Join us for 10 More British Christmas Traditions, from Father Christmas to Yule Log, Pantomime to First Footings, we give you another run down of celebrating Christmas in the UK. SOCIAL MEDIA facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Fay-and-Dans-Travels-104612937643858 instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fay_and_dans_travels twitter: https://twitter.com/faydantravels Music: http://www.purple-planet.com #Xmas #England #Scotland #Wales #travel #vlog #Top10 #London #BritishXmas #United #Kingdom #UK Transcript; 1. Father Christmas Father Christmas is the traditional English name for the embodiment of Christmas. He was originally part of an English folkloric tradition. The figure we know and love today was created in the late Victorian period, but a spirit of Christmas had been personified for Centuries. First recorded in the 15th Century, with Father Christmas himself first appearing in the mid 17th Century. Until Victorian times, Father Christmas was concerned with adult feasting and merry-making. He had no particular connection with children or with the giving of presents, nocturnal visits, stockings, chimneys or reindeer. But as later Victorian Christmases developed into child-centric family festivals, Father Christmas became a bringer of gifts. 2. Christmas Stockings The tradition of hanging a Christmas stocking by the fireplace or end of the bed is thought to originate to Saint Nicholas. During his lifetime, one legend that persists is that Saint Nicholas heard of a family in need. He decided to help in secret. After dark he threw three bags of gold through an open window, one landed in a stocking that was hung by the fireplace to dry. This led to the custom of children hanging stockings eagerly awaiting gifts from Saint Nicholas. To this day children hang beautifully decorated Christmas stockings in the hope of gifts on Christmas Eve and not a piece of coal for being naughty. 3. The Yule Log ...is a specially selected log burnt on a hearth as a Christmas tradition. The origin of the folk custom is unclear and may ultimately derive from Germanic paganism. The familiar custom of burning the Yule Log dates back to earlier solstice celebrations and the tradition of bonfires. This Christmas practice calls for burning a portion of the log each evening until Twelfth Night. The log is subsequently placed beneath the bed for luck. When I think of a Yule Log I think of a cake! A delicious chocolate cake in the shape of a log and decorated with icing like chocolate bark; Delicious! 4. Christmas Eve Midnight Mass If you venture out at midnight on Christmas Eve near a parish church in UK you may well see a Midnight Mass in progress. Held on the night of Christmas Eve at midnight just as it gives way to Christmas Day. A joyful celebration and coming together of the church community in honour of the nativity of Jesus. It is called Mass regardless of denomination as it includes the celebration of Holy Communion. For religious families this is the start of Christmas and some presents are opened and the feasting begins. 5. Carol Singers For Centuries, pagan songs were sung around the Winter Solstice; as Christianity crept in the songs became carols. The first official Carol was written in the 1400s but Carols really took off in the Victorian era. Official groups of musicians and carol singers called waits would go door to door entertaining the residents and being offered food or coins in return. These days Carol Singers can be found in city centres on the run up to Christmas collecting money for charity. 6. Christmas Cake A traditional Christmas Cake is made with moist Currants, Sultanas and Raisins which have been soaked in Brandy and using Carrots for sweetness, many a child watching of my generation has exclaimed, carrots! In a cake?! While eagerly awaiting to stir it for luck! In my childhood, cakes were still largely homemade and stored in cupboards pre-icing so Brandy could be added over a month or so. Today, far more are bought or traded for more modern desserts. The cake is covered in layers of marzipan and then white icing and is usually decorated with Christmas themed figures such as Father Christmas or snowmen. 7. Pantomine Going to see the Panto or Pantomime is a real treat for young and old during the festive period. Designed for family entertainment, the story is often based on a well known fairy tale. A modern Panto includes gags, slapstick, comedy and dancing as well as an expected sing-a-long, with the audience and a comedy searching sequence with set music everyone knows, all the audience call out, "He's behind you"! But he is never found despite being in plain sight. The Pantomime Dame is a man dressed up to hilarious results and the lead male character is a woman often showing off her legs in breeches. Topical humour is also included, to which the audience laugh knowingly. Sweets are often thrown out to the children in the audience and water pistols are occasionally deployed.