Christmas in
United Kingdom
Celebrated: December 24 (Christmas Eve) through December 26 (Boxing Day)
Signature traditions
- 1.Christmas crackers — paper tubes that pop open to reveal a paper crown, a joke, and a small toy
- 2.Watching the King's Christmas message on TV at 3 PM on Christmas Day
- 3.Pulling on the wishbone of the turkey after dinner
- 4.Boxing Day on December 26 — originally for giving boxes of leftovers and money to servants and tradespeople
- 5.Hanging mistletoe in a doorway, then kissing whoever passes underneath
What's on the table
Roast turkey, Christmas pudding, and mince pies
Christmas dinner is a roast turkey with stuffing, pigs in blankets, brussels sprouts, and roast potatoes. Christmas pudding (a dense fruitcake doused in brandy and set alight) is the dessert. Mince pies (small spiced fruit tarts) are eaten throughout the season.
The iconic decoration
The Christmas cracker
Invented in 1847 by a London confectioner, Christmas crackers are now a near-universal British tradition. Each place setting has one; two people pull the ends until it pops, releasing a paper crown that everyone wears through dinner.
How gifts are given
Father Christmas (also called Santa Claus) delivers gifts overnight on Christmas Eve, leaving them at the foot of the bed in a stocking and under the tree.
Did you know?
The Queen's (now King's) Christmas message has been a tradition since 1932, when George V first broadcast it on radio. About 7-8 million Britons still watch live each year — making it one of the most-watched moments on UK television.