The practice of sending Christmas cards started in 1840. The card-sending event soon became a ritual and millions of cards were exchanged every Christmas. Paper cards have slowly been replaced by Internet cards from the mid 1990s due to their attractive audio-visual contents and fast deliveries. Millions of Internet Christmas cards or Christmas E cards are mailed to different online mailboxes every year.
The Christmas season is the festive season in Britain. One of the most endearing rituals of the Christmas is the singing of the Christmas Carols. Many of these carols are traditional, and they are one of the fondest moments of the Christmas. The joyous singing represents the vibrancy of life and the joy of the coming of Christ. The Christmas Carols are usually sung by groups well grounded in the classical tradition of music.
The traditional Christmas dinner is usually a multi-course affair with roast potatoes and roast turkey. Mince pies are also eaten with gusto. The Christmas meal is usually rounded up by the serving of delicious Christmas pudding. A special Christmas cake is also served in British households. The cake is usually baked according to age-old recipes- with fruits, icing, sugar frosting and marzipan. The British have a few quaint Christmas traditions that are unique to the country. The British Christmas cracker is very popular among the children. The 'cracker' is a paper tube filled with gifts and accompanies the Christmas food. The tube bursts when pulled-disgorging the presents enclosed within. Another quaint British tradition is the celebration of the Boxing Day.
The name can be misleading, as the celebrations have nothing to do with the pugilist game. It is believed that servants of the aristocratic household, farmers, laborers, and employees of any sort visited their families the day after the Christmas. The lords usually bestowed gifts for them and their families in boxes, wrapped in papers and ribbons. It is from these boxes, that the day has got its name.
Christmas is also the time when the much revered British Queen wishes her subjects through mass media broadcasting. The event is a much awaited affair.
