CHRISTMAS IN ENGLAND

Christmas Day :

Christmas Day is celebrated at home with the family. Some houses are decorated with green plants : evergreens. People also place a wreath of holly on the door. They also hang mistletoe above the housedoor

so that each couple passing underneath must kiss ... They bring gifts, then place them under the Christmas Tree. Later, they open their gifts on the night before Christmas Day, called Christmas Eve.

Christmas Dinner :

Christmas Pudding

For this particular occasion, everyone sits at mid-day or early in the afternoon to eat the traditional meal : roast turkey, brussel sprouts, roast potatoes, cranberry sauce, rich nutty stuffing, tiny sausages wrapped in bacon ("pigs in blanket") and lashings of hot gravy. But some families prefer eating goose or roast beef.

A turkey wishing tradition is to pull its wishbone : this is one of the bones of the turkey (dinde) which is shaped like the letter "Y". Two people will each hold en end and pull ! The person left with the larger piece of the bone makes a wish (formule un souhait/fait un voeu).

For dessert, British eat a rich fruity pudding in flaming brandy -said to ward off evil spirits ...

It's called the Christmas Pudding.

Christmas crackers :

Christmas crackers

Traditionally, a Christmas cracker is placed next to each plate on the Christmas dinner table. When the crackers are pulled, out falls a colourful party crown (couronne), a toy or a gift and a festive toy.

Germaine, 1BPC1