Last stop, Christmas in England!

Hi there kids! One final flight for Fly-About Franny Friday’s. This week as I finish up my wanderings for Santa I’m stopping by England to see how good boys and girls there celebrate Christmas. England is an island country just to the north of Europe and it won’t take me long to get home to the North Pole from here.

The English have been celebrating Christmas for over fourteen-hundred years. That’s a long time even for an elf! Santa is called Father Christmas by little English boys and girls, but he still brings them toys. Children leave empty stockings or pillow cases at the end of their beds, and that’s where Father Christmas leaves his presents. Instead of putting out cookies by the fireplace, the English leave carrots for the reindeer and mince pie for Santa. The reindeer really like having something to eat on their busy night.

The English hang up evergreen branches and make holly wreaths for decorations, which they put in pink and purple candles. The English believe that they can keep their decorations up until January 6th, but after that it’s considered bad luck to have them. Like that mirror I broke last month!

Most English families have Christmas dinner during the afternoon of December 25th. Turkey , vegetables, sauces, potatoes and much more make up the main feast. Dessert is very important to the meal and people specially make mince pie and plum pudding. Mince pie used to include meat inside it, and people would call it mincemeat pie, now it just has different flavor of fruit, cinnamon, raisins and nuts. It’s my favorite type of pie.

The day after Christmas is also special here, it’s called Boxing Day. Young boys go around collecting money in boxes in December and after Christmas they get to break them open and use the money. On this day grown-ups also give gifts to other grown-ups that help them throughout the year, like the folks who deliver mail and newspapers.

Well kids, that’s all for me this year. I’m heading back to the North Pole to help the other elves finish preparing for Christmas. I hope you enjoyed hearing from me about how children and grown-ups all around the world celebrate Christmas. However you celebrate it this year, have a very Merry Christmas!