British Christmas traditions that Americans just wouldn't understand...
18.12.19
Although they smash it out of the park when it comes to light displays; here in the UK we have a range of traditions that may be deemed crazy or unheard of in America, but we couldn’t imagine Christmas without them!
Early preparation
Now, everyone starts celebrating and counting down to Christmas at different times but let’s be honest, in the UK, Christmas pretty much begins immediately after Halloween. The stores are transformed overnight with all the festive stock, it feels like the weather instantly changes and everyone starts using the excuse of “it’s Christmas” for their urge to eat and drink all those tempting treats. We’d like to think we’re like America and start celebrating in December, but if we didn’t start the festivities early we’d be screwed - Netflix takes down the Christmas classics on the 1st December anyway...such a Grinch.
Pantomimes
Nothing screams Christmas like a theatre full of people shouting “HE’S BEHIND YOU” to a cast of minor celebrities and men in drag. You’d assume these are some kind of Christmas story...wrong. Panto’s are theatrical productions of classic fairytales like Cinderella, Snow White and Jack and the Beanstalk, and is something that has to be experienced to be fully appreciated. If that’s not enough, did you even go to the panto if you haven’t once owned or been irritated by a child owning and waving their new flashing wand or swords throughout the production.
Christmas number 1
Just like the usual weekly chart hits, but for some reason it’s more exciting in the run up to Christmas. The urge to know who will be ‘Christmas number 1’ is real - will it be the latest X-Factor star, will it be a Christmas classic, will the sausage roll song strike again? Trust us, it was number 1 last year...welcome to the UK!
Boxing Day
In America, the day after Christmas Day is just a normal day but here in the UK, we like to give it a name and allow it to be an excuse for many to have an extra day off work. This day is called Boxing Day, and no it doesn’t have anything to do with the sport, boxing. It’s literally a day for us all to be lazy, indulge in leftover food and alcohol and start sale shopping! Yes, immediately after Christmas, stores in the UK go sale mad and have these sales run into January - rather greedy really isn’t it? Get all our gifts on Christmas Day, then go out and buy more the next!!
Christmas adverts
When the adverts appear on TV, it’s officially Christmas. Every other month throughout the year, we pay no real attention to the TV during the ad breaks but when it comes to December, the excitement is real to hear “holidays are coming” chime on the TV for the first time, and see which company will release the Christmas advert of the year!
So yes, stay in the UK for the festive period but apply to Camp America today between your pantomime watching, cracker pulling and mince pie eating festivities and spend summer 2020 at an incredible summer camp in the USA. ‘Christmas in July’ is unofficially a thing over there too, so two christmases in one year - winning!