5 British Christmas Traditions

Alla fine anche quest’anno si avvicinano le feste, nonostante questo Dicembre sarà un Natale un po’ diverso, per le ragioni che tutti noi conosciamo. 
Per farci immergere però ancora di più nel clima natalizio che comincia a respirarsi già da qualche giorno, la nostra Beth ha deciso di scrivere un blog parlando delle tradizioni di Natale del suo paese, il Regno Unito. Noi ovviamente non ci siamo fatti sfuggire l’occasione, e abbiamo creato dei Quiz appositamente per questo suo articolo – che troverete in fondo alla pagina.

Non vi resta allora che cimentarvi nella lettura di questo blog!!

The Queen’s Speech

The Royal Address started back in 1932 with a radio broadcast by King George V. It has been read by Queen Elizabeth II since 1952, and is usually the most-watched TV event in Britain on Christmas day! The Queen usually speaks about all the events of the year as well as a message of hope for the new year. It is shown at around 3pm on BBC, and is broadcast to all Commonwealth countries around the world. The speech only lasts about 10 minutes, but is an important part of Christmas day for many households.

Leaving Food & Drink for Santa & Rudolph

The type of food can differ from region to region but, growing up in the North of England, we personally left out a small glass of Brandy & a mince pie for santa, and then a carrot for Rudolph the reindeer. Parents will usually take a bite out of each and drink the beverage to let the children believe Santa Claus visited the house on Christmas Eve. It’s usually the first thing they check! Although if Santa drank a glass of Brandy in every house he went to, I’m not sure he’d be able to do his job very well….

Pulling Crackers

Crackers are cardboard tubes filled with little treats, and are pulled at the start of the meal. Inside each one is a small strip of paper covered in a tiny amount of gunpowder, which makes the cracker go ‘bang’ when it’s pulled! They usually contain brightly coloured paper hats that are worn throughout the meal. Everyone looks ridiculous, which just adds to the joy of the day! Also included is a joke on a small piece of paper, and usually a small gift – for example a comb, a keyring, or a mirror. Although this depends on the quality of the cracker… If you’re willing to fork out for a luxury one, you could get some amazing gifts!

Boxing Day Sales

If you happen to work in retail, this particular day is an absolute nightmare for you. But, if you have the day off and love to shop for bargains, this is the perfect day! Boxing Day is the English name for the day after Christmas – the 26th of December. The sales start in the morning and last all day, and the discounts you can find rival those of Black Friday in America. There are also the ‘January Sales’ which are famous throughout the UK, but Boxing Day is your chance to get hold of the best things before they sell out, at ridiculous prices!

Pantomimes

Nothing gets us more in the Christmas spirit than watching men in drag re-enact some of the most famous fairy tales in the world! Although it’s not quite known why this is specifically a Christmas tradition, it’s most likely due to the fact that it’s a fun show for all ages, meaning that families can attend pantomimes all together during the school holidays. Pantomimes are always comedies, and there will usually be a villain who sneaks up on the main character. It is a tradition for the entire audience to shout ‘he’s behind you!’ every time this happens!

Allora ragazzi, com’è andata la lettura di questo articolo? Siete riusciti a capire tutto?
Se avete avuto qualche difficoltà, sicuramente gli esercizi qua sotto riusciranno a chiarirvi meglio le idee! Buon Natale e buone feste a tutti! 😉