Christmas traditions in the UK

1. CHRISTMAS IN
THE UK
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YzSGEeaYvJc

2. CHRISTMAS EVE
• Christmas eve is celebrated the 24th
of December, the night before
Christmas
• Children will go to bed after
watching a Christmas film
• They leave mince pies, milk or
whisky for father Christmas and a
carrot for Rudolph, some families
also write a note to thank Santa for
coming
• Some families walk around their
town to look at Christmas lights

3. CHRISTMAS DAY
• Christmas day is celebrated on the
25th
of December
• Children get up very early to open
their presents.
• Most presents are put downstairs by
Santa, but a few are put in stockings
which are on their bedroom door.
• They have a big full English breakfast
and eat Christmas dinner in the early
afternoon
• Usually lots of family member come
to visit and lots of family games are
played e.g. Monopoly

4. FATHER
CHRISTMAS/SANTA:
• Every year small children tell Father
Christmas (also known as Santa Claus) exactly
what presents they would like to receive.
• They can write him letter with a list Of things
they would like
• They can also visit him personally in one of
the large department stores across Britain in
the weeks before Christmas.
• On the night of December 24th Father
Christmas travels through the sky on a sleigh
pulled by magic reindeers and delivers
presents to children across Britain. He enters
children’s houses through the chimney

5. CHRISTMAS NUMBER 1
• around Christmas time, the UK music
charts go mad.
• Groups and singers create a song that they
hope will be number one on Christmas
Day.
• The Christmas number one single is written
about in newspapers, talked about on the
radio and people can even bet money in
betting shops to see which song will win
the race.
• In the last ten years, the Christmas number
one has been dominated by singers who
have won reality television competitions
e.g. X-factor

6. CHRISTMAS DINNER:
• Christmas dinner is a very
important part of Christmas
• All the family help to prepare
different parts of the dinner
• The table is set nicely with
candles, napkins, tinsel and reefs
• Before dinner we pull Christmas
crackers
• The dinner is 3 courses:

7. TRADITIONS:
• Christmas trees
• Watching TV
• Mistletoe
• Nativity and carols in schools
• White Christmas
• Advent
• Christmas cards
• Tv adverts

8. BOXING DAY:
• It is celebrated on the 26th
December (day after Christmas)
• takes its name from a former
custom giving a Christmas box to
delivery men and trades people for
returning to work.
• Nowadays the sales start in shops
• People eat lots of leftover food
• Will visit other family

9. NEW YEARS EVE:
• People gather with friends and family to
see the New year come in
• At midnight people give a new years kiss
• They sing a traditional song called Auld
Lang Syne.
• Young people will often go out to parties
• They count down from 20 to when the
clock strikes midnight and make a toast to
a good year
• People make new years resolutions

10. Vocabulary

12. CHRISTMAS QUIZ:
• This word starts with a "W." It is the season of the year in which Christmas is celebrated.
What is it called?
• Winter
• This word starts with an "S." It is a fluffy white form of water that sometimes falls in cold
parts of the world during winter. What is it called?
• Snow
• This word starts with an "S." It is a character that you can make out of snow. What is it
called?
• Snowman
• This word starts with a "P." Christmas is a time for giving. This is another word for a gift.
What is this other word?
• Present
• This word starts with a "T." Most children hope to get some of these for Christmas. What
are they?
• Toys
• This word starts with a "T." This is a symbol of Christmas. Some people put one of these in
their house and decorate it with ornaments, lights and angels. What is it?
• Tree