ENGLAND

Where is England? England is in the Continent of Europe. Europe is East of the United States.

Continent of Europe England is located in the Northeast part of Europe. It is on an Island, surrounded by water.

The United Kingdom England is part of the United Kingdom. The Queen rules over all these lands.

England Prepares for Christmas Weeks before Christmas, the people of England prepare for Christmas by decorating with lights, watching Nativity plays, and sending out Christmas Cards.

Holiday Traditions Christmas is truly a magical season in England. Evergreen branches, holly, and mistletoe are hung to decorate homes, churches, and stores. People send Christmas cards, and sing carols.

Decorations Christmas trees in English homes often include cornucopia ornaments to symbolize the spirit of sharing plenty with others.

Christmas Cards Sending commercially printed Christmas cards started in London in 1843. Today more than two billion Christmas cards are exchanged each year, just within the United States.

Crackers Christmas crackers are very popular in England. A cracker is a paper tube wrapped in bright paper. A person pulls on each end of the cracker. The tube breaks in half with a “POP!” and a surprise falls out.

Mummers During the Christmas season, actors called mummers perform in the streets of England. Mummers' plays tell the story of St. George and his battle against the powers of evil. Mummers' plays are a tradition that dates back over 1,000 years.

Christmas Eve The day before Christmas is very busy for families in England. They wrap presents, bake cookies, and hang stockings. Many attend midnight mass which signals the start of the festivities.

A Christmas Carol Afterwards, some families gather around the tree as someone tells a classic holiday story, "A Christmas Carol."

Stockings The children often leave an empty stocking or pillowcase hanging at the end of the bed. In the morning, they hope it will be full of presents.

Christmas Wishes Children write letters to Father Christmas with their holiday wishes. They toss their letter into the fire so their wishes can go up the chimney. The letters are carried up the chimney to the North Pole.

Father Christmas Father Christmas is the gift-giver in England. He wears a red suit and hat. He slips into houses on Christmas Eve after the children have gone to sleep. He delivers presents and fill stockings with treats.

Christmas Dinner Christmas dinner is usually eaten in the middle of the day or in early afternoon on December 25th. Traditional English Christmas foods include turkey or goose, brussel sprouts, roasted potatoes, sausages wrapped in bacon, and bread sauce.

Christmas Treats For dessert they eat rich, fruity Christmas pudding with brandy sauce, mince pies, and pastry cases filled with a mixture of chopped dried fruit.

Boxing Day In England the day after Christmas is called Boxing Day because boys used to go round collecting money in clay boxes. When the boxes were full, they broke them open. Traditionally, people drop in on friends to exchange small gifts, sample a slice of Christmas cake or have a light meal.

Happy Christmas In England, and the rest of the United Kingdom, you wish someone a Merry Christmas by saying: “Happy Christmas”