The English enjoy beautiful
Christmas music. They love to decorate Christmas Trees and hang up evergreen
branches.
One England's customs is mummering. In the Middle Ages,
people called mummers put on masks and acted out Christmas plays. These plays
are still performed in towns and villages.
The English gift giver is called Father Christmas. He
wears a long red or green robe, and leaves presents in stockings on Christmas
Eve. However, the gifts are not usually opened until the following afternoon.
Christmas in England began in AD 596, when St Augustine landed
on her shores with monks who wanted to bring Christianity to the Anglo Saxons.
Father Christmas delivers them during the night before
Christmas. The Children leave an empty stocking or pillowcase hanging at the end
of the bed. In the morning they hope it will be full of presents.
In England the day after Christmas is called Boxing Day
because boys used to go round collecting money in clay boxes. When the boxes
were full, they broke them open.
In England Christmas dinner was usually eaten at Midday on
December 25, during daylight.
In England, the only thing that people ate on the day before
the feast was Frumenty, which is, was a kind of porridge made from corn.
Over the years the recipe changed. Eggs, fruit, spice, lumps of meat and dried
plums were added. The whole mixture was wrapped in a cloth and boiled. This is
how plum pudding began.
In England the traditional Christmas dinner is roast turkey
with vegetables and sauces. For dessert it is rich, fruity Christmas pudding
with brandy sauce. Mince pies, pastry cases filled with a mixture of chopped
dried fruit.
In England also they elect Boy Bishops in commemoration
of St. Nicholas compassion for children. These mock bishops were allowed to do
the duties of the ecclesiastic except deliver the Mass.
Are you looking for a unique Christmas gift
for an animal lover. Many of our original animal photos have
been turned into great gift merchandise.
You can search our animal lover gifts
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