A Raft of Wonderful Traditions
Christmas in England is a magical time. Yes, it’s dark and the weather
can be miserable. Yes, it’s hectic and yes, it can be commercial. But
what makes it truly amazing are its many traditions: those we all share,
and those each family has developed for itself.
Our traditions tell us much about how our forebears saw the world.
They tell us of their beliefs, their quirky sense of humour or their
courage when times got tough.
For me, Christmas is all about lights and music. Every day during
December, just as dusk blurred all the edges, my mother would light the
big, dated Christmas candle, put on some Christmas music and allow
herself an hour of peace and quiet. Blue hour, she used to call that. I
suppose we’d call it twilight now.
It seemed an odd sort of ritual when I was younger and rarely could
sit still for long, but when I do this now, I feel a strange sort of
connection with the past, with my mother, with things that were…
Most families have such traditions of their own. They may be quirky,
or sweet, or a little bit silly… but it would be a shame to lose
them, because they’re what makes Christmas in England so special.
Wishes up the Chimney
Letter to Father Christmas
© Maare Liiv| freeimages.com
How is one to contact Father Christmas (also called Santa) to tell
him one’s dearest wish when the man is so busy and so elusive?
Well, English children have that one covered. They write a careful
note to the man in red and send it up the chimney to be collected by
reindeer mail.
But English children are not the only ones to write letters during
December. The Royal Mail handles millions of Christmas cards every
winter. We send cards not only to family members, but to many of our
friends – even if we communicate by email and phone for the rest of the
year.
The cards we receive are propped up on the mantelpiece, hung from the
banisters or displayed in elaborate holders, such as these ones below:
Christmas Lights
Christmas in England is celebrated during the darkest part of the
year, so lights have always played a big part in the celebrations. We
light candles, decorate our homes inside and out with light and – of
course – fit lights to the Christmas tree.
Many towns put up special ‘Christmas lights” during the winter months
and the official switch-on is often a most cheerful party.
© Gavin Mills | freeimages.com
Blackpool and Oxford Street in London
have some of the most celebrated Christmas light displays in the
country. So if you’re here during the festivities, wait until it’s dark
and then have a look.
But don’t despair if you’re nowhere near the fabled lights. Many
people light up their homes and an evening stroll through the town or
village you’re visiting can yield some amazing sights.
Most families will put up a Christmas tree – sometimes a couple of
weeks in advance of Christmas – and decorate it beautifully with lights
and charms and baubles of all kinds.
Towns, shops and big corporations are not slow to join in.
And the huge Christmas tree that proudly stands in Trafalgar Square
arrives every year from Norway with good wishes from the Norwegian
people!
Meet Santa Claus
Christmas in England is a magical time for children and most children
love to meet Father Christmas. Most of the time, he can be found in
his grotto, with a reindeer or two close by. He’s friendly but stern,
and if his long white beard is made from cotton wool, that does little
to spoil the picture.
Sitting on Santa’s knee is an experience for any child, and for the
parents it’s a small, cheerful break in the rigours of shopping.
Shopping centres are busy in the run-up to Christmas, but they’re also
beautiful.
Besides Santa Claus and the multi-coloured Christmas lights there’s
often music. Local choirs or a brass band – where we live it’s the
Salvation Army one – turn out to brighten the afternoons with Christmas
carols and you can often see people stop and sing along for a few
minutes, caught in the spirit of Christmas in England.
Christmas in England is magical. Explore more.
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