Christmas in the United Kingdom: Traditions, food, and festive fun

 

Christmas decorations in London

Christmas is celebrated differently in different parts of England. Northern Ireland, Wales, and Scotland each have their own traditions and practices. England is home to a diverse range of religious communities, in addition to Christians, each of which observes Christmas in a unique cultural and religious manner.

 

The biggest holiday of the year in the UK is Christmas, which is observed on December 25 as a public holiday with most companies, banks, and schools closed. It is widely commemorated by people of many backgrounds as a time for family, festive meals, and gift-giving, although it holds significant religious meaning for Christians as the celebration of Jesus' birth.

 

Decorations like Christmas trees, lights, and ribbons start to appear in houses, streets, and public areas throughout the festive season, which usually starts in early December. Prince Albert, Queen Victoria's husband, popularized the Christmas tree custom in the 19th century.

 

Roast turkey, stuffing, roast potatoes, Brussels sprouts, pigs in blankets, and gravy are typically served at a traditional Christmas meal. Desserts like mince pies or Christmas pudding, which are frequently burned with brandy, come next. During lunch, families frequently pull Christmas crackers, making a pop and revealing small gifts, jokes, and paper crowns.

 

Children usually wait for gifts in stockings or beneath the tree, leaving mince pies and a glass of milk for Father Christmas and a carrot for Rudolph and his reindeer. Church events, such as midnight mass and carol singing in public areas, are common ways to commemorate Christmas Eve.

 

Boxing Day (December 26th), the day after Christmas, is a public holiday that is now known for post-Christmas sales and shopping. Traditionally, it is associated with delivering gifts to service workers. On Christmas Day, public transportation has a shortened schedule, and most services are completely suspended, although airports are nevertheless crowded with passengers.

 

Every year on Christmas Day, the king delivers the Royal Christmas Message, a long-standing custom. The traditional English Christmas is always connected with mistletoe, a decorated Christmas tree, and stockings hung around the house as gifts, notwithstanding the variety of customs.

 

The majority of us are only aware of Christmas in England through vibrant advertisements and films. Nonetheless, this nation has a long history as well as a wide range of customs and traditions.

 

Did you realize that this is where the concept of sending postcards came from? It took place in 1843, following the printing of the first postcard. A Christingle is a traditional handcrafted object in the United Kingdom. It is an orange with a candle inside and the center cut out. This represents Christ's Light.

 

How about the colorful candy cane? Another traditional holiday food is the candy cane. It tastes like cinnamon or mint and is a white sweet with red stripes. It actually resembles the letter J (Jesus). What about the Christmas stockings? This is a famous Christmas treat for kids in England.

 

Santa Claus is the recipient of the gift of socks on the mantelpiece. He puts presents for the kids through the chimney using them, while the kids leave cookies and milk next to the Christmas tree in exchange.

WHY THE MAASAI TRIBE BELIEVES ALL COWS BELONG TO THEM

Maasai men and women

Even though history reveals that slavery and colonialism separated and destroyed many ethnic groups and tribes on the African continent, there are still some strong tribes in Africa, making a difference because of their strong traditions, culture, and heritage. One of the surviving tribes of Africa is the Maasai.

They are one of the most popular tribes of Africa, which still preserves centuries-old traditions in Africa. The name Maasai means those who speak the Maa language. They are undoubtedly one of the most fascinating peoples on the African continent.

The Maasai originate from the Nile region in North Africa, often located in southern Kenya and northern Tanzania, along the Great Rift Valley. Today, the Maasai are about one million on an area of ​​about 160,000 square kilometers and are the very symbol of the culture of Kenya and Tanzania.

Their migration began in the fifteenth century and ended thousands of kilometers further south at the dawn of the nineteenth century. During their long journey, the Maasai faced and defeated the tribes they encountered on the road or incorporated them.

In the twentieth century, the population was decimated due to epidemics and diseases that affected the livestock. In fact, the Maasai have always been semi-nomadic shepherds, and the herd is the main source of wealth and survival.

The long history and the great journey over the centuries have made the Maasai great warriors. This aspect characterizes the different phases of the life of men, women, and the important passages of existence, characterized by complex ceremonies and ancient rituals.

Clothing is an essential element of the Maasai culture, beginning with the traditional clothes of colors and the beautiful beads worn by women. Despite the temptations of modernity, the Maasai still maintain their roots in the millennial history of Africa.

Meeting and getting to know them is, therefore, an integral part of every travel experience in Kenya and Tanzania.

The Maasai villages, called 'manyattas,' are composed of small, dark groups of huts made of dung, cow, and tree branches. When they decide to migrate, the inhabitants burn their villages, and where they decide to stay, it is the women who rebuild a new one, while the men take care of the security of the camp and take care of the cattle.

Much of every male of the tribe has grown up with the values ​​of fidelity, defense, and fraternal union. As soon as you reach the right age, usually eighteen, the males are sent to hunt, and on this first occasion, they must show their virility.

Maasai tribe young girls

Superstition and beliefs are very prevalent in Africa; thus, the Maasai also believe that ‘Ngai,’ the lord of the rain and the main deity, created the cows, especially for the Maasai. Therefore, cows, wherever they are in the world, belong to them.

Therefore, have the right to steal them if possible, since those cows were stolen from them. Thus, their entire combat experience is aimed at protecting their livestock from encroachment and trying to take possession of others.