This post is a little unfair as, technically, we never spent Christmas in England as we always went home to visit, but I'll do it anyway 'cuz well . . . it's my blog and I get to do what I want. So, what will I miss from UK Christmas?
Number one is mince pies. And not because they're so outrageously delicious but more because they are EVERYWHERE starting just after Halloween. It's the number one sign the season has begun. And while I probably can find a mince pie somewhere in Seattle, in Bristol, they overflow from the supermarket shelves, every bakery and coffee shop and are offered at every holiday gathering (you know, those things we used to have at Christmas time). I remember my first work holiday gathering when I was working at the University of Bristol - we had champagne and mince pies around 2pm a few days before the Christmas break in the office. Yum!
And that would be the next thing - work Christmas lunches. In both jobs, we had a lavish Christmas pub lunch, complete with booze and secret Santa. Not sure there are many companies in the US that could get away with that these days.
Sticking with the food theme, cheese. Yes, there is lovely cheese all year round, but at Christmas time, the cheese makers pull out all the stops. All kinds of flavored cheeses, elaborate balls, spreads and plates. Apparently, a huge cheese course is a traditional part of Christmas dinner in England and it almost seems the cheese is more celebrated and looked forward to than the sweets. Sounds okay to me!
Christmas crackers are another novelty I'll miss - although I did have some leftover from last year so we'll be able to carry on the tradition tomorrow. These are the shiny toilet paper roll looking things you 'crack' open before Christmas dinner. Inside is a silly paper crown, some ridiculously cheap toy and a groan-worthy joke or trivia question. It's a silly tradition that seems so counter to the generally serious demeanor of the British, but it is 'jolly good fun'.
There are a few more (ugly Christmas jumper charity day, brass bands playing in the supermarket and carol services in all those gorgeous old cathedrals) but let me end with probably my favorite, which is that everyone says Happy Christmas (or Merry Christmas). No happy holidays or other attempts at political correctness that just seem to fall short of the intended meaning, just straight up Merry Christmas. Now, maybe this is because the Brits are 'less woke' I'm not sure, but it is nice not to have to overthink or worry about a greeting that is intended to spread joy and just be a nice thing to say. When we lived in UAE, everyone said Eid Mubarak whether you were a practicing Muslim or not. The statement was a happy greeting of well wishes, that's all and everyone seemed to understand that. I get that same feeling from a Happy Christmas in Britain.
And on that note, let me say Merry Christmas to all of you and thanks for reading!
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