Text 2 - Christmas in the UK
In the UK, families often celebrate Christmas together, so they can watch each other open their presents!
Most families have a Christmas Tree (or maybe even two!) in their house for Christmas. The decorating of the
tree is usually a family occasion, with everyone helping. Christmas Trees were first popularised in the UK by
Prince Albert, the husband of Queen Victoria. Prince Albert was German. Holly¹, Ivy² and Mistletoe³ are also
5 sometimes used to decorate homes or other buildings/
Most villages, towns and cities are decorated with Christmas lights over Christmas. Often a famous person
switches them on. The most famous Christmas lights in the UK are in Oxford Street in London. Every year they
get bigger and better. Thousands of people go to watch the big 'switch on' around the beginning of November.
Like a lot of countries, Nativity plays and carol services are also very popular at Christmas time
Children believe that Father Christmas or Santa Claus leaves presents in stockings or pillow-cases. These
are normally hung up by the fire or by the children's beds on Christmas Eve. Children sometimes leave out mince
pies' and brandy for Father Christmas to eat and drink when he visits them...]
There are some customs that only take place, or were started, in the UK. Wassailing is an old Anglo-Saxon
custom that doesn't take place much today. Boxing Day is a very old custom that started in the UK and is now
15 taken as a holiday in many countries around the world
In the UK, the main Christmas meal is usually eaten at lunchtime or early afternoon on Christmas Day. It's
normally roast turkey, roast vegetables and 'all the trimmings' which means vegetables like carrots and peas,
stuffing and sometimes bacon and sausages. It's often served with cranberry sauce and bread sauce. Traditio-
nally, and before turkey was available, roast beef or goose was the main Christmas meal. One vegetable that is
20 often eaten for Christmas in the UK is brussel sprouts. Dessert is often Christmas pudding. Mince pies, lots of
chocolates and trifle are often eaten as well!
1. le houx 2. le lierre 3. le gui 4. une pièce représentant la Nativité 5. les chants de Noël 6. une chaussette de Noël
7. tartelette fourrée de fruits secs à Noël 8. pudding traditionnel fabriqué plusieurs semaines avant Noël puis réchauffé
pour le dessert.
B. Read Text 2 and match the 5 paragraphs with their main idea.
Paragraph 1
• Decorating the house
Paragraph 2
• Preparing for Father Christmas
Paragraph 3.
Popular Christmas activities
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 5.
• The Christmas meal
● Traditional customs
C. Find 5 ways people celebrate Christmas in England. Complete the sentences.
• People open
• Father Christmas leaves....
Families eat..
• Families decorate...
People like to watch....