Christmas in England
A free reading lesson
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Today’s lesson is about Christmas in England. I know a lot of people who read my emails come from countries where Christmas is not celebrated but I hope everyone will enjoy learning about what happens in England at this time of year.
I’m not trying to teach you about religion. In fact, a lot of people in the UK are not religious at all these days but they still celebrate Christmas! Also, a lot of Christmas celebrations have nothing to do with religion anyway.
Christmas in England
Christmas is the biggest event of the year in the UK calendar. England might officially be a Christian country but fewer and fewer people are religious these days. There are also a lot of people living here who practise other religions. Christmas is an important time for Christians but it’s also enjoyed by many other people as a time for seeing family, eating a lot and exchanging presents.
For readers who don’t know, let me explain what Christmas means to Christians. Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Jesus. The Bible says that Jesus was born in a stable in Bethlehem because there was no room for his parents to stay anywhere else. Angels and a new star appeared in the sky. Jesus was visited by shepherds and wise men.
Before Christianity came to Britain over 1,500 years ago, there were many pagan celebrations during the winter solstice and some of these were absorbed into Christian celebrations of Christmas. The traditions of decorating the house with evergreen leaves, giving gifts and even Santa Claus all go back to pagan times.
Many of the Christmas traditions we follow nowadays started in the 19th century during the reign of Queen Victoria. Christmas cards were invented in 1843. Prince Albert, Victoria’s husband, is thought to be responsible for introducing Christmas trees to this country from Germany. A lot of the Christmas carols which we still sing today were written during this time.
Let me tell you how we celebrate Christmas today. On Christmas Eve, the day before Christmas, children put a stocking, or maybe a pillowcase, on the end of their bed for “Santa Claus” or “Father Christmas” to fill with presents. They usually realise after a few years that the gifts are actually from their parents but families may carry on with the fun until the children grow up. In some families, all the presents are from “Santa” but in my family, we had small gifts from Father Christmas in the morning, and then bigger presents from family members after lunch, which were waiting for us under the Christmas tree.
Christmas Day is the 25th and families usually get together on this day. We tuck into a traditional Christmas meal, usually at lunchtime, which is turkey with roast potatoes and vegetables, such as Brussels sprouts, carrots and parsnips. For dessert, we have Christmas pudding, which is a bit like a cake made with spices and lots of dried fruit. We give our presents to each other on this day.
The day after Christmas is called Boxing Day. Nobody knows for sure where the name comes from. One possibility is that it’s because churches used to use boxes on this day to collect money for the poor. Another possibility is that employers used to give a gift or money, called a Christmas box, to their employees. Nowadays, it’s a national holiday and many people see it as a good day to go for a walk with friends or family after eating too many calories the day before! The shops are open and the post-Christmas sales begin. Some people go to the shops really early to try to get the best bargains!
Vocabulary
stable = a building where animals, especially horses, are kept
shepherds = people who look after sheep
evergreen = refers to trees which have green leaves all year round
pagan = refers to old religions with many gods, which existed before the main world religions we have now
winter solstice = the shortest day of the year
carols = Christmas songs
stocking = a long sock. Women used to wear stockings but now the word usually means a long fabric sock which Santa Claus fills with gifts.
turkey = a kind of bird like a large chicken, or the meat from this bird
Brussels sprouts = small, green vegetables that look like miniature cabbages
parsnips = a root vegetable that looks like a yellow carrot
calories = a measurement of the energy produced from the food we eat
post-Christmas sale = an event in shops that occurs immediately after Christmas with discounted prices
bargain = something that’s for sale at a very good price
Phrasal Verbs
carry on = continue
grow up = get older or become an adult
get together = meet in a group
tuck in/into = start eating enthusiastically
Comprehension questions
Is Christmas only celebrated by Christians?
What is the religious significance of Christmas?
Which Christmas traditions originated in pagan times?
Which Christmas traditions started in Victorian times?
What do children usually do on Christmas Eve?
Describe the traditional Christmas meal.
What are some possible explanations for the origin of the name "Boxing Day"?
What do people do on Boxing Day?
The answers are at the bottom of this email!
If you celebrate Christmas, then I’d like to wish you a very Happy Christmas! If you don’t celebrate it, I would still like to send you my very best wishes for the end of 2023!
See you next week!
Katie
Answers
No. While the religious side is only important to Christians, Christmas is also celebrated by many non-religious individuals and even some followers of other religions simply as a time for meeting with family, eating together and exchanging gifts.
Christmas is when Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus.
Some Christmas traditions that originated in pagan times include decorating the house with evergreen leaves, giving gifts, and the idea of Santa Claus.
Traditions that started in Victorian times include Christmas cards and Christmas trees. A lot of Christmas carols come from this time period.
On Christmas Eve, children often put a stocking or pillowcase at the end of their bed for Santa Claus or Father Christmas to fill with presents.
The traditional Christmas meal typically includes roast turkey with roast potatoes and vegetables such as Brussels sprouts, carrots, and parsnips. For dessert, there is Christmas pudding.
The name might come from the boxes that churches used to use to collect money for the poor on this day. Or it may come from the "Christmas boxes" that employers gave to their employees.
Boxing Day is a national holiday. Some people go for a walk. Others go to the shops to look for bargains.