Christmas in UK

The tradition of Christmas observance is believed

to have begun in England in 596 AD, when St
Augustine landed on her shores with the message of
Christianity on his lips. The present day Christmas
festivities here sees the celebrators adorning their
homes with Christmas trees, lights, tinsel and other
decorative items in the days counting to the festival.
The traditional Christmas dinner in England is a
mouthwatering affair with the main dish being roasted
turkey with vegetables and sauces. The dessert is
usually a rich, fruity Christmas pudding with brandy
sauce. For English kids, Christmas is the time to have
fun with family and friends and recieve gifts from
Father Christmas, a Santa Claus-like figure, who is
pictured as wearing a long red or green robe. This
lover of children is said to leave presents for them in
their stockings(or pillowcases that they hang at the
end of their bed) on Christmas Eve. The gifts are
usually opened on Christmas Day, though not until
afternoon.
 The festive spirit can be discerned all over Britain
with most public places such as departmental stores,
gift shops, town halls and restaurants decorated
beautifully with electric lights and festoons for the
occassion. Churches and Cathedrals all over the
country hold masses, with many people attending the
Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve, or a service on
Christmas morning. For Catholics, it is one of the main
Holy Days of Obligation. In London and the provinces,
a number of theatres traditionally organise for kids a
special Christmas pantomime based not on Biblical
tales but on such popular children's stories such as
Little Red Riding Hood and Aladdin, with a subtle
connection to the festival being made deliberately.
In England the day after Christmas is called
Boxing Day, named so because young boys used to
go go around on this day collecting money in clay
boxes. The boxes were smashed open, when they
were full. The Boxing Day is still celebrated in the UK.
It is a bank holiday in England. If it happens to fall on a
weekend, then a special Bank Holiday is delared on
Monday.
 New Year In UK

New Year in United Kingdom is celebrated on

January 1, the first day of the first month as per the
Gregorian Calendar. This day was officially declared
as New Year's Day in 1752. It is the time to ring out
the old year and bring the new one by merry making.
New Year is the much awaited celebration for the
people of UK. They love to enjoy each and every
minute of the going year. Theme parties, salsa dance
and live performances are the some of the rocking
events of New Year in UK. Another enthralling part of
the New Year festivities are the New Year cruises in
England. These are the most unique and memorable
part of New Year in England. So, if you are planning to
have an exciting New Year blast, England is all set for
one.
 New Year Traditions in Britain

A very old custom of 'first footing' is still followed in

Britain with sincerity. It is said that the first male visitor
to the house on the New Year's day brings good luck.
A blonde, a red-haired or a woman is not allowed to
enter the house first as they are supposed to bring
bad luck. The male visitor usually brings money, bread
or coal as these are considered auspicious gifts. At
some places, there is a tradition of gifting the holy
mistletoe. It is believed to bring prosperity for the
recipient. Another tradition which is popularly
celebrated is the "burning of the bush". It symbolizes
burning of all past events.
 New Year Celebrations in Britain

New Year celebrations in Britain is a colorful affair.

New Year is celebrated as the most important festival
in United Kingdom. Midnight parties, lavish meals,
champagnes, music, dance and fireworks are the
important parts of New Year in England. It is the
biggest night-out of the year.
Apart from parties and meals, another important
part of New Year celebrations in UK is the biggest
New Year parade. The parade starts at noon walking
down the streets via Whitehall, Pall Mall and finishing
in Berkley square. Musicians, dancers, acrobats,
march, drums and other entertainers do a splendid job
to make the event most distinguished one. Everyone
present at the Berkley is openly invited to join the
carnival and enjoy the festive occasion.
 Bear Custom

This custom is known only in Moldavia, part of

Romania, on the Christmas Eve. The bear was
embodied by a young man wearing the coat of a killed
animal that was adorned with red tassels on its ears
on his head and shoulders. Sometimes,the mask used
to be made in a common way: the bear's head was
made of wood skeleton covered with a coat and its
body of a rough cover, adorned in such a way so it
might suggest its characteristic brown threads.
The mask was accompanied by a young man wearing
a bear coat and by fiddlers and followed by a whole
procession of characters, among a child as a bear's
cub might be. Roused by the young man wearing the
bear's coat who sang: "Dance well, you old bear, /
Because I give bread and olives." the mask grumbled
and imitated the jerky steps of the bear, striking
violently against the earth with his soles, while the
drums and the pipe were playing.
 Table custom

Another custom that is still alive in the countryside

is called "The Table" and it is performed on Saint
Vasile's Day. A group of four boys and girls gather
together round of a table. On each corner of it is
placed one of the following four objects: a coin, a slice
of corn musk, a mirror and piece of coal. The
participants know the meaning of the four objects, but
they don't know where placed are because the objects
are covered by a tablecloth. The children have to
choose one table corner. He/ She who will find the
coin will gain money. He/ She who will find the corn
musk will have food. He who will find the mirror will
have a beautiful face and a pure and noble soul. The
fourth will be unlucky because he/ she finds the piece
of coal.
 Saint Nicholas

Saint Nicholas (Greek: Άγιος Νικόλαος, Aghios

["holy"] Nicolaos ["victory of the people"]) (270–6
December 346) is the canonical and most popular
name for Nikolaos of Myra, a saint and Greek[3] Bishop
of Myra (Demre, in Lycia, part of modern-day Turkey).
Because of the many miracles attributed to his
intercession, he is also known as Nikolaos the
Wonderworker (Greek: Νικόλαος ο Θαυματουργός,
Nikolaos o Thaumaturgos). He had a reputation for
secret gift-giving, such as putting coins in the shoes of
those who left them out for him, and thus became the
model for Santa Claus, whose English name comes
from the Dutch Sinterklaas. His reputation evolved
among the faithful, as is common for early Christian
saints.[4] In 1087, his relics were furtively translated to
Bari, in southeastern Italy; for this reason, he is also
known as Nikolaos of Bari.His feastday is December
6.