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Christmas can mean different things to different people. For many people it means eating a lot and spending time with family and visiting relatives and friends. For children it often means presents, presents and more presents!
The origins of Christmas
In ancient times people had mid-winter festivals when the days were short and the nights were very long. They believed that their ceremonies would help the sun’s power return. The Romans decorated their homes with green plants in December to remind Saturn, their harvest god, to return the following spring. In CE440 the Christian church decided that the birth of Christ should be celebrated every year on December 25th. Some of these ancient customs were adopted by early Christians as part of their celebrations of the birthday of Jesus Christ. Green plants are still used to decorate many British homes in December. At Christmas we cover trees (real ones or reusable synthetic trees) in with shiny balls and flashing lights!
Cards and presents
It’s very common to send Christmas cards to friends, family, colleagues, classmates and neighbours in the weeks leading up to December 25th. Christmas is traditionally a time for helping other people and giving money to charities. Many people send charity cards; where a percentage of the cost of each card goes to charity. People send fewer cards than in the past as they now send Christmas greetings by email or via Facebook. Christmas presents are reserved for close friends and family. Traditionally the giving of a gift is symbolic of the three wise men giving their gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh to the baby Jesus. Popular presents for young people in the UK in recent years include a Smart phone, a Playstation Move and 80’s retro fashion.
Father Christmas (aka Santa Claus)
Every year small children tell Father Christmas (also known as Santa Claus) exactly what presents they would like to receive. They can write him letter with a list of requests or they can visit him personally in one of the large department stores across Britain in the weeks before Christmas. On the night of December 24th Father Christmas travels through the sky on a sleigh pulled by magic reindeers and delivers presents to children across Britain. How does he enter the children’s houses? Via the chimney of course!
The Christmas number one
Every year, for a few weeks around Christmas time, the UK music charts go mad. Groups and singers who normally make cool music create a song that they hope will be number one on Christmas Day. The Christmas number one single is written about in newspapers, talked about on the radio and people can even bet money in betting shops to see which song will win the race. In the last ten years, the Christmas number one has been dominated by singers who have won reality television competitions. Recently the band ‘Rage Against the Machine’ started a Facebook campaign to be the first group with a Christmas number 1 with a download only song They won their anti- corporate campaign with the song ‘Killing in the name’.
Snow
Snow at Christmas is part of British culture. You often see it on Christmas cards, you can buy fake snow to decorate your house and there are even songs about snow at Christmas. There was lots of snow last winter in the UK so many people enjoyed a white Christmas. People can bet on whether it will snow or not on December 25th at betting shops around the country.
Turkey and crackers
Christmas dinner is usually eaten at midday or early afternoon. It traditionally includes roast turkey, vegetables and potatoes. There are also lots of alternatives to the turkey dinner for vegetarians who prefer a meat-free Christmas. Dessert is a rich, fruity cake called Christmas pudding. Traditionally a Christmas cracker is placed next to each person. When you pull the cracker with the person next to you, you hear a loud ‘bang!’ and a paper hat, a joke and a small gift fall from the cracker. You have to wear the hat, tell the joke to the other people at the table and keep the gift.
Christmas means…..
Does everyone like Christmas? These comments from young Brits reflect some of the wide range of opinions about Christmas in the UK:
Yasmeen, 20, Liverpool: Christmas to me means catching up with your family and having a laugh. Last of all opening your presents.
Ruby, 15, London: It’s too commercial. There are too many adverts trying to get everyone to spend their money.
James, 13, Crediton: Bringing all your family together, having a laugh, giving presents and eating loads of delicious foods. YUM! YUM!
Tony, 18, Bakewell: The shops start selling Christmas cards in September! That’s 3 months before Christmas. Ridiculous!
Claire, 22, Derby: I work for a charity that gives food to homeless people every Christmas. These people have no home or family so we try to make December 25th a happy day for them.
Charlie, 15, Canturbury: I think Xmas is as much about giving as it is getting. I also think it's a time for the whole family to get together and enjoy being with each other.
Alisha, 16, Manchester: I think that Christmas is a religious time, not just for Christians but for Jews and Muslims too. I celebrate the season the Christian way.
Valentine's Day in United Kingdom
People with romantic feelings for a particular person may send that person cards, gifts and text messages on Valentine's Day. Popular gifts include chocolates and flowers. Many are sent anonymously in the United Kingdom (UK).
What do people do?
Many people send Valentine's Day cards, gifts or text messages to their partner or somebody for whom they have romantic feelings. Cards and gifts are traditionally sent anonymously in the UK, even if they are from a partner or spouse. Popular Valentine's Day gifts include:
Chocolates and other types of candy.
Red roses or bunches of flowers.
Champagne or other sparkling wines.
Lingerie or other clothing.
Electronic gadgets or accessories, including USB sticks and skins for laptops, net books and mobile phones.
A surprise meal in a restaurant or night in a hotel.
A short break in the United Kingdom or abroad.
Children, parents and other relatives send exchange Valentine's Day cards in some families. Groups of female friends may also send each other Valentine's Day cards. However, these customs are less common in the United Kingdom than in some other countries.
Many couples try to eat a special meal with each other. They may do this in a restaurant, hotel room or at home. Some opt for food and drink with a romantic feel, such as oysters, chocolate fondue, strawberries and champagne. Others choose less formal, but easily prepared dishes.
Public life
February 14 is not a public holiday in the UK. Restaurants and hotels may be especially busy on the evening of Valentine's Day and weekends close to this date. People traveling in the UK may find it useful to make restaurant and hotel reservations in advance. Reservations for weddings at registry offices and in hotels and churches on February 14 may need to be made a year or more in advance.
Background
Valentine's Day has been celebrated in the UK for thousands of years. It probably originates from a pagan fertility festival in pre-Roman times. There was a Roman festival called Lupercalia in the middle of February to mark the start of spring. There were a range of fertility and marriage rites associated with Lupercalia. As Christianity spread across the Roman Empire, including much of the UK, this festival became a day of remembrance for St Valentine. Valentine's Day became increasingly commercial during the second half of the twentieth century. This continues in the 21st century.
Symbols
Valentine's Day symbols include red or pink hearts, red roses, teddy bears with roses or hearts and couples kissing or holding each other. These symbols are printed on cards, wrapping paper, lingerie and clothing and made of chocolate or other types of food.
Pictures or models of Cupid are also often displayed in the run up to and on Valentine's Day in the UK. Cupid is usually portrayed as a small winged figure with a bow and arrow. According to mythology, he uses his bow and arrow to strike romantic love into people's hearts.
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