Have you ever wondered how people from different countries spend Christmas? This post will tell you the Christmas features of the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom!
Christmas in the USA
The United States is a country of immigrants. Even if they are not Christians, most people choose to celebrate Christmas together.
Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year, due to their close dates, are the most important business seasons in the United States. People start shopping for Christmas gifts on Thanksgiving, and on Christmas Day people share gifts and participate in parties, holidays, and New Year celebration parties, all of which can bring huge consumption.
At Christmas, programs related to the Christmas theme are broadcast on TV, radio, and other media. People will participate in the Christmas light display. Christmas trees, Christmas cards, and holly are everywhere. Many charitable organizations will also prepare some exquisite Christmas gifts and send them to low-income families and homeless people. If you’ve ever donated to a charity, congratulations, you’ll get a Christmas present too!
On Christmas Eve, families spend time with each other, enjoy a Christmas meal, including a Christmas turkey, share gifts, and wish each other a good year ahead. Due to the different customs of different regions and the integration of immigrants, the Christmas dinner in the United States has undergone great changes. What remains unchanged is that the tableware for Christmas dinner is more exquisite and exquisite than usual.
Companies and schools are closed for Christmas and New Year. Many people will travel at this time. One of the most popular activities is skiing.
The ski resorts in Colorado, Utah, and New Mexico have a long history of skiing and mature ski trails, so many people will choose to come here for vacation.
Christmas in Canada
Canadians start to get into the Christmas atmosphere in the afternoon of the day before Christmas, and the festive time will last until the end of Boxing Day.
The afternoon of December 24th is the last time to buy gifts before the festival. At this time, many people will ask for leave to go to the mall to buy and pack.
New Year and Christmas are very popular tourist seasons in Canada. Many people decide to take a vacation during this period. The air ticket prices on Christmas Day are quite good, and the air ticket prices on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day are also very exciting!
In some provinces, there is a lively celebration every year – Sinck Tuck, in which Inuit dance happily and exchange gifts.
In Newfoundland, Mask Mummer is an essential tradition!
In Labrador, adults will put candles on the turnips and light them for their children.
In Nova Scotia, singing carols at Christmas is a must, and there is a very interesting custom. Neighbors in the same community will form a group to put on masks and play various funny characters and go to other neighbors’ houses to play pranks until the neighbors guess who they are. These people will also ask questions to the children in the community to see if they are good, and if the children answer well, they will get candy.
The most traditional Canadian Christmas meal consists of roast turkey and vegetables with sauce. For dessert, a special Christmas pudding with brandy sauce will be made. And there are all kinds of pies
In British Columbia, roast turkey is served with delicious smoked or fresh salmon.
Christmas in British
Britain is a country with a strong literary emotion, and people living there still hold many reading and salon activities.
Christmas Cards (and Letters)
Christmas cards are printed to celebrate Christmas, so most of the card patterns have Christian meanings, such as the scene of the birth of Jesus, the star of Bethlehem, etc., and most of them are snow scenes, snowmen, and Christmas customs
It is said that the world’s first commercial Christmas card was made in London in 1843. Now, in addition to buying whole packs of cards from the store, homemade Christmas cards are also very popular, and some people will put family photos in the cards so that the recipients will feel their hearts.
Christmas Crackers
Christmas crackers are an integral part of the British Christmas celebration. It is said that a confectioner in London made the first Christmas cracker in 1850.
A Christmas cracker is a tube made of cardboard, wrapped in brightly colored confetti, tightened at both ends, and shaped like a particularly large fruit candy. The two pulled one end each, and there was a small explosion when the paper tube was broken.
After the cracker is broken, the person who gets the big head can get the small gift, which generally includes a paper crown, a small toy, a note with jokes, riddles, or short stories about brain teasers, etc. After Christmas parties and Christmas dinners, guests usually pull Christmas firecrackers.
Nativity Plays
Every year before Christmas, primary schools and kindergartens in the UK rehearse the Nativity Play, which tells the story of the birth of Jesus. Children travel back more than 2,000 years ago and play various roles for parents and teachers to watch.
In earlier years, real animals such as cows and donkeys were used in these make-up plays. But now it’s usually the students who do the makeup or use the props.
Until the end of November, the students rehearse different pieces of the musical in the school every day. Because everyone rehearses together, each child can not only sing their roles, but also other people’s roles. At the same time, what parents need to prepare are props and costumes for their children.
Pantomime
This is a traditional British Christmas performance, referred to as Panto. The audience is mainly children, and the repertoire is generally adapted from fairy tales, such as Sleeping Beauty and Cinderella.
Panto was introduced to England in the 18th century. Now it has become an indispensable family entertainment program during Christmas.
Advent Calender
This calendar is generally designed as 24 or 25 small doors. Starting from December 1st, one will be opened in turn every day. There are various small gifts hidden behind the door. People use this way to welcome the arrival of Christmas on the 25th.
Now Christmas calendars have become a festive commercial gimmick, and major stores and brands have released many exquisite and unique Christmas calendars. The beauty and skin care Christmas calendars launched by many old department stores in the UK are even more popular products that people are chasing and snapping up.
Mince Pies
Mince pies are one of the special foods of Christmas and are a symbol of good luck.
Now the main raw material of Mince Pies has changed from meat filling to fruit filling, such as raisins, orange peel, cherries, dried apricots, etc. It is a very delicious dessert with a strong fragrance mixed with fruity sweetness.
Roast Turkey
The status of roast turkey in the hearts of modern British people is probably equivalent to that of dumplings in Chinese New Year’s Eve dinner
Mulled Wine
Mulled Wine is the most common hot drink in the Christmas market. In the cold winter, hold a glass of mulled wine and sip it slowly. After heating the red wine, the alcohol has evaporated, leaving only the soft aroma mixed with it. The slightly sweet fruity flavor warms people’s bodies and souls.
