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Other than my family, I have been thinking a lot about what an English Christmas means to me. Covid has made me long for all things familiar and loved. Now that the festive season is here, I think about my homeland thousands of miles away and what it means to be there at this time of year.
I miss the coziness of the family home, a quaint brick house surrounded by acres of green fields, tucked away in a small valley. The fireplace burning in the small living room is a perfect background to an evening of Scottish whisky and mince pies. The tranquility of this home in the beautiful Derbyshire countryside reassures all is well.
My Historic English town
I love the sights and sounds of Christmas shopping on the high street of my local town, Chesterfield. Traffic-free zones allow us to meander along the cobblestone streets, in and out of our favorite shops. Tantalizing aromas of local bakeries and coffee shops lure us inside to warm up. The Christmas lights are beautiful, and there is an air of excitement with just a few days left before the big day arrives. Groups of merry-makers spill out of pubs and into the next one, happy to have left the office early to celebrate the season. There is the final trip to the supermarket to stock up on basics, which includes a generous amount of beer and wine to keep the relatives happy.
Read more about Chesterfield here:
Christmas Eve
Work finishes early for most on Christmas Eve. There is a last-minute Christmas wrapping session and a small dinner in preparation for tomorrow’s gigantic meal. Or a quick visit to the local pub to relax and enjoy the prospect of a few days off. I never really baked when I lived in England as nothing compares to ordering your favorite goodies from the local bakery. Savory and sweet pies, sausage rolls, homemade bread, and mince pies are a few of the selections. The traditional Christmas cake is the exception, which is baked and iced well in advance by the lady of the house. It’s a fruit cake, which makes most Americans shudder, but it’s an old tradition and tastes so good on a wintery day with a cup of hot tea.
Christmas Day
Christmas Day is traditionally a time for families to enjoy in their own homes. Socializing comes on Boxing Day. As the turkey bastes nicely, there is time for another quick dash to the local pub for a festive pint or two, then back to the house for a massive meal. Before eating, there is the ritual of pulling Christmas crackers, wearing the paper hat, and telling a silly joke. As a kid, this was my favorite part as there was always a small prize in the cracker. Now in the US, it’s possible to buy them or order online. Here is an interesting history about the Christmas Cracker
https://www.whychristmas.com/customs/crackers.shtml
English Christmas dinner at our house is always turkey with stuffing, homegrown Brussel sprouts, carrots, enough potatoes for a small army, and my all-time favorite dessert, warm Christmas pudding with custard. Christmas pudding, traditionally known as figgy pudding or plum pudding, is again a dried fruit concoction. It is steamed and then flamed with rum just before serving. Dinner is followed by a mandatory doze in front of the fire to reenergize in time for turkey sandwiches.
The Queen makes her annual speech on Christmas day at 3 p.m. GMT, where she summarizes the year from her perspective. If you are a fan of the royals, it’s not to be missed and adds a sprinkle of tradition to the day. Click on this link to listen to her speech live outside of the UK on Alexa! https://www.theverge.com/2020/12/19/22190965/amazon-alexa-echo-uk-queen-elizabeth
If you want a taste of Britain, follow these recipes!
Christmas Pudding recipe
https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/classic-christmas-pudding
Minced Pie recipe
https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/mince-pies
Follow these links to make your own Christmas Cake!
https://www.thespruceeats.com/traditional-british-christmas-cake-recipe-435111
https://www.thespruceeats.com/traditional-british-christmas-cake-recipe-435111
Boxing Day
This is another day off for most people and another round of overindulgence. It’s a day where families visit one another for chats, cups of tea and pastries, and more turkey sandwiches. Why “Boxing Day”? Historically it was a day for the rich to give boxed gifts to their servants and the poor. It is also a recognized public holiday in other Commonwealth countries including Canada and Australia. More recently it has become a day to shop in England and scoop up after-Christmas bargains. I love Boxing Day as it extends the Christmas break, which is especially nice if it falls on a Friday. There’s something very depressing about going back to work the day after Christmas in the US.
In the days after Christmas, I enjoy going out into the gorgeous countryside for a refreshing walk to burn off some calories. I love the green, peaceful scenes where sheep graze lazily, oblivious to the festive chaos.
These are the things I love and miss about Christmas in England, in any year other than 2020! I would love to hear about your favorite Christmas moments!
Wherever you celebrate the holiday season this year, I wish you a very safe and happy Christmas!
