The British celebrate Christmas through several traditions: sending Christmas cards, watching nativity plays, having family gatherings, singing carols, writing letters to Santa, and making snowmen. They decorate trees with lights, tinsel, and baubles. On Christmas Eve, children leave mince pies and milk for Santa. On Christmas Day, families open presents under the tree and have a traditional meal of roast turkey, roast potatoes, cranberry sauce, and Christmas pudding.

1. It’sIt’s ChristmasChristmas
time!time!
How do theHow do the
BritishBritish
celebratecelebrate
XmasXmas??

2. CHRISTMAS TRADITIONSCHRISTMAS TRADITIONS
 Every year in December we celebrate theEvery year in December we celebrate the
birthday of Jesus Christ: It’s Xmas time!birthday of Jesus Christ: It’s Xmas time!
 How do people in Britain celebrate thisHow do people in Britain celebrate this
holiday?holiday?
 They sendThey send Christmas cards.Christmas cards.
 They watchThey watch nativity plays.nativity plays.
 There have bigThere have big family get-togethers.family get-togethers.

3. CHRISTMAS TRADITIONSCHRISTMAS TRADITIONS
 People sing special songs calledPeople sing special songs called
Christmas carolsChristmas carols::
Silent NightSilent Night
Jingle BellsJingle Bells
White ChristmasWhite Christmas
We Wish You a Merry ChristmasWe Wish You a Merry Christmas
 Children write theirChildren write their Santa ListSanta List and theyand they
createcreate snowmensnowmen in their gardens.in their gardens.

4. CHRISTMAS TRADITIONSCHRISTMAS TRADITIONS
 What do people say when it’s ChristmasWhat do people say when it’s Christmas
time?time?
 MERRY CHRISTMAS!MERRY CHRISTMAS!
 MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPYMERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY
NEW YEAR!NEW YEAR!
 HAPPY CHRISTMAS!HAPPY CHRISTMAS!
 SEASON’S GREETINGS!SEASON’S GREETINGS!

5. ADVENTADVENT
 Advent is the time of waiting for theAdvent is the time of waiting for the
arrival of Christmas. During Adventarrival of Christmas. During Advent
preparations for Christmas begin:preparations for Christmas begin:
 People decorate their homes withPeople decorate their homes with
ornamentsornaments andand mistletoemistletoe!!
 Kissing under the mistletoe is a tradition!!Kissing under the mistletoe is a tradition!!

6. ADVENTADVENT
 Some peopleSome people
buy or makebuy or make AdventAdvent
CalendarsCalendars
 These calendars haveThese calendars have
chocolates for thechocolates for the
children hiddenchildren hidden
behind eachbehind each
window!!!window!!!

7. CHRISTMAS EVECHRISTMAS EVE
 It is the day before ChristmasIt is the day before Christmas
Day. It is the night whenDay. It is the night when FatherFather
ChristmasChristmas comes! Childrencomes! Children
hang uphang up stockingsstockings above theabove the
fireplacefireplace
 Father Christmas and hisFather Christmas and his elveselves
make all themake all the toystoys in hisin his
workshopworkshop in thein the North PoleNorth Pole..
 Then he flies around the worldThen he flies around the world
in ain a sleighsleigh pulled by eightpulled by eight
reindeerreindeer

8. © Laura Gallardo Navas 2007© Laura Gallardo Navas 2007
CHRISTMAS DAYCHRISTMAS DAY
 This is the favourite day forThis is the favourite day for
children.children.
 They wake up very early in theThey wake up very early in the
morning to open the presents!morning to open the presents!
 Children find their presentsChildren find their presents
under the Christmas tree.under the Christmas tree.
 How do the British decorateHow do the British decorate
their Christmas trees?their Christmas trees?

9. CHRISTMAS DAYCHRISTMAS DAY
 People decorate theirPeople decorate their
Christmas Trees with:Christmas Trees with:
 BellsBells
 CandlesCandles
 LightsLights
 TinselsTinsels
 BaublesBaubles
 OrnamentsOrnaments
 Candy canesCandy canes
 A star or an angel at theA star or an angel at the
very top of the treevery top of the tree

10. CHRISTMAS EVECHRISTMAS EVE
 Rudolph is the red-nosedRudolph is the red-nosed
reindeer!reindeer!
 Children leaveChildren leave mince piesmince pies,,
brandy, cookies, hot chocolatebrandy, cookies, hot chocolate
or milk for Santa and carrotsor milk for Santa and carrots
for the reindeer!for the reindeer!
 Santa goes down the chimneySanta goes down the chimney
to leave theto leave the presentspresents or theor the
coalcoal!!

11. CHRISTMAS DAYCHRISTMAS DAY
 Both parents and children gather together toBoth parents and children gather together to
unwrap the presents.unwrap the presents.
 Later the whole family sits down forLater the whole family sits down for
Christmas dinner.Christmas dinner.
 What does a traditional Christmas dinnerWhat does a traditional Christmas dinner
include?include?
 Roast turkeyRoast turkey
 Roast potatoesRoast potatoes
 Cranberry sauceCranberry sauce
 For dessert they have rich fruityFor dessert they have rich fruity puddingpudding whichwhich
you douse in brandy. Christmas puddings usuallyyou douse in brandy. Christmas puddings usually
include raisins, nuts and cherries.include raisins, nuts and cherries.
 GingerbreadGingerbread is also typical.is also typical.

12. CHRISTMAS DAYCHRISTMAS DAY
 Do you know what aDo you know what a crackercracker is?is?
 A Christmas cracker is a coloured paper tubeA Christmas cracker is a coloured paper tube
which contains a banger.which contains a banger.
 When two people pull the cracker it snaps in halfWhen two people pull the cracker it snaps in half
making a loud bang.making a loud bang.
 Inside the cracker there are paper crowns, jokesInside the cracker there are paper crowns, jokes
or little gifts.or little gifts.

13. BOXING DAYBOXING DAY
 Boxing Day is celebrated on December 26, the day afterBoxing Day is celebrated on December 26, the day after
ChristmasChristmas
 On Boxing Day people in Britain play sports. Football andOn Boxing Day people in Britain play sports. Football and
horse racing are the most popular activities.horse racing are the most popular activities.
 Shops sell their Christmas inventory at reduced prices!Shops sell their Christmas inventory at reduced prices!
 And families gather together again, go for a walk, watchAnd families gather together again, go for a walk, watch
football matches together, go shopping…football matches together, go shopping…
 The origins:The origins:
 English families boxed up Christmas leftovers. Then theyEnglish families boxed up Christmas leftovers. Then they
gave them to poor families and churches for charity.gave them to poor families and churches for charity.
 The tradition still continues today! Employers give extraThe tradition still continues today! Employers give extra
money to their employees and schools across the countrymoney to their employees and schools across the country
send their Christmas Boxes full of gifts to poorersend their Christmas Boxes full of gifts to poorer
countries.countries.

14. And… what about these ThreeAnd… what about these Three
Kings???Kings???
 On theOn the Twelfth NightTwelfth Night familiesfamilies
remove all the Christmasremove all the Christmas
decorations, so as not to bringdecorations, so as not to bring
bad luck upon the home!!!bad luck upon the home!!!
 It is on the 5th January.It is on the 5th January.
 British people don’t celebrateBritish people don’t celebrate
the Reyes Magos the way wethe Reyes Magos the way we
do, but they are considereddo, but they are considered
part of the whole Christianpart of the whole Christian
tradition.tradition.

15. The Three Wise MenThe Three Wise Men
 The Three Wise Men or ThreeThe Three Wise Men or Three
Kings, as they are called inKings, as they are called in
Britain (Caspar, Melchior, andBritain (Caspar, Melchior, and
Balthazar), followed the Star ofBalthazar), followed the Star of
Bethlehem and gave gifts toBethlehem and gave gifts to
Jesus Christ.Jesus Christ.
 What kind of gifts?What kind of gifts?
 GoldGold
 FrankincenseFrankincense
 MyrrhMyrrh

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Now… let’s have some fun!!!Now… let’s have some fun!!!