Christmas Day, 25 December, is celebrated by Christians as the day on which Jesus Christ was born. In Great Britain, carol services take place in Churches throughout December and nativity plays are performed They are stories of Christ's birth acted out by school children. Some families have models of nativity scene in their houses. Another popular form of Christmas performances are pantomimes which are dramatised versions of well-known fairy tales. They involve singing, dancing and encouraging the audience to participate. Before Christmas, people send Christmas cards to their friends and family. The first ever Christmas card was sent in Britain in the 19th century. Traditional Christmas symbols are Santa Claus, angels, holly or snowmen.
Traditional Christmas decorations which include holly and ivy originate in the Middle Ages. The custom of kissing beneath a spring of mistletoe comes, probably, from pagan tradition. A few days before Christmas families decorate their Christmas tree with baubles, coloured lights, tinsel and bows. Some people hang a holly wrath on their front door. It has been a tradition since 1947 that Oslo presents London with a large Christmas tree which stands in Trafalgar Square in commemoration of Anglo-Norwegian cooperation during the Second World War. Every year, there is a program of Christmas carols on Trafalgar Square. Another famous British Christmas tree is the one presented by the British Christmas Tree Growers Association. It stands outside the Prime Minister's residence at 10 Downing Street
. One of the longest preserved British Christmas customs which has changed over hundreds of years is the kissing bough. In the early middle ages, it was customary in Europe to hang up a small treetop, upside down as a symbol of the Holy Trinity. This was not only Christmas tradition but was also used as a Christian symbol of blessing upon the household. The custom of the Holy Bough transformed into a Kiss under the Mistletoe (which, being evergreen, was always used in the making of the Holy Bough).
The most popular and international symbol of Christmas is Santa Claus, who in Britain is also called Father Christmas. He originates from the Viking lore, which was brought by the Vikings when they invaded Britain in the 8th century. The Anglo-Saxons, who at that time inhabited Britain, The Saxons welcomed King Frost, or Father Time, or King Winter. They believed that by welcoming the Winter as a personage, or elemental deity, that element would be less harsh to them. The Vikings brought their god Odin, the father of the gods. Disguised in a long blue hooded cloak, and carrying a satchel of bread and a staff, Odin was supposed to join groups of people around their fire, sitting in the background and listening in to hear if they were content or not. He would occasionally leave a gift of bread at a poor homestead. These were first customs associated today with Father Christmas-he hooded figure, the secret visits, the leaving of a gift. With the Normans came St. Nicholas. Viking and Saxon deities mingled with a Christian element to create a saintly Parish Visitor - a sort of medieval social worker, a "prototype" of modern Santa Claus.
A famous story by Charles Dickens, "A Christmas Carol", made many people all over the world associate Christmas with Victorian England.
On Christmas Day's morning, British families open their presents together. The presents are believed to be left by Santa Claus who, at night, puts them into a stocking that each person hangs near the chimney. Then many British families attend Christmas services at churches.
On that day, people in Britain have traditional Christmas dinner which consists of roast turkey, goose or chicken with stuffing and roast potatoes. Next, they eat minced pies and Christmas pudding-a rich dried-fruit pudding with brandy butter, it may contain coins or lucky charms for children. The pudding is usually prepared weeks beforehand and is a tradition that each member of the family stirs the pudding and makes a wish. Some people also serve Christmas cake which is a rich baked fruit cake with marzipan, icing and sugar frosting. After dinner, everyone pulls Christmas crackers which were invented by a London baker in the 19th century. It is a brightly coloured paper tube, twisted at both ends. The cracker is pulled by two people, it gives out a crack and its contents which are a party hat, a riddle or a joke and a small toy, are dispersed. Another British Christmas tradition is the Queen's Christmas Message to the nation which is broadcast on the radio and TV.
The day after Christmas in Britain is called Boxing Day. The name comes from a former tradition of giving Christmas box a gift of money or food inside a box - to the deliverymen and trades people who called regularly during the year. It used to be also known as the Feast of St Stephen when church alms-boxes were opened and the contents given to the poor. Today, on Boxing Day many sports events take place in Britain
Christmas decorations are traditionally taken down in any time between New Year and 6 January, the festival of Epiphany.
