and the berries - drops of the Savior's blood.
	If holly is the king of winter, ivy is its queen. An unfading evergreen plant, ivy represents vitality, endurance and hope - even in the harshest conditions.
	Mistletoe (mistletoe) is a symbol of freedom, peace and friendship. The tribes that inhabited Europe in antiquity laid down their arms and stopped wars, they noticed it near the battlefield. This "peacemaking" quality of the plant gave rise to the tradition of kissing under the mistletoe as a sign of love and friendship.
	The custom of giving gifts (presents) at Christmas should remind us of the gifts (gifts) presented by the Magi to the Infant Jesus.
	Angels (angels), messengers of light, are also one of the symbols of Christmas, because on this day we celebrate the renewal of the world and the triumph of Light over Darkness.
	Star (star) on top of spruce - a reminder of Star of Bethlehem that ascended at the time of the birth of Jesus.
	Bells are an ancient symbol of protection from evil spirits. The shape of the bell reminded the ancient people of the dome of the sky. In Christianity, the ringing of bells is a sacred herald of the presence of Christ in worship.
	Candles (candles) symbolize the Light that has returned to people (the coming of the Son of God to earth).
	Candy canes were "invented" in the 17th century specifically for naughty children who had a hard time sitting through the long Christmas mass. The exhausted choirmaster of one of the cathedrals made candies for them so that they would have something to do during worship. And the curved shape, reminiscent of a shepherd's staff, was intended to remind of the shepherds who visited the Infant Christ on the first Christmas.
	Gingerbread Man - a reminder that God created Adam (as well as each of us).
	The tradition of hanging a Christmas stocking (Christmas stocking) over the fireplace originated from a legend and is also associated with Saint Nicholas. In one village, a poor man was dying, leaving three daughters without a piece of bread. St. Nicholas heard how the villagers talk about the unenviable fate of the girls, and decided to help the poor family, doing it in secret. According to one version of the legend, St. Nicholas threw three pieces of gold into the chimney, which fell into the stockings of the girls hung over the fireplace to dry.

Christmas in the UK In Britain, Christmas is usually celebrated in the family circle. Most families put up a Christmas tree, or even two, for Christmas. Decorate the Christmas tree with the whole family. The tradition of setting up a Christmas tree was introduced to the British by Prince Albert, husband of the English Queen Victoria. Prince Albert was German, and thought that this German Christmas custom would appeal to the people of Britain. Residential houses and other buildings are also decorated with holly (holly), ivy (ivy) and mistletoe (mistletoe). Most cities, towns and villages are decorated with Christmas garlands (Christmas lights). The most spectacular of them are located on Oxford Street in London. Every year they become richer and more colorful, and thousands of people come to watch their solemn inclusion in early November. Children believe that Father Christmas or Santa Claus leaves them gifts in stockings or pillowcases. Usually they are hung over the fireplace or on the headboards on the eve of Christmas. Sometimes children leave mince pies and brandy for the Christmas grandfather to eat when he stops by. Children write letters to their Christmas grandfather, listing their requests, but instead of mailing them, they throw them into the fire of the fireplace: along with the smoke, the ashes of these letters will rise up the chimney and the Christmas grandfather will read them. In the UK, the main Christmas meal is usually served at lunchtime. Usually, a festive dinner consists of a roasted turkey and vegetables (carrots, peas, Brussels sprouts) and bacon-wrapped sausages (they are called "pigs in a blanket"). They are often served with cranberry sauce and bread sauce, and for dessert, Christmas pudding. In addition, sweet pies with dried fruits and chocolate are highly respected. On the festive table - Christmas crackers (Christmas cracker *) according to the number of guests, and sometimes - flowers and candles. It rarely snows in the UK, but people always expect a snowy Christmas (white Christmas). According to statistics, this happens once every 10 years.

Christmas in the United Kingdom In the UK (or Great Britain), families most often celebrate Christmas together. Most families have a Christmas Tree (or maybe even two) in their house for Christmas. The decorating of the tree is usually a family occasion, with everyone helping. Christmas Trees were first popularized the UK by Prince Albert, the husband of Queen Victoria. Prince Albert was German, and thought that it would be good to use one of his ways of celebrating Christmas in to England. Holly, ivy and mistletoe are also sometimes used to decorate homes or other buildings. Most villages, towns and cities are decorated with Christmas lights over Christmas. The most famous Christmas lights in the UK are in Oxford Street in London. Every year they get bigger and better and thousands of people go to watch the big "switch on" around the beginning of November. Children believe that Father Christmas or Santa Claus leaves presents in stockings or pillow-cases. 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 listing their requests, but sometimes instead of putting them in the post, the letters are tossed into the fireplace. The draft carries the letters up the chimney and Father Christmas reads the smoke. In the UK, the main Christmas Meal is usually eaten at lunchtime or early afternoon. It "s normally roast turkey and vegetables like carrots, peas, Brussel sprouts, and bacon and sausages (called “pigs in blankets"). It "s often served with cranberry sauce and bread sauce. Dessert is often Christmas Pudding. Mince pies and lots of chocolates are often eaten as well. The dinner table is decorated with a Christmas Cracker for each person and sometimes flowers and candles. In the UK, it doesn't snow very often, but people always want to know if it will be a "White Christmas". Statistics show that in the UK it happens about once in 10 years.

* Christmas crackers - cylindrical crackers in the form of huge sweets. They put a small symbolic gift into them - a paper crown, which is then put on at a festive dinner or another trinket - an ornament, a toy, a candy, a piece of paper with a printed wise quote, joke, riddle (the main thing is that the surprise is pleasant). It is customary to break "crackers" (usually two people do this), which is accompanied by a sharp pop, a flash and general fun.

Christmas in the USA In the United States of America, there are many different traditions and ways of celebrating Christmas, due to the diversity of cultures in this country. The traditions of this holiday have much in common with British, French, Italian, Dutch, Polish and Mexican customs. The traditional meal of immigrants from Western Europe is a turkey or ham with cranberry sauce. Families with Eastern European roots prefer garnished turkey, sausages, cabbage dishes, and soups, while some Italian families give lasagna its due. Residents of America love to decorate their homes with garlands, and sometimes with figures of Santa Claus, snowmen (snowmen) and reindeers (reindeers). On the occasion of Christmas, city streets are decorated with light garlands. Perhaps the most famous spot in the US for stunning holiday illuminations is New York's Rockefeller Center, which has a public ice skating rink in front of a huge Christmas tree during the winter holidays.

Christmas in the United States of America The United States of America has many different traditions and ways that people in celebrate Christmas, because of its multi-cultural nature. Many customs are similar to those in the UK, France, Italy, Holland, Poland and Mexico. The traditional meal for Western European families is turkey or ham with cranberry sauce. Families from Eastern European origins favor turkey with trimmings, keilbasi (a Polish sausage), cabbage dishes, and soups; and some Italian families prefer lasagna. People in America like to decorate the outsides of their houses with lights and sometimes even statues of Santa Claus, Snowmen and Reindeers. Towns and cities decorate the streets with lights to celebrate Christmas. Perhaps the most famous Christmas street lights in the USA are at the Rockefeller Center in New York where there is a huge Christmas Tree with a public ice skating rink in front of it over Christmas and the New Year.

Christmas Traditions in UK and USA: Spot the Differences

Do you think Christmas is celebrated the same way on both sides of the Atlantic? Not at all.

To begin with, even a Merry Christmas greeting in these two countries can sound different. The phrase “Happy Christmas”, typical of Britain, will be perceived by Americans with surprise: congratulations “Merry Christmas” are more familiar to them. And the British abbreviation of the word Christmas - Chrimbo - is not known at all in the USA. Like the name of the Christmas grandfather, Father Christmas - the Americans call him Santa Claus (Santa Claus) or just Santa.

But no matter what the name of the old man in the red suit is, the Americans are unanimous regarding his place of residence - this is North Pole. It is there that Santa lives, Mrs. Claus, as well as elves and deer. But according to the British, the residence of the Christmas grandfather is in Lapland.

Christmas cuisine in England and America also has a number of differences. For example, the traditional English winter drink "snowball" (snowball), a cocktail of Dutch egg liquor Advokaat, lemonade and lime juice, is practically unknown in the United States. Instead, in the cold season, Americans are warmed by his distant relative - the eggnog egg drink (mogul with the addition of spices and whiskey, rum, brandy).

Surprisingly, the traditional British baked Christmas turkey for Americans is not an indispensable attribute of the festive table. There is a time for everything: for turkey lovers, the inhabitants of the United States have a special holiday -. And at Christmas in America they often serve baked ham or roast beef.

Moreover, traditional English desserts - Christmas cake with icing, Christmas pudding and mince pies are not so popular in America. Most likely, for dessert you will be served a pie (pumpkin, apple, walnut, coconut, sweet potato), or marzipans, or a cake with fruit.

At a festive dinner, the British put on paper crowns and break Christmas crackers (Christmas crackers) together with a neighbor. In this sense, the Americans were not lucky: here you will rarely see paper crowns, what can we say about “crackers”, which almost no one has heard of.

At this point, any natural Englishman will be surprised: what is Boxing day without “crackers” left after Christmas? What else to do on December 26th? The sad truth is that Americans do not celebrate this day at all - the tradition has not taken root (very strange - an extra day off has never bothered anyone).

But what the Americans have in abundance is all sorts of garlands and light decorations. What you saw in "Home Alone" - pure truth! At night, entire neighborhoods turn into the scenery of a fairy-tale performance: amazing illumination combined with sound effects will make anyone believe in a miracle! If by Christmas you are lucky enough to be in the American suburbs - consider that you have already visited Disneyland.

The British, at this time of the year, have fun with pantomimes (pantomime, performances for children on a Christmas theme): both amateur actors and stage and screen stars participate in them. Americans, however, this custom is strange and alien.

Well, as you already understood, both the British and Americans celebrate Christmas with great enthusiasm and imagination. And the fact that the ways of creating a festive atmosphere are slightly different is not important, the main thing is not to lose the Christmas spirit, the spirit of Christmas!

TOP 10 English-language songs with which you will plunge into the holiday atmosphere

We offer you a selection of holiday songs in English - from old Christmas carols to the most famous modern pop hits. Sing along!

Batman Returns ("Batman Returns")

Trading Places ("They have been swapped")

National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation ("Christmas Vacation")

Scrooged ("A New Christmas Tale")

While You Were Sleeping

Love Actually ("Real love")

Try to watch all these films with the original soundtrack this year. You have probably seen most of them. But, as you know, watching a familiar movie in the original language is an excellent training in listening comprehension.

8 - the number of Santa's reindeer. Their names are taken from the fairy tale of the American writer Clement Moore "The Visit of St. Nicholas": Dasher ("Swift"), Dancer ("Dancer"), Prancer ("Rocket"), Vixen ("Quick"), Comet ("Comet"), Cupid ("Cupid"), Donner (German for "thunder"), Blitzen (German for "lightning") and the red-nosed Rudolph (not included in the permanent eight, but sometimes also harnessed to the sleigh).

700 million pounds sterling - how much every year the British spend on unnecessary Christmas gifts

1 - the number of mince pies that must be eaten on each of the 12 days of Christmas to bring good luck

8 million - the number of live pines and firs needed by the UK for the Christmas holidays annually

822 - the number of houses that Santa Claus would have to visit every second to deliver all the gifts

10 million is the number of Christmas turkeys roasted in the UK

600 000 - Number of letters sent to Santa Claus by the British each year

16 is the number of gifts the average British child receives at Christmas

957 - average number of calories in a Christmas dinner

20 meters - the height of a spruce in London on Trafalgar Square (according to tradition, the tree itself is brought as a gift to the people of London from the inhabitants of the Norwegian capital Oslo for their help to Norway in World War II).

Silent Night

Silent Night (German) Stille Nacht, "Quiet Night") is a Christmas carol written in 1818 by Josef Mohr and Franz Gruber, one of the most famous and beautiful Christmas carols. The song has been translated into many languages: there are several Russian translations in which the first line sounds differently: “Quiet night, wondrous night”, “Quiet night, holy night”, “Peace and rest at night holy”, “Quiet night, holy night " etc.

Listen to this Christmas carol performed by Jackie Ivanko, finalist of the American competition america’ s Got talent:

We present original text songs and one of the most famous translations of this song into Russian.

Silent night, holy night All is calm, all is bright Round yon virgin, mother and child Holy infant, tender and mild Sleep in heavenly peace Sleep in heavenly peace. Silent night, holy night Son of God, love's pure light Radiant beams from your holy face With the dawn of redeeming grace, Jesus, Lord at your birth Jesus, Lord at your birth. Silent night, holy night Shepherds quake, at the sight Glories stream from heaven above Heavenly, hosts sing Hallelujah. Christ the Savior is born, Christ the Savior is born.

The night is silent, the night is holy People are sleeping, the distance is clear; Only in the cave a candle burns; There the holy couple does not sleep, In the manger the Child slumbers, In the manger the Child is dozing. The night is silent, the night is holy The height lit up A bright angel flies from heaven, He brings the news to the shepherds: “Christ was born to you, Christ is born to you!” The night is silent, the night is holy A star is burning in the sky; Shepherds are on their way They hurry to come to Bethlehem: They will see Christ They will see Christ there. The night is silent, the night is holy Happiness awaits all hearts. God, let everyone come to Christ, To find the joy of light in Him. Forever be glorified, Christ, Glory forever, Christ!

Merry Christmas to you!

There are only two holidays a year that should be celebrated with your relatives and friends. One of these events is your own birthday, and the other is Christmas.

IN different countries This holiday is celebrated in different ways. Someone prepares for it in a few weeks, while someone prefers to ignore it altogether. In order to find out how Christmas is celebrated in the UK, you just need to turn to a true Englishman who does not change his traditions and every year gathers close and dear people around a beautifully laid table.

Let's take a closer look at how Christmas is celebrated in the UK, and what needs to be done for a fun pastime.

• A few weeks before the cherished date, the entire English kingdom is transformed beyond recognition. Houses are decorated with garlands, trees with tinsel and rain, shop windows begin to shine with bright gift wrappings and figurines in the form of angels and the Father of Christmas, bright Christmas wreaths are hung on the doors of private houses, and lush fir trees decorated with huge multi-colored glass balls and golden bows can be seen in the windows. .
• Before the holiday, people arrange long trips to shops and boutiques, where they choose not only special ingredients for preparing Christmas dishes, but also luxurious outfits in which they plan to spend the entire festive evening and night. In addition, none English Christmas is not complete without numerous gifts, which are also purchased in advance. After all, the faster the date of the celebration approaches, the more likely the souvenir shops are emptied.

• It is worth noting that in England it is customary to give each other small gifts in the form of various figurines, angels, etc. By the way, despite such an insignificant gift, it must be beautifully and colorfully packaged. After all, the first impression depends on the wrapper, and only then on the content. However, it is recommended to present such souvenirs only to colleagues or distant relatives with whom you do not communicate very closely. But for family members, in particular children, it is desirable to acquire more substantial and meaningful gifts for them.
• Like all over the world, English children also believe in the Father of Christmas, who comes to them on Christmas Eve and leaves all the prepared gifts under the tree. But before that, each child is obliged to conduct a certain ceremony with writing a letter, where he indicates what exactly he wants to receive next year. In order for the Father of Christmas to read this note, it must be burned in the fireplace. It is also worth noting that some hospitable families prepare a special festive meat pie in the evening and put it near the spruce with a glass of milk. It is generally accepted that in this way the inhabitants of the house invite the Christmas Father to visit them. In the morning, all the children and parents rush to look under the Christmas tree and enthusiastically begin to open the gifts sent.

• Before the festive dinner, the inhabitants of Great Britain go to church, and closer to lunch, all close relatives and friends meet in one big house. When guests arrive, the rooms are filled with an atmosphere of fun and joy. Everyone begins to congratulate each other, discuss the joy of a long-awaited meeting, wish the best, give gifts, laugh and have fun. After that, the owners of the house invite their relatives to the dinner table, where they are expected delicious snacks and salads.
• After the guests have enjoyed cold sandwiches, a hot turkey with a fried crust is served at the table. It is worth noting that the bird baked in the oven is a traditional English dish, without which no Christmas is complete. As a rule, currant sauce is added to the roast, which gives the turkey a unique taste and aroma. Before the end of the festive dinner, the hostess of the house treats her guests with various sweets. Traditionally, together with sweets and cookies, a special Christmas cake is served with tea, which is prepared on the basis of sweet and delicious berries.

• After a plentiful festive feast, the head of the family kindles a fire in the fireplace, and all relatives settle down near him. For a few hours they chat pleasantly, listen to Christmas songs, arrange dances, joke and move out. By the end of the evening, the hosts see off their relatives and friends, and those who decide to stay the night are accommodated in separate guest rooms.
• On the second Christmas morning in the UK, St. Stephen. On this day, the people of England open all sealed donation boxes and distribute the accumulated cash needy Britons. Those who wish to participate in this event on their own can also help disadvantaged people using their spare money.