Christmas has been celebrated in England for over a thousand years and traditions include decorating with calendars, cards, music and trees. The traditional Christmas dinner is roast turkey with vegetables and sauces while mince pies made their way into festivities in the Middle Ages. Pulling Christmas crackers to reveal small gifts inside is also a common practice as is the jolly Father Christmas figure distributing toys from the North Pole. Decorating and present-giving make Christmas Eve and Day special occasions.