Christmas Time in Germany In Poland in United Kingdom

In Poland Advent is the beginning of Christmas Time. During Advent, people also prepare their houses for Christmas. There's lots of cleaning and people wash their windows and clean their carpets very thoroughly. Everything must be clean for Christmas day A special stew called 'Bigos' is made. It's cooked over a period of two or more, the longer the better! It's made of sauerkraut, cabbage and meat. Each family has their own recipe.

Christmas Eve is a very important and busy day. There are many things to do :preparing food, the Christmas Tree is decorated with tinsels, lights and glass balls. Gold, silver gold and white chains resembling long, silver and glittering hair is also hung on the tree and a star is placed on the top. Nativity Cribs are also common decorations and Children take part in Nativity plays at schools and in Churches.

it is traditional that no food is eaten until the first star is seen in the sky! So children look at the night sky to spot the first star!. At the beginning of the meal, a large wafer biscuit called an 'Oplatek', which has a picture of Mary, Joseph and Jesus on it, is passed around the table and everyone breaks a piece off and eats it. Sometimes a small piece may be given to any farm animals or pets that the family may have. A place is often left empty at the meal table, for the Christ Child

The meal consists 12 dishes of mostly fish as meat was forbidden, mushrooms, puddings and cake. Common dished include pierogi, bigos and karp (carp). Later children check the presents under the tree and and give them out. Christmas Eve is finished by going to Church for a Midnight Mass service. Wesolych Swiat Bozego Narodzenia or Boze Narodzenie

In the UK, families often celebrate Christmas together, so they can watch each other open their presents Most families have a Christmas Tree in their house for Christmas. The decoration of the tree is usually a family occasion, with everyone helping. Christmas Trees were first popularised the UK by Prince Albert, the husband of Queen Victoria. Prince Albert was German, and thought that it would be good to use one of his ways of celebrating Christmas in to England.

Children believe that Father Christmas, or Santa Claus, leaves presents in stockings or pillow-cases. These are normally hung up by the fire or by the children's beds on Christmas Eve Children write letters to Father Christmas listing their requests, but sometimes instead of putting them in the post, the letters are tossed into the fireplace. The draught carries the letters up the chimney and Father Christmas reads the smoke

In the UK, the main Christmas Meal is usually eaten at lunchtime or early afternoon on Christmas Day. It was traditionally roast goose, although it's common to have turkey now, roast vegetables and 'all the trimmings' which means stuffing and sometimes bacon and sausages. Dessert is often Christmas Pudding. Mince pies and lots of chocolates are often eaten as well! The dinner table is decorated with a cracker for each person and sometimes flowers and candles

Holly, Ivy and Mistletoe are also sometimes used to decorate homes or other buildings. Merry Christmas!

A big part of the Christmas celebrations in Germany is Advent. Several different types of Advent calendars are used in German homes.

Christmas Trees are very important in Germany as well. They were first used in Germany in the Middle Ages. If there are young children in the house are usually secretly decorated by the Mother of the family. Sometimes wooden frames, covered with coloured plastic sheets and with electric candles inside, are put in windows to make the house look pretty from the outside.

In some parts of Germany, children write to the 'Christkind' asking for presents. Father Christmas (der Weihnachtsmann) brings the presents on December 24 th at night. Some people say that Father Christmas (Weihnachtsmann) brings the presents and some say it is Christkind!

On the 31st December, there is the tradition of the Sternsinger (or star singers) who go from house to house, sing a song and collect money for charity. Frohe Weihnachten !