English Christmas Traditions

Where to find a Christmas tree in Whitehaven early December? We set off looking at the Home Depot type of place - trees were too short. We couldn't seem to find any "Christmas Tree" signs to show the way. After about an hour and a half of unproductive searching we went to a nursery near where Dennis works. Bingo, the whole place had been transformed into Christmas wonderland with music, hot chocolate, Polar Express showing for kids, decorations, the whole nine yards. Dennis and I picked a tree, he wrestled it on roof in the wind and rain and we headed home.

On the night we decorated our Christmas tree, we began in English style with Christmas Crackers. (the tootsie roll looking things on our plates) At a holiday meal, you would have these at your place setting to open before the meal. You pull both ends at the same time which yields a 'pop' or 'crack' and spills out a trinket, joke and tissue paper crown.

Normally, for their Christmas meal they eat turkey, stuffing, parsnips, brussel sprouts, mashed potatoes and some other 'veg' as they call it. the crowning of the meal is the 'Christmas Pudding' or dessert. The most common is a dome shaped fruitcake type cake that has been made months ago and had dousings of brandy or rum. It is served with the lights out with the brandy flaming. The puddings do come in other flavors like chocolate or pecan for the non-fruitcake enthusiasts. Of course, they also eat mince pies which are chopped dried fruits in little pies or the yule log.

Julieanne won an 'accomodation' or award for her superbly decorated yule log made in her cookery club.

Our tree decorating deteriorated into a wrestling match but as Anna Catherine pointed out they were enjoying each other and wasn't that the point? The Kodak moments weren't too pretty but we had a good time together.

(Two weeks later our tree is a dried twig - it has the same water in the basin that I put in it the night we put it up. Oh well.) We know where not to get a tree next year.