Book Chick City: Christmas Week: An English Christmas

Christmas Week: An English Christmas

Saturday, December 26, 2009 | Posted by Book Chick City |

Yay! Christmas Week has arrived! Christmas Day is fastly approaching *woo hoo* and there's lots to look forward to here on Book Chick City. So sit back with a glass of mulled wine and a delicious mince pie and enjoy!

For many years I went to someone else's for Christmas. Most of the time it was to the in-laws and occasionally to my mums. But either way, I never had to cook or entertain, I just sat back and was weighted on... ahh the memories :) Since my husband and I moved into a bigger house we have been able to have both sets of parents over for Christmas. It's been a lot of fun as well as a learning curve. I didn't realise that so much went into preparing, cooking and serving the Christmas dinner, so thanks mum for all the years you cooked us such wonderful food, especially when I was a kid as there were three of us kids, as well as my grandparents! Not a massive family by any means, but big enough.

My Christmas as a child consisted of waking up at 5am (nothing has changed there as I still do!) racing downstairs to see what Father Christmas had brought me. Most Christmases I had at least two or three giant black sacks full of gifts. It was slightly different to nowadays, as back then I can't remember being into certain toys like kids are today. Any toys would do, I didn't care about size or value, all I wanted was to rip open that present! I can honestly say it took me all of five minutes to open all those presents. And I loved every one. From colouring books, to nighties from nan and lots and lots of chocolate. I would then stuff my face with said chocolate while immersed in all my presents, before sitting down to Christmas dinner.

An English Christmas dinner consists of Turkey, delicious crispy roast potatoes, brussel sprouts with chestnuts and sometimes bacon and cranberry sauce. Other side dishes included parsnips roasted in honey and pigs in blankets and lots of chestnut stuffing. All this yummy scrummy food is accompanied by Christmas crackers, which we pull and out pops a little gift, paper hat and cheesy jokes.

Examples of a Christmas cracker joke:

Q: What has four legs and goes "boo"?

A: A cow with a cold

Q: What time is it when an elephant sits on your fence?

A: Time to get a new fence

You get the idea. Very corny, very cheesy, but a complete must have at the English Christmas table. Then the adults would usually fall asleep while I watched TV. Then we would have a cold tea of turkey sandwiches and more Christmas pudding and mince pies... with cream.

The Christmas feeling I get today is all down to the Christmases I had at home with my mum. They were warm and happy and I have lots of lovely memories. Although, as an adult things have changed, I can't just sit and immerse myself in presents and chocolate, as I have responsibilities, but that Christmas warmth still remains, I just now pass it on.

So how do you celebrate your Christmas in your part of the world?

Labels: Christmas Week 2009

11 comments:

Glynis said...: Happy Christmas to you. I now say Kalla Krystuenna here in Cyprus. My English Christmas is no longer. The few expat friends we mix with usually come to my house. I love the cook a traditional meal and scout around to find it. Now we are in the Eu it is better as more foodstuff is imported. Yesterday I went to our neighbours, DH and me were spoiled. First we opened gifts, then we then rang our girls in Essex UK. Then we walked the village, wishing the Cypriots Khronia Polla, many happy years. We staggered home with lemons, Cyprus sausages, traditional village cakes, fresh squeezed grapefruit juice, Zivianir (pure village moonshine), village wine and clementines. We then had our meal with our friends, then home mid evening. We then sat alone with a wine and chocolates, watching Christmas movies that we downloaded, as we get Arab tv and they don't show them.We then webcammed our son- we had to wait until night, to speak to him on his Christmas morning in Vancouver. Boxing day doesn't exist here as it is English, but we carry it on. So it will be a meat and pickles day, scrabble and a walk in the vineyards.
So as you see I have a mix of two worlds for mine.
Have fun
Glynis; 26 December 2009 08:27
Leontine said...: Merry Xmas BCC! Thanks for this wonderful trip down memory lane and I so concur with how as a kid it was all about having a fun time, ripping open pressies and stuffing yourself full of candy, get the sugar rush and then have a family dinner.

Now as an adult and my family scattered over the Netherlands we decided that 1st Xmas day would be for each to do as they please and then 2nd Xmas day the family would come together, I always bake the apple pie, sis gets certain family members at meeting house and first of all we celebrate my brothers birthday. We catch up and then we go out, we had a few years we did bowling and dinner but this year we're going to dine at the Greek, not traditionally Xmas style but our family is all for change and expanding ones horizon.

Have a great day with your family!; 26 December 2009 09:36
Mardel said...: We usually go to my sister's house, where they roast a huge pork roast on the outside grill. Mashed potatoes, rolls, salad, desserts and drinks round it all out. We used to congregate at my mom's, but now she is in central Americal. Then we had turkey, dressing, potatoes and the works. Presents are opened at home in the morning, and at the family gathering in the evening. We play a "pirate gift" game, where you can steal someone else's gift. It's kind of fun and nervewracking all at the same time.

It's always nice spending time with family.; 26 December 2009 09:50
Bookalicious said...: My family and I don't really celebrate Xmas and we don't give any presents anymore (now that we all know that Santa's not reall, gasp), which is fine by me. I mean we decorate the tree and that's it, no traditions or anything. But I always enjoyed hearing how the English celebrate Xmas, I just think it's so cute! I'd totally love to be there one day, it must be such a lovely experience with all the food and crackers and presents etc. :) So thanks for your account of Xmas celebrations, I enjoyed reading that! :); 26 December 2009 09:58
Becky said...: Ours Christmas is a very English Christmas just like yours. Although I'm not at the stage that I would attempt to cook the dinner. Hope you had a super day.; 26 December 2009 11:56
hcmurdoch said...: Even though I live in Southern California, your Christmas sounds similar to mine (stockings, the food, Christmas crackers) since my parents are British. We still all get stockings and on Xmas morning pretend Santa DOES exist even though all three generations know he doesn't. As an adult, I get such joy from seeing my daughter open her gifts and this year, for the first time, she really understood the joy of giving someone the perfect gift! One big difference in our Christmas? We always do a beach walk.; 26 December 2009 14:26
Ivana said...: Wonderful post! Sretan Božić, as we would say in Croatia :) Merry Christmas!; 26 December 2009 14:31
Sparklybearsy said...: Your past Christmases sound exactly like mine BCC, tearing down the stairs at the butt crack of dawn dressing gown floating behind me (which i still do now...get up that early, not tear down the stairs lol ) to see what Father Christmas had left me and seeing the sofa piled high of gifts.

Nowadays i realise how difficult it was to pull those seamless days together, how stressed it is to just make a Christmas Lunch and have it all cooked at the same time lol

Ive kept alot of traditions my mum used to do, shes no longer here so it lets me feel closer to her at Christmas. I adore the cheesy cracker jokes! they're a must have, and wearing those paper hats! just as slothing out in front of the tv watching watching the queen with a tummy full of food swearing you're never going to eat again, only then half hour later rooting around for mincepies and cream :D; 26 December 2009 16:38
Sheila (Bookjourney) said...: A beautiful post and you really reminded me of some great memories I had growing up.

I lost both my parents and my only sibling at a young age. It is easy for me to fight holidays such as Christmas and just want to get through them and be thankful I did.

In recent years I have become so appreciative for what we have. Our family may be small - it is just my husband and I and our sons (this year our oldest joined the Navy so he was not here) but it is filled with our own little traditions that I too carry from my upbringing.

Thank you for sharing great memories and Merry Christmas.; 26 December 2009 18:01
prashant said...: we carry it on. So it will be a meat and pickles day, scrabble and a walk in the vineyards.

Make website india; 26 December 2009 22:09
Amused said...: That was a wonderful post and it really made me smile! This year we broke with tradition and met my boyfriends parents in Hawaii to escape the cold. It was wonderful!; 28 December 2009 18:30