American Reacts to 15 British Christmas Traditions! 

Christmas crackers are pretty much universal over here, Joel. And yes, we do all wear the hats!

Most people don't waste Boxing Day shopping. Only the very foolish still think they can get any deals worth having and for most people, it's a day for relaxing at home or taking a long walk with the family.

You would absolutely love a British pantomime. They are suitable for children of all ages (2 to 102)

It really amuses me that you give Santa milk and cookies and we give him neat liquor 🤣

Christmas Crackers, they are great fun! Forcing your miserable uncle to wear a colourful hat all through dinner is one of the simple joys of Christmas.

The fact that Joel has never heard or seen a Pantomime is shocking. The Squad has to go to one next year.

Pantomime humour is a lot like the Simpsons. Lot's of kid friendly jokes but also the subtext type jokes that only the adults in the audience should get. Risqué stuff like double entendres etc. I'm 47 and go every year with my grandkids.... I'm louder and more engaged than them 🤣🤣🤣

Father Christmas in our house got a can of lager as we didn’t have Brandy. Basically, Father Christmas in the UK is a fully paid up member of Alcoholics Anonymous so by the time he gets to the US he’s absolutely hammered!! As Yorkshire Pudding is traditionally served with beef that’s where the controversy of including it on a Christmas dinner comes from. Turkey is prevalent in the UK but people are turning to things like duck, goose & even a three bird roast. Our Christmas dinner consists of turkey, roast potatoes & parsnips, carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, sprouts, sausage meat stuffing, sage & onion stuffing, cranberry sauce, gravy & pigs in blankets. Topped of with Christmas pudding for some (I don’t like it so have ice cream or another dessert such as cheesecake). In the evening I get out loads of nibbles & picky bits like biscuits, sweets, crisps & other savouries just in case anyone is still hungry!

The christmas dinner with family is the part I always look forward to the most every year. I know every family has their own way of doing things but, my family usually open/exchange Christmas presents after our dinner and then have some wine or tea and coffee while watching TV and chat. We also pop christmas crackers during dinner at the table every year and definitely wear the paper hats even though it never fits right, and read some terrible joke. It's just a fun thing we get to do every year with family

I'm married to a Greek and had to explain Panto - got a bit messy when I said the Men play Women and the Women play men ! ( oh yes they do ) our local one this year is Jack and the beanstalk. We have 3 other Greeks staying with us this year - its gonna be interesting !

The 1992 Queen’s Christmas speech didn’t use that phrase. That was at a state diner party. But it’s often been misremembered by many.

Yorkshire pudding is traditionally served with beef. Kx

Joel's reaction to a pantomime is the most American thing ever 😂 also just to clarify, Yorkshire puddings are NOT controversial, everyone loves them. Bread sauce however, 🤢 is very controversial. Crackers are a huge part of Christmas, so is British Christmas TV - it's the best👌tbh Christmas is a huge deal in general.

Hiya JPS, Part of the tradition of Pantomimes is that the men play the female parts and women play the male parts in the play. As for the mincemeat in Mince Pies, that non-English may not know is that it's not actually meat, it's as he said in the video, dried fruit and suet, usually soaked in brandy.

I think the standout British only things on this list are crackers - which are despised and loved in equal measure- by the same people! - and the Panto(mime). There are a whole host of traditions about what a pantomime should be/have in it. These are based on traditional tales, and include songs, there are jokes- usually including pop culture references and local themes - the main male character is usually played by a woman (known as the Principle Boy) and there is always a middle aged female character played by a man ( known as the Dame) there is slapstick, an audience participation sing-along in which the words appear on a sceen for the audience to follow. There are lots of catch phrases, the most famous are 1) where a character asks where another character is, the named character appears, and the audience have to shout "He's behind you" (this takes a full 5 minutes of back and forth) and 2) a characer appeals to the audience to agree with them, and the audience shout back "Oh no it isn't!" and the character insists "Oh yes it is!" - again backwards and forwards for a full 5 minutes. A theatre I know of has been known to play 3 versions of their patomime simultaneously. In the mornings, a super clean version suitable for young schoolchildren on a day trip, in the afternoon a slightly more 'grown up' version with a few more risque jokes, and then the evening performance which includes some more definitely adult content (in terms of jokes- not actual performance)

Everyone Joel. Everyone pulls crackers and wears the silly hats.

At an spectacularly drunk office Christmas party I watched a employee get sacked on the spot as "He didn't believe that she was a natural blonde" so an attempt was made to see what colour her hair was 'down-below'. Luckily for him she didn't press any charges, but needless to say that went down as folklore in our company.

It will be the first time for most this year watching The King at 3 o'clock on Christmas day. I always watched the Queen. I'm looking forward to Christmas as always. Love watching old films at Christmas especially A Christmas Carol/Scrooge with Alastair Sim 1951, got to be the b/w version not the colourised.

Absolutely agree about the bombardment of Christmas, starting in October, it's too much for me too. Bit of a bar humbug myself, too much fuss.

I work for a charity that provides support for loneliness, Christmas being a time where it’s quite acute. Could I suggest, it you’re up for the challenge, go live for 30 minutes or so…. I think you’ll be surprised how many will join. Stay safe pal!

I recommend,closer to Christmas you watch Scrooge (1951) with Alistair Sim.This is a classic old British film and i reckon,the best version of A Christmas Carol

Joel , you’ve really come out of your shell. So much more confident now and happy. Not that you weren’t happy before. Keep it going. Loving seeing your evolution.

In my childhood, we didn't write a letter to Father Christmas, we just went through a catalogue marking each item we wanted with a pen. 😆

Boxing Day for me if lounging on the sofa, eating all the leftovers from Christmas and watching an old movie. No way am I going shopping!

Most people have crackers on the table for Christmas, no-one knows why, most people are pretty nonplussed about them, but we still do it. You do your hair for the day and then have to put a stupid paper hat on it, and often have a picture taken that way, with the added bonus, of looking spaced out on food if it's taken after meal 🙄

Mince pies are like marmite for a lot of the UK folk. And those that do like them, it's a war of what brand pie they prefer, or if at all as many people make their own still. Every year, all the local news papers will buy a each store's mince pie and review them to find who has the best pie this year, then everyone ignores it and just goes and buys what they think is best, usually just 1 or 2 boxes that'll last for Christmas, but ends up lasting just a day. We also like to have different types of cream with the pies, some eat them warm, some people eat them cold.

O gosh, when he mentioned the Queen’s Christmas Message, that caused a tear. Of course, it will now be the King’s Christmas Message, and I’m looking forward to hearing from him on Christmas Day in Australia. But it will be very strange - I think this will be when Her Majesty’s death will really hit home.

The narrator forgot to mention that the turkey is served with stuffing which might contain sage and onion or sausage meat. Roast parsnips are also a popular vegetable to accompany the turkey.

I can honestly say that neither me nor anyone in my immediate family has ever owned a Christmas jumper. People talk about it now like it's a tradition as old and ubiquitous as the Christmas tree, but I've only noticed it really being a thing the last 10 years or so. Is it just me?

Disappointed to see Prince William and Princess Kate being booed in Boston - make them welcome everyone and show some Christmas cheer ❤ I’m all for free speech but they are doing their best! From Sky News The trip also included an NBA game, and as William and Kate sat courtside to watch, they were booed by small pockets of the crowd around the stadium when they were introduced by an announcer and shown on the big screen. At one point, some fans in the crowd could be heard loudly cheering "USA, USA" when the couple appeared on the screens in the centre above the court.

We used to put the tree up last thing on Christmas eve, so that it was a big surprise for the children on Christmas morning. It came down on 12th night. Christmas Dinner was about 2 O'clock, followed by the Queens message. In the evening we often watched the Morecambe and Wise Christmas special. In those days, we had the farm, so the milking was done at the normal time, feed the other animals, and the minimum work. Boxing Day was for getting outside, a walk, or games with the family. Nowadays, I walk to my sisters for Christmas dinner.

Done my Christmas shopping, wrapped and ready to go. Always had Christmas crackers. Tree down by 6th January. He didn't mention silver coin in Christmas pudding. For a medieval feel you should listen to the Coventry Christmas Carol.

Joel, you must watch The Vicar of Dibley, it's hilarious and is one of my favourite ever TV series. 🤣 There was a fabulous Christmas special involving multiple Christmas dinners. 🎄🦃🥂

Pantomimes are brilliant, especially for the little ones. Very very cheesy humour. Crazy outfits. They always star a man dressed very eccentrically as a woman (you would have to look to understand what I mean). The audience interaction is brilliant, kids are literally screaming out from the crowd, sometimes getting water sprayed at them, its all bizarre 🤣

We don't do bread sauce but have Yorkshire every time. This was quite good, he got it right.

I think the funniest work Christmas party story is the one involving my sister's husband (boyfriend at the time of this event). My sister had been working for her company about 6 weeks prior to the Christmas party and trying to make the best impression with her new manager and colleagues, I guess she didn't factor in Harry's unpredictable behaviour when she asked him to accompany her to the party. All was well until after the meal when everyone started dancing - there was a main dance floor and a small stage at the front of this, which was in full view of everyone in the room. Harry took it upon himself to get up onto the stage, turn his back on the room, drop his trousers and underwear and do a moonie to everyone in the room, which the entire party saw. My poor sister was mortified and I have no idea how she managed to face her colleagues on the Monday morning!

I started on the mince pies last week of November. I love them. Bucks fizz (orange juice & prosecco or similar) for 'breakfast' on Christmas day. Christmas lunch - centre piece (vegan nutloaf) sprouts & cabbage, roast & boiled (or mash) potatoes, gravy, mint sauce, yorkshire puddings (aunt bessies frozen!) , christmas pudding + custard for dessert (maybe mid afternoon!) Christmas Jumpers - 'Black Friday' and any office do's or lunches in the run-up. Our office also does prosecco & a buffet in the office during the last week. Crackers, hat, riddle & toy - compulsory. League of Gentlemen Christmas special (!!), but we also like Christmas in Connecticut & Holiday Inn/White Christmas

Christmas day is a bit different for me, it's my birthday. When I was a kid my parents always made sure Christmas presents were wrapped in Christmas paper and birthday presents were wrapped in birthday paper. My birthday cake was brought out at teatime. Because my friends couldn't come to a birthday party on the day, we had a big bonfire night party which doubled as a birthday party.

Someone needs to send you a box of crackers. They’re usually crappy, unless you buy an expensive box, but there’s just something so festive about them!

Wearing a Christmas jumper has also become a way to raise money for charity in the last few years. Panto's are amazing as a child we went in a big group but still love them today. 3pm listening to our new King will be really hard as I've watched the Queen for over 50 years

Just to say, a couple of traditional features in pantomime is the dame, played by a man in drag, and for audeince participation one of the main things that comes up is them looking for someone and the audience will shout "he's behind you" as the person is behind them, they'll then keep turning the wrong way each time turning back saying "oh no he isn't" and the audience will respond "oh yes he is". Though it has been a long time since I watched a pantomime. Personally my family have chicken for christmas dinner and it tends to be the one time of year I make yorkshire puds (the rest of the time it just seems like too much effort). As a kid we use to get p in the morning, open presents, then all help with preparing christmas dinner. We have crackers but dn't do the arm crossing, generally I've found people turn and pull one each side with the person next to them, though having on kid now more people tend to pull them with her. Also, you get a wide variety of advent calendars now, chocolate tends to end up wasted in my house, my daughter isn't that interested in it, so I tend to get her an advents calendar with toys in (more expensive but at least it is something she likes), though this year she chose one with christmas tree ornaments in (she loves penguins and there are two penguin ornaments).

There are some mince pies that are really really good, but it's very much a personal choice when it comes to preference. But there are also some pretty dire ones knocking around too, seemingly just full of twigs in jam! In my youth Christmas Dinner (with turkey) happened on the 25th, but on Boxing Day (26th) there was another roast dinner, this time with roast pork. Eating never seemed to stop.

Another boxing day tradition instead of shopping is to go for a swim in the sea! 🥶

Growing up in Michigan we had many Christmas Tree farms throughout the state. A tradition in our family was to visit one of the farms where we were taken out into the forest to select and cut our own tree. When the horse drawn wagon came back through, we would jump back on the wagon with tree and go back to the farmhouse and parking area. But before we left the farm, the family operating the tree farm would offer us cider and warm spiced donuts as a treat. Great memories.

Yorkshire puddings controversial because it’s mostly turkey that’s eaten not beef. I normally go to a panto - they can often be very risqué with much innuendo and double entendres - last year I went to the London Palladium to see Julian Clary in Snow Whitt who was outrageous lol. Great fun extravaganza. 🎉 I think you’d like it a lot Joel 🎄

They start putting Christmas stuff out in October because a large amount of people get paid monthly. They only have 2 pay days before Christmas day 😉

We don't have thanksgiving here. Black Friday never really took off. Traditionally its the new year sales, but usually starts at boxing day nowadays

I'm amazed that you haven't heard of crackers, Joel. You should Google them. Christmas just wouldn't be Christmas without them!

Btw the alcohol left for Santa varies house to house - we left brandy as my dad drank brandy, others leave whiskey or Bailey's

We have Boxing Day in Canada too. All the big sales on Boxing Day (or sometimes Boxing Week) bring the crowds to the malls and big box stores.

Our Christmas meal is probably the equivalent of the American Thanksgiving meal

For the huge majority of us, the King's Christmas speech will be the first we've ever heard/seen. While t.b.h. Boxing Day has NEVER in my experience been a great shopping day. II's a day that's always featurred sporting events, (and the second gargantuan roast dinner in succession)

Hi Joel you need to look up UK pantomines on youtube they are so much fun for all not just the kids.

A couple of fun facts: 1. There used to be a tradition where people would put a sixpence in the Xmas pudding batter so when you had a serving of Xmas pudding you might get a sixpence in it. If you found it, you'd have good fortune the rest of the year. 2. Father Christmas in Britain traditionally had worn green, not red. That had something to do with the Celts and Anglo-Saxons associating his arrival with the height of winter and the coming of spring. He also used to be a figure for everyone in general, unlike today where he's mostly for children.

The best office Christmas party we had involved a guy who bragged about EVERYTHING in his life, bragging that he'd pulled one of the girls we worked with. She wasn't bad looking but he was clearly really pleased with himself and wouldn't shut up about it. Probably his first kiss in years. Then it turned out that shortly before kissing him she'd been giving one of the porters from downstairs a blowie in a toilet cubicle. He then went round the entire party desperately taking his story back and saying he in fact DID NOT kiss her. It destroyed him, he was a shell of a man from that day on.

Love a panto, the adult jokes that the kids don’t get and the jokes for kids, it is fun for all

It's 1997 & I worked in advertising. The Christmas Party featured very arty ice sculptures in a wooden floored old building. Enormous amounts to drink and it got very hot. Ice sculptures and heat don't mix so wooden floor got very wet. I slipped, smashed my elbow and had an emergency operation to fix it. Apparently some of my colleagues we're not so severely injured, but did end up in A&E. My left arm was paralysed for a couple of months but otherwise was a rather good Christmas 🎄

Nuts (often in their shells) and dates are eaten over the Christmas period. There is also Christmas cake: this is cake containing dried fruit and alcohol, topped with a layer of marzipan and covered all over in white icing. This is somewhat heavier in texture than the German stollen Christmas cake which has also become popular in recent years.

One Christmas tradition that seems to wax and wane in Britain is telling ghost stories on Christmas Eve; the most well-known case is obviously A Christmas Carol, but one name that frequently crops up is M.R. James whose elaborate tales are said to be the inspiration behind H.P. Lovecraft's work.

In my old job they hadn’t had a Christmas party for 2 years because of “the events of the last one” that nobody would talk about 😂 it’s my Christmas night out (not in our office) today and hotels have even been booked, but we have decided to go watch the football in the afternoon which is now pre drinks…could be messy 😂

Over the last number of years there have also been adult only pantomimes which are.....yes...... Audience participation theatre has had a long tradition in the UK and there have always been some shows where its expected. it maybe something to look into one Xmas tradition not mentioned is playing games especially board games with relatives, and having arguements. There have been many interesting Xmas themed TV programs over the years one of my favorites was a mini series called "the box of delights". The first Advent calendar we had was a Mr Men one which lasted a good 15 years it was the shape of Mr Greedy. I expect you will be looking at the famous UK Xmas music album which most people likely have for many years bands would compete for the Xmas no 1 song in the UK charts. there maybe a top 20 list

Yes we all do the Christmas crackers before our big Christmas Dinner.. its a tradition & we still all do it x

There has to be a series titled ‘Joel’s Jumpers’ where subscribers send him the most iconic Christmas Jumper they can find and we find out which one is the most outstanding.

Christmas crackers are ubiquitous. In my 67 years, I never had a Christmas without Christmas crackers. Clubs, societies and some workplaces will often organise a "Christmas" meal in a pub or restaurant which takes place some time in December and usually has the same turkey dinner and Christmas pudding (which is delicious, by the way, but filling) that you would expect at home on Christmas Day itself. Very often there will be Christmas crackers there too. If you do not put on the coloured paper crown inside the cracker, you are considered a party pooper.

I don’t think I’ve ever attended a works xmas do where I haven’t caught two of my colleagues having ‘relations’. It’s fun to see them walk in with their heads hung in shame on the Monday morning 😂

Moved to the UK 4.5 years ago, and Christmas crackers are a MUST. I love the groan-worthy jokes!

Everyone pulls a crackers at Christmas here. It has a tiny amount of gunpowder inside the cracker that explodes when pulled, a traditionally a bad joke to read out to everyone, a little gift or toy and a paper crown. Many people wear the silly paper crown all day and if you look out of your window you can see whole families walking off their Christmas dinner, still wearing their paper crowns in the street.

Craziest xmas party story... so there was woman in our office who was a part of the team I worked in, she has two kids, a "loving but he beats me up" husband, perfect life.... but she's also slept around on him with 4 guys at work and at the time was working on her fifth. Also, she slept with one of those other lads behind a Tesco's at the last xmas party, but that one isn't as amazing a story. Anyway... At the party, she was really trying to get into his pants, but he wasn't having it. He was really polite, but didn't want anything to do with her. On the coach home, he got on the coach first and was sat with his team mates, which includes girls, and he was sat next to one who'd only started 4 days prior. They were talking, and the married slag came on the coach, saw him sitting and talking to her and she immediately moved towards him, called her a slut, then kept hitting the lad. So he grabbed her wrists to stop her whilst other people dragged her away. This all happened on a Friday night, and on Saturday morning my manager got a Whatsapp from her saying she was assaulted by that lad and he'd beaten her up and then sent my manager photos of her bruised wrists where he'd held her against her will! My manager didn't know about what went down on the bus, so on Monday morning got in to work, HR weren't in so my manager just got on with her work. Coincidentally, she had to speak to the lass who was sat on the coach next to the lad who was accused of trying to sleep with him about a work matter, and she went "ph, so I'm guessing you're here to talk about what went down on the bus?" Anyway, my manager didn't have a clue what she was talking about, and then heard the full story. She definitely went to HR alright... but not to complain about the lad! My manager was furious, because she honestly thought that lad had beaten this woman up, my manager had even been talking to HR in the past about what the company should do about the woman's husband because she'd mentioned a few times that her husband beats her up and we have a duty of care of some sort since we know about it. Yeah, so we stopped believing ANYTHING she said from that point on. About 5 months later she was finally sacked, but annoyingly not for this incident.

Watch 'Peter Pan goes wrong' by Mischief Theatre. Wonderful take off of pantomine.

We here in Cork Ireland also have a tradition called Women's Little Christmas. It is 12 days after Christmas on 6th January. Marking the end of Christmas the women who did everything for the family over Xmas all go out on the town drinking. Hotels and bars put on special nights of bands, 3 course meals or strippers etc. It's where we get to let go and relax and enjoy ourselves after working so hard to make it a great Xmas for all the family and the cooking the Christmas Dinner etc.

Yes, we have crackers, but we make our own, with outlandish hats and our own silly jokes and better gifts than the plastic tat you normally have in shop bought crackers. You can buy the 'snap' thing that makes the bang when you pull them to stick inside your homemade crackers. Another Boxing day tradition is for a walk on the beach, in places near enough to get to one, which is lots of places in the UK, followed by eating left overs from the Christmas dinner.

Christmas in the northern hemisphere looks like fun but it seems to be all inside. Dont forget that way down here , down under, we are in summer. Christmas is usually on the beach with swimming and a barbie... salty steaks and sand sandwiches.. maybe spome comparison shows would be fun. One similarirty is that some schools here do pantos as end of year productions before the school holidays start in mid December. The song... Christmas in New Zealand - Dennis Marsh says it all. Well done Joel

Two friends of mine, went to a barristers' Chambers Christmas party in London. Had so much to drink & got into a fist fight. The Chambers called the police & an ambulance (one of the girls was hurt tho not badly) and was told by a police officer that she should get in the ambulance or be arrested. She obviously chose to get into the ambulance. The next day they came into work, best of friends again. But our organisation staff were banned from loads of Chambers parties for year Yes we always have Christmas crackers. I usually wear my paper crown for the rest of the day. This year I have bought crackers that have miniature bottles of Baileys liqueur in each.

Even knowing what you want to get someone it's worth waiting for Christmas Eve here. My Dad always leaved it until then as the shops are apparently quiet (just full of men panicking lol) and shops frequently start marking things down for the Boxing Day sales as well so you can get something cheaper. I've also had it in the past where I've been told "I'm getting you that but we'll wait a day or 2" so it can be bought in the sales. Personally, I try and avoid Christmas as much as possible (I can't stand it) so my main goal is to avoid shops entirely in Dec and if I really need something for someone I'll order it online. I dislike getting presents as much as giving so I'm a cheap friend since nobody has to buy me anything (same for birthdays) lol. Shops are horrible from Oct onwards - and especially Nov as they start playing all the Christmas songs. It's either the same 20 older ones or dreadful newer ones. I know when I was young we always used to get a piece of fruit in our stockings (usually an orange/tangerine/satsuma (depending what parents felt like buying/was on offer) but sometimes and apple). These days it's sort of changed into a Terry's chocolate orange and they sell absolutely loads of them around Christmas.

We was never allowed to open our presents first thing. We woke up with our stockings.. then had a big breakfast… and then was allowed to open one present every 30 mins to appreciate what we got for at least half hour.. and my dad would always find a “forgotten one” just before bed lol

We don’t do Thanksgiving in EUROPE,,,, but you must try and see a Pantomime,,,, hilarious

Nursery and primary schools always used to do the Nativity Play and I'm sure our local rag (newspaper) will have pages of photos of such plays in our area. I gather that many customers in restaurants now expect yorkshire puds with all main meals whatever the meat. One I go to regularly also has mint sauce available at their carvery although they rarely serve lamb or mutton. I'm a traditionalist and like my yorkshires only with beef but I'm not going to make a fuss if other people like them with any roast meat. I'm quite happy to have a Toad-in-the-hole which is a larger yorkshire or batter pudding with pork sausages inside.

I was born in the UK but spent my childhood in southern Africa, but as an adult, I am back in the UK and find some of these traditions new and hilarious. I think one, not mentioned here is that men like to leave Christmas shopping to the very last minute and often do their shopping for gifts at a petrol service station. Many comedy TV specials are where people receive some of these gifts and it is so funny. I know families who have now made this part of their Christmas tradition where they buy the most random item from their local petrol station and try to outdo each other with strange un-Christmas-like gifts.

I managed an accounts/cash office in a London department store. Every Christmas management in every department would serve Christmas dinner to the staff, i was in charge of the ' booze'. On many occasion i would find a staff member either asleep at their desk or knocked out in a stationary cupboard, it was hilarious. A jolly good time was had by all. Without fail, every year i was asked ' are you on wine duty again' 😂😂😂 Needless to say, no cash was counted that afternoon ha. Oh and yes joel, its shocking running round a store on Christmas Eve panic buying, i should know 😂 Then unfortunately back in for Boxing Day ☹️

Hmmm,.. Canadian here… I mean that is definitely a pretty normal Christmas. Presents, stockings, Christmas dinner, Crackers, Christmas specials, boozy eggnog, carols and dessert. Minus the what I assume to be the King’s Speech. Sleep and shopping on Boxing Day.

Our christmas dinner is like your thanksgiving dinner. without the christmas dinner, it just not christmas the cracker thing everyone, does it.

Maybe you didn’t know this or maybe you already did but it’s 20 years since ‘Love Actually’ released. I hope you have a great time watching it! I have a feeling your eyes will well up at some point. Personally, I love ‘Bridget Jones’s Diary’ more.

He didn't mention we watch a traditional christmas cartoon called Father Christmas The Snowman,The Snowman and The Snow Dog, TheBear, Were going on a bear hunt, grandpa

Yorkshire pudding should only be eaten when beef is the main meat - and it should be served as a starter with gravy! But I know that's the old-fashioned Yorkshire way and many less enlightened people have it with other meats. Oh and of course, it's an essential element of Toad in the Hole (which is a separate meal altogether)...

You won't see me shopping on boxing day, even though that's when the sales start. I'm still gonna be overeating and basking that day.

My Crimbo tradition is to go to the pub with likeminded mates, come back half pissed, crank the music up(always some early Roxy Music to start) and then drunkenly attempt to create a dinner. I hate Christmas!

Good point about British traditions combining US Christmas and Thanksgiving (or more to the point, probably the other way round with the US splitting the old British traditions in two). There are a few more regional traditions, especially in Scotland, where Hogmanay (New Year's Eve) is a major celebration. Another tradition is festive Christmas lights in the town centre which are ceremonially turned on by a celebrity.

There are a few pantos on RU-vid if you wanted to watch some to get the idea. Lots of fun but probably a lot of the jokes would be lost on those who aren’t living in the UK. Often very topical for the year. In the Uk we tend to have stockings in bedrooms rather than the living room. These are opened early then in our house we all help prep the food/lay table then about 10am we sit down to open the presents under the tree which are from family/friends not Father Christmas, with a nice glass of champagne. Then it’s more champagne until lunch. Big Christmas meal, always followed by a cheese course. Wearing out cracker hats of course, Then a nap. Then Christmas tv and board games. Boxing Day is for family walks in our house. Also worth noting Boxing Day is a public holiday so most people get the day off apart from those in hospitality, retail and emergency. If it falls on a weekend. The day off is moved to the Monday. Makes me sad that in the US you all have to go straight back to work. How common is it for people to take the week or two off around Christmas off work? This is pretty normal here as people get more days off for less holiday thanks the the 3 bank holidays in Christmas week.

When going in for desperate shopping on Christmas Eve you really need to make sure you know when the shops are going to shut! You can really get caught out there because they generally close early. It is a good thing that most of us don't want to do it; can you imagine the crowds and the chaos?

I am shocked you've never heard of Christmas Crackers! I thought they were a universal thing.

Joel, I’ve seen the following at office parties in the 90s: My husband asleep with his head in a plant pot My husband asleep in the loo (following year) Two people getting it on too drunk to realise that if the light is on and it’s dark outside everyone can see in! But my favourite was one young guy dancing his heart out, suddenly needing the loo and started sprinkling pee everywhere as he spun around. Ah… the good old days 😂😂

Back in the day, the Bank I worked at would throw a great Company Christmas Party with an 'Open' Bar. There was more than a couple people who took advantage of the free booze and within about a week of the party, they would get an extra "Gift" (by way of their walking papers), Lost some great coworkers that way!!!

I have a friend whose Dad was so mean he would iron the windows of her advent calendar shut after Christmas, she had the same calendar every year, no chocs for her!

Don’t be a grinch, a lot of businesses rake in the money at Christmas time, to keep the doors open during the lean months. So get your Santa vibes going .🎉❤

Pantomimes were fairly common about sixty years ago but I haven't heard of one for a long time. I am in the Southern Hemisphere so no jumpers or sweaters here. We do crackers in Australia. Most of our family lives in the Newcastle area. On Christmas Day we don't all get together that happens on Boxing Day. Normally the food is chicken and/or turkey and ham. In our family we never did Christmas Stockings. A lot of people put lights up on their houses. I started on mine today and I hope to have it all finished ready to switch on Monday night. I normally leave them on till New Years. Here retailers take every chance to drag more money out of us but of course they put more effort into it at Christmas.

Bread Sauce is southern. It’s not really a thing in the north. In the past few years more shops have stayed shut on Boxing Day so that retail workers can have a couple of days off over Christmas. But Boxing Day Football is a big part of Christmas

Did he mention Christmas trees with the flashing lights and all the mad people who decorate their house with lights that could be seen from space ?

Yes same traditions here. Christmas Eve my family all put their new pyjamas on and open one small present each. Get up early on Christmas day to open presents, have a huge roast dinner with all of the family and always pull Christmas crackers before dinner, read the jokes, with our Crimbo hats on. Get stuffed then sit in the lounge watching all of the Xmas repeats, play board games if we can move. Listen to the Queens speech sometimes, watch top of the pops. If we can move by 7 ish we will put a buffet out and pick at that for the rest of the evening then repeat from dinner time on Boxing day..

Oh Joel such treats you’re really missing out on. Christmas Day ..no huge Christmas dinner.😯I didn’t realise you don’t have a special meal, and crackers! I have never in my life sat down to Christmas dinner an not having a cracker to pull! 😁 mince pies with a huge mugs of tea...the best! Christmas pudding for afters with cream or custard ...lighting it ( having pored brandy over it) to see that blue flame coming from it , before you cut into it of course 😉 and I must mention Pantomimes. I remember going to see Aladdin many years ago. I went to the final show before Christmas, it was hilarious! I think half the cast of actors, celebrities etc were in the Christmas spirit 😉 they certainly went of script and were very funny! You’ll have to visit the UK at Christmas time Joel...you’d love it! Sadly , like the USA it starts in October...but we’ll gloss over that! 😄😄

The mince pies taste like spiced orange pies as I’ve found the orange zest in the mincemeat over-powers the other fruits. Other things that make a British Christmas are Christmas music (Slade, Wizzard, Band Aid, John Lennon, The Pogues etc), so I recommend looking up some popular Christmas songs in the UK that are more niche in the US. You make a valid point about having Thanksgiving and Christmas in one holiday because we don’t tend to celebrate Thanksgiving but we do make up for it in indulgence at Christmas. As well as the big Christmas dinner, we also tend to have a lot of chocolate. It doesn’t feel like a British Christmas without a tin or tub of Quality Street, Celebrations, Roses, Heroes or a Terry’s Chocolate Orange.