British Christmas Traditions and Celebrations

There's nothing more exhilarating than the spirit of Christmas. Going jingles all the way with ornamenting the house and relishing a hot, yummy cup of hot chocolate while watching the most wholesome Christmas movie ever. These small rituals and traditions are the only reasons that get us excited for the holiday season. Christmas in the United Kingdom, as we know, is a complete blast. Every alley, street and intersection is lit up with lights and huge Christmas trees. The Brits have their unique way of feeling and commemorating Christmas. Let's dive deep and explore a few dazzling British Christmas traditions. 

Top 10 United Kingdom Christmas traditions

Christmas is indeed the most beautiful time of the year, especially in the United Kingdom. There's, as such, no difference in the way they celebrate compared to the US and other countries, but one must absolutely visit the UK during Christmas. Below are a few British Christmas traditions one must absolutely know; 

1. Christmas Decorations

Normally, people begin to decorate their houses in the first week of December. There is no set date as to when one must decorate their house. However, it is important to take down the tree and other decorations before 5th January in order to avoid a year of bad luck. It is a pretty basic rule in the United Kingdom's Christmas traditions that must be followed. To get the most out of the UK during the Christmas season, it's a British Christmas tradition to visit the beautiful streets of London; refer to our blog on the best places to see Christmas lights in London for some jingle information. Many also start sending out their Christmas invitations for festive gatherings around this time.

2. Adverts For Big Supermarkets

The United Kingdom is obsessed with Christmas advertisements. It all started in 2011 with John Lewis. The British department store commissioned the advertising agency Adam & Eve to create a heartbreaking Christmas commercial that left no dry eye in the country. That year, it was all anyone could talk about. Since then, the John Lewis Christmas advertisement has become a British Christmas tradition, and their competitors have followed suit. As a result, retailers such as Sainsbury's, Tesco, and Marks & Spencer compete to create branded Christmas advertisements. 

3. Christmas Eve: The Biggest Drinking Night

Something noteworthy happens in the United Kingdom on Christmas Eve that has nothing to do with Santa or his sleigh. Christmas Eve is a night for family reunions. It's when everyone returns to their hometowns to celebrate the holiday season with their families. As a result, everyone returns to the local pub they frequented in high school. It's a thrilling epoch! It's a night when you can pass judgment without feeling guilty. Isn't it one of the most exciting British Christmas traditions?

4. Pantomimes: Kitschy, Family-Friendly Play

A pantomime (or "panto") is a musical play designed for families with young children that is only performed and enjoyed during the Christmas and New Year seasons in the United Kingdom. The comedy is slapstick, and the plot is frequently a parody of Peter Pan, Aladdin, or the Wizard of Oz. Dating back to the past, Christmas would not be complete without pantomimes; pantomime discovery gave a magical essence to the theatre in England. Giving the United Kingdom Christmas traditions a musical touch.

5. Christmas Food

Nothing says "traditional" more than Christmas food in the United Kingdom. As a British Christmas tradition, pigs in blankets, miniature sausages wrapped in bacon and baked. Or Yorkshire puddings are made from pancake batter and shaped into small bowls to hold copious amounts of gravy are severd. Someone decided that Brussels sprouts are the perfect vegetable to go with it all. Mince pies, made of spiced fruit and encased in sugared pastry, are very famous during the holiday season. These delicacies are a permannet member of the British Christmas celebrations all over the country. 

6. Mistletoe

One of the most common United Kingdom Christmas traditions is the story of a hanging mistletoe. Mistletoes are hung in houses, restaurants, bars and many other places. It's known that they possess mystical powers of good luck and ward off evil spirits. These days, if one is to be found under a mistletoe, they are supposed to steal a kiss from the person in front of them and refusing isn't even an option. It's a tradition that started in the 18th century in England and has been passed on to date.

7. Gifts and Presents

It is not only a common British Christmas tradition but a crucial custom done during Christmas. What's more important and joyous than gifting our loved ones presents and reuniting for a wholesome dinner? Santa Claus is the most anticipated guest who leaves a bunch of gifts for the whole family under the tree, and in return, they leave delicious cookies and milk for Santa to gorge on. Talking about presents, here are a few Christmas gift ideas for students in case you haven't thought of any.

8. Christmas Carol Singing

Singing Christmas carols is entirely admired and enjoyed by the British community. These songs are familiar to all, Christian or not. Carol singing is one of those British Christmas traditions that have no age restrictions. Especially during Christmas, churches and streets are crowded with carolers singing harmoniously and rejoicing in the birth of Christ. The Service of Nine Lessons and Carols from the chapel of King's College, Cambridge University, is one of the great melodic events of the year for BBC television.

9. Christmas Crackers

Tom Smith first initiated the idea of Christmas crackers in 1845-1850. He was a London sweetmaker and took the Christmas cracker inspiration from the French bonbon sweets. Basically, these crackers are a part of the table decorations that create a crackling sound when opened. Often, one might discover a small gift or a joke in it. British Christmas celebrations aren't celebrated to the fullest without the involvement of crackers.

10. Christmas Movies

To date, there are a million Christmas-themed movies that have brought the Christmas spirit right up to the brim. Movies like ' The Nightmare Before Christmas, 'KLAUS', 'Carol', 'Jingle Jangle', ' A Christmas Tale', 'ELF' etc. Christmas movies are a must in the list of UK Christmas traditions. These movies offer a great way for families to reunite and have a lovely time together. 

Christmas is the season of delight and happiness; it is harmoniously accepted by all and not only the Christians. Just like any other festival, it brings families and friends together once a year to celebrate life. However, there must be a set of traditions to follow in order to get the most out of it. Hence, these were a few of the British Christmas celebrations one must absolutely know about. Along those lines, also refer to our blog for a few ideas for decorations on a budget to beautify your house with minimal spending.