A Christmas ABC
Here are 26 English words and customs associated with Christmas.
A is for Advent
Advent is the period from the fourth Sunday before Christmas - 27 November in 2011 - and ends on Christmas Eve.
B is for Bauble
We don't hang balls on our Christmas trees, we hang baubles: the glass or plastic decorations which add sparkle to the tree.
C is for Cake
Christmas Cake is a particularly rich fruit cake. This is traditionally made several weeks before Christmas and 'fed' with brandy until it covered in almond paste and icing.
D is for Dickens
No-one has formed the English idea of Christmas more than Charles Dickens, whose 'Christmas Carol' is a classic tale of redemption. Dickens was a writer in the 19th century, and his writings have given us the image of the traditional Christmas with snow and goodwill to all men.
E is for Elves
The magical helpers of Father Christmas, who help him to make all the toys that go into the stockings of boys and girls all over the world on Christmas Eve.
F is for Father Christmas
Father Christmas is the British name for Santa Claus. He visits homes all over the country on Christmas Eve, enters the house down the chimney (or by magic if the house has central heating!) and leaves presents for the children.
G is for Goose
The traditional meat served at Christmas, roasted in the oven and served with vegetables and potatoes.
H is for Holly
Holly is used to decorate British houses at Christmas-time. Its dark green, spiky leaves and bright red berries give us the traditional colours for Christmas. However, it has nothing to do with Christian symbolism: Holly was one of the plants used in the Roman festival of Saturnalia, which hapened in the middle of the winter and was eventually replaced by Christmas.
I is for Ivy
Used with holly for Christmas decorations. It is one of only a few plants that are native to Britain which keep their leaves in winter, and was also used in the Romans' Saturnalia.
J is for Jesus
Whose birth is celebrated by Christians. He is know to Christians as 'Christ', and it is from this that "Christ's Mass" became Christmas.
K is for Kissing...
...under the mistletoe. Mistletoe was a sacred plant for the Druids who used to inhabit Britain, and an ancient tradition held that kissing under mistletoe would help fertility. The custom was rediscovered in the 19th Century, and is now a good excuse for a quick snog with anyone who happens to be standing under some mistletoe.
L is for Lights
Electricity brought coloured 'fairy lights' to our Christmas trees in the 1880s, and now whole houses are decked out with lights at Christmas. It all comes at a price: one estimate is that the average household spends 6% of its annual electricity costs on Christmas lights!
M is for Mincemeat
Mincemeat is a sticky mix of raisins, currants, citrus peel and fruit juice, and use to fill mince pies. It doesn't contain meat. It should not be confused with minced meat or plain mince, both of which are meat.
O is for Oranges
Until relatively recently, oranges were expensive or unavailable for most of the year. Christmas falls in their 'season' and the orange became a traditional Christmas fruit, particularly placed in children's stockings by Father Christmas. They are also used to make 'Christingle' decorations for childrens' Advent church services.
P is for Presents
Giving gifts to family and friends as a token of our affection is an old tradition. Nowadays many people go all-out to impress with their gifts and give everyone everything they want: it is reported that this year each child in Britain will receive around £180 of presents, on average.
Q is for Queen's Speech
Her Majesty the Queen, as Head of State and head of the Christian Church of England, broadcasts a Christmas message to Britain and the Commonwealth just after 3pm on Christmas Day every year. She reflects on the past year and wishes 'a happy Christmas to you all'.
R is for Reindeer
The animals with huge antlers who pull Father Christmas's sleigh through the sky.
S is for Stockings
British children hang large socks, known by their old name of stockings, on their fireplaces or the end of their beds on Christmas Eve. By the morning they will have been magically filled with gifts by Father Christmas.
T is for Tree
We have to thank Queen Victoria's husband, Prince Albert, for bringing Christmas trees to Britain from Germany. Every year the country of Norway sends London a large tree for Trafalgar Square, to thank the UK for our help in the Second World war.
U is for Uneaten food
...about £46 million of food is thrown away each year as people buy far too much at Christmas!
V is for the Victorians
Almost all the things we associate with the celebration of Christmas in Britain - cards, crackers, trees, carols decorations and games - have their origin during the reign of Queen Victoria (1819 - 1901).
W is for White Christmas
Not the song by Irving Berlin, but a Christmas Day which is white with snow. White Christmases are rare in England, particularly down here in Devon, but there was heavy snow at Christmas last year. The official definition of a White Christmas in England is for a single flake of snow to fall on the roof of Buckingham Palace on Christmas Day.
X is for Xmas
A surprising old abbreviation for Christmas. The 'X' is a mutation of the Greek letter Χ (chi), which was the first letter of Χριστoς, Christ.
Y is for Yule Log
Traditionally a huge wooden log that would burn for the whole of Christmas. It is named after the pagan winter festival of Yule. Nowadays a Yule Log is more likely to be a chocolate cake shaped liked a log.
Z is for Zest...the tangiest part of the skin of oranges and lemons, much used to give 'zing' to Christmas foods. TG
