•The dinner table is decorated with
a Christmas Cracker for each person
and sometimes flowers and candles.
•After dinner, the family gathers in the living room to listen to the Queen of England deliver a message over radio and television. At teatime in the late afternoon, the beautifully decorated Christmas cake is served.
•The UK is also famous for Christmas Cake. It's traditionally a rich fruit cake covered with marzipan and icing - and often top with Christmas themed cake decorations like a spring of holly.
•All across the UK,
in cities and towns, there are
fireworks to celebrate the New Year.
Two of the most famous fireworks displays
are in London, along the River Thames, and in Edinburgh.
•The day after Christmas is called Boxing Day. This day has nothing to do with fighting. Long ago, people filled church alms boxes with donations for the poor. Then on December 26, the boxes were distributed. Now people often use this day to give small gifts of money to the mail carrier, news vendor, and others who have helped them during the year.
Written by Aleksandra Dolecka