Christmas in this part of the world

We put our tree up the day before Thanksgiving because it just worked out that was the best day to put it up, so we have had it up for a couple weeks now. I am so grateful for artificial Christmas trees because the fresh ones here leave much to be desired. This is the typical Nordman fir, which is the most common species of Christmas tree available here.



The tree is very sparse and kind of short and squatty so when you have a tall tree, it is incredibly wide. I also think the way the branches stick straight out instead of sloping down makes them quite harsh looking. I just feel all around it is a really unattractive tree, so I am glad we opted for the artificial variety. We bought a 7' "Virginia Fir" and I really love this tree and I am glad we will be able to keep it for a long time.



This year is also our first Christmas together, we got a few "Our First Christmas" ornaments for our wedding since we got married right after Christmas, but this little one is my favorite because it is really fun!


We don't have a fireplace or a chimney here, but we do have a very nice radiator cover over the radiator in the living room that serves as a mantle. Jason just varnished it so it really adds a lot to the room. We hung our stockings here and its also a great place to display my Snowbabies. Snowbabies are little figurines I have been collecting for probably a little over 10 years now and I love to put them out every Christmas.


I remember as a kid in school we always used to study the ways people in different cultures around the world celebrated Christmas and we learned how to say "Merry Christmas" in many languages. I never once remember learning about the different customs in England, but now I am learning there definitely are quite a few.

First of all, people don't say "Merry Christmas" here, they say "Happy Christmas". Its funny to me because I think the word merry is a far more English word. Words like canny and fancy are still very much part of their everyday vocabulary, so why on earth did they stop saying "Merry"!

Another thing is that some of the Christmas carols have the same exact words, but the melody is completely different. So far two I have heard are "O Little Town of Bethlehem" and "Away in a Manger". Also, some of the carols, although they have the same tune, have slightly different words. My favorite is Deck the Halls! Along with adding an extra "fa" to the middle of "fa la la la, la la la la", the lyrics in this version are much more... festive.

Deck the hall with boughs of holly,
Fa la la la la, fa la la la.
'Tis the season to be jolly,
Fa la la la la, fa la la la.
Fill the mead-cup, drain the barrel
Fa la la la, fa la la la.
Troll the ancient Christmas carol
Fa la la la la, fa la la la.

See the flowing bowl before us
Fa la la la la, fa la la la.
Strike the harp and join the chorus.
Fa la la la la, fa la la la.
Follow me in merry measure,
Fa la la la, fa la la la.
While I sing of beauty's treasure
Fa a la la la, fa la la la.

Fast away the old year passes,
Fa la la la la, fa la la la.
Hail the new, ye lads and lasses,
Fa la la la la, fa la la la.
Laughing, quaffing, all together
Fa la la la, fa la la la.
Heedless of the wind and weather,
Fa la la la la, fa la la la.

Also, while the English do tell their children that Santa Claus (or Father Christmas) is from the North Pole, they also call the place he is from Lapland. Lapland is actually the farthest northern province of Finland. As a kid I always thought that Santa's workshop was somewhere in northern Canada or Alaska. I couldn't imagine being a kid and thinking that Santa's workshop is just on the other side of the North Sea, about a 4 hour plane ride away.

Another new English custom is the custom of Christmas crackers at the Christmas dinner table. These Christmas crackers are a cardboard tube covered in wrapping paper and tied at each end. One person pulls on each end of the cracker and when it opens, inside is a small gift or a motto or fortune as well as a paper crown. After everyone has opened their cracker, they all wear their paper crowns. I am certainly not too proud to wear a paper hat, but it is something I can't imagine Jason doing so I am really looking forward to this.


(I don't know any of these people, I just got this photo from Google Images)

I am really looking forward to Christmas this year. It is our first Christmas together as a married couple and I hope it is a very memorable and special one. This season goes by so fast, so remember to enjoy every minute of your holiday season this year.