England have their own unique way of celebrating the holidays. For many Americans to call their Christmas customs visions of a past era with its taste Dickens. For those of us who grew up watching A Christmas Carol, this type of celebration is a special attraction.
If you are from New England (or Minnesota for that matter) Christmas time in the original England was attractive for another reason: it's really not that cold. The average temperature in London in December hovering around 40 degrees Fahrenheit. That's not bad if you're used to living in the frozen tundra! Although it is generally not a white Christmas with lots of Christmas spirit was in England.
One of the most expensive English Christmas tradition of wassail. Nothing brings the Christmas spirit as Victorian images of men and women together in their finery to sing Christmas Carols. Like many holiday wassail tradition actually comes from a pagan tradition. In ancient times people sing their orchards in the hope of an abundant harvest to encourage!
Another good English Christmas traditions is the Christmas cracker. These are essentially cardboard tubes wrapped in colorful paper and housing little more than a toy. During dinner guests sit together at the end of Christmas cracker and pull. There is a strong snap of the pipe to break in half. Anyone who comes away from the larger half gets a toy inside. It's a bit like snapping the wishbone for good luck.
Fun does not stop at lunchtime. The dinner ends with the obligatory Christmas pudding. In England "pudding" means almost any type of desert. In this case it is a little black cake. It is heavily spiced and often contains fruits and nuts. Important to experience Christmas pudding in small coins. Someone is getting a dime on their part and giving it to them good luck (and hopefully not a broken tooth) until next Christmas!
Make your next vacation in England, an adventure vacation and see Christmas in a whole new way!
If you are from New England (or Minnesota for that matter) Christmas time in the original England was attractive for another reason: it's really not that cold. The average temperature in London in December hovering around 40 degrees Fahrenheit. That's not bad if you're used to living in the frozen tundra! Although it is generally not a white Christmas with lots of Christmas spirit was in England.
One of the most expensive English Christmas tradition of wassail. Nothing brings the Christmas spirit as Victorian images of men and women together in their finery to sing Christmas Carols. Like many holiday wassail tradition actually comes from a pagan tradition. In ancient times people sing their orchards in the hope of an abundant harvest to encourage!
Another good English Christmas traditions is the Christmas cracker. These are essentially cardboard tubes wrapped in colorful paper and housing little more than a toy. During dinner guests sit together at the end of Christmas cracker and pull. There is a strong snap of the pipe to break in half. Anyone who comes away from the larger half gets a toy inside. It's a bit like snapping the wishbone for good luck.
Fun does not stop at lunchtime. The dinner ends with the obligatory Christmas pudding. In England "pudding" means almost any type of desert. In this case it is a little black cake. It is heavily spiced and often contains fruits and nuts. Important to experience Christmas pudding in small coins. Someone is getting a dime on their part and giving it to them good luck (and hopefully not a broken tooth) until next Christmas!
Make your next vacation in England, an adventure vacation and see Christmas in a whole new way!
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