Christmas Greetings from
Dunalley Primary School
England UK
Christmas Trees.
We put these up in our houses and at school, they
are fir trees. We decorate them with baubles, tinsel
and lights. At school the Christmas Tree is put up on
December 1st. We are looking forward to decorating a
tree with our European decorations this year.
History of the Christmas Tree
The Christmas tree became popular in
England in 1841 when Queen Victoria's
husband, Prince Albert, brought a
Christmas tree over from Germany and
put it in Windsor Castle. The Royal
couple were illustrated in a newspaper
standing around the Christmas tree
with their children and the tradition of
decorating a tree became fashionable.
They decorated the tree with candles,
candies, fruits, and gingerbread.
Holly and Ivy
Holly and Ivy were originally from the time before
Christianity to celebrate the winter solstice festival and
to ward off evil spirits. When Christianity came to
western Europe some people wanted to keep the plants
to give it Christian meaning. The UK and Germany were
the main countries to keep the greenery.
Meanings of holly and Ivy
Holly
The spiky leaves represent the
crown of thorns that Jesus wore
when he was being crucified. The
berries are the drops of blood that
where shed because of the thorns.
In pagan times, holly was thought
to be a male plant and ivy a
female plant. An old tradition from
the Midlands in England says that
whatever one was bought into the
house first tells you whether the
man or the woman would rule that
year.
Ivy
Ivy has to cling to something for
support itself as it grows, this
reminds us that we have to
cling to god for support in our
lives.
Also a
piece tied to the outside of a
church is supposed to protects
it from being struck by lightening.
We make wreaths of holly, ivy and
mistletoe and hang them on our front
doors in England.
Christmas crackers
Illustration of children pulling a cracker
from 'The Graphic Christmas', 1878
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/ten_ages_gallery_06.shtml
Christmas crackers
Christmas crackers were invented by Thomas Smith in 1846.
During a visit to Paris he came across the bon-bon, a sugar almond wrapped in tissue paper
(with a twist either side of the centrally placed sweet). Thomas decided to try selling
similarly wrapped sweets in the lead up to Christmas in England. His bon-bons sold well at
Christmas but not at other times of the year.
In the early 1850s Thomas came up with the idea of including a motto with the sweet. As
many of his bon-bons were bought by men to give to women, many of the mottos were
simple love poems.
In about 1860, Thomas added the banger, two strips of chemically impregnated paper that
made a loud noise on being pulled apart. At first these novelties were called 'cosaques',
but they soon became known as 'crackers'.
Unfortunately for Thomas, his 'cracker' idea was copied by other manufactures and so he
decided to replace the sweet with a surprise gift.
When Thomas died his two sons took over the business. The paper hat was added to the
cracker the early 1900s and by the end of the 1930s the love poems had been replaced by
jokes or limericks.
Advent Calendars
What is an
advent calendar?
This starts the
countdown to
Christmas. We
open a door on
the calendar
each day.
Types of Advent Calendars
There are many different types of advent calendars
we enjoy the ones with chocolates in them.
Snowmen. In England we get very excited if we have
snow as it is not very usual. Most snowmen we see
are on Christmas cards and as decorations.
Snowmen’s History
• The first recorded snowman was made in
1380 but people don’t know who made it.
• Snowmen are a popular theme for Christmas
and winter decorations and also in children’s
books, films and TV at Christmas time.
How to make a snowman
In England you would need:
.1 big snowball, 1 medium snowball,1 small
snowball.
.6 small pebbles (eyes and mouth)
.1 carrot (for the nose)
.1 hat and 1 scarf to keep it warm.
(it’s not like that in other countries)
Christmas dinner
As a traditional English Christmas dinner we would have roast
turkey, roast potatoes, stuffing, parsnips, brussel sprouts,
gravy, bread sauce, Christmas pudding and rum sauce or
brandy butter. This would be eaten at midday on Christmas
Day.
At school we all have a Christmas dinner together in the last
week of the term.
History
A special meal has been eaten in the middle of winter for a
long time. Certain foods e.g. Christmas pudding are only eaten
then to keep it special. Turkey was first discovered in Mexico
by the Spanish invaders in 1521 and taken to Europe. It has
been said that the Yorkshireman William Strickland brought
the first turkey into England in 1525 which meant he could
have a turkey on his family crest. In 1851 Queen Victoria had a
turkey for Christmas and so many people wanted to copy her.
As it is a big bird there is plenty to eat for everyone. As well as
all this there is a tradition of pulling the turkey’s wish bone.
It’s shaped like a Y so two people grab either side and when it
snaps the person with the biggest piece left makes a wish.
History
A special meal has been eaten in the middle of winter for a
long time. Certain foods e.g. Christmas pudding are only eaten
then to keep it special. Turkey was first discovered in Mexico
by the Spanish invaders in 1521 and taken to Europe. It has
been said that the Yorkshireman William Strickland brought
the first turkey into England in 1525 which meant he could
have a turkey on his family crest. In 1851 Queen Victoria had a
turkey for Christmas and so many people wanted to copy her.
As it is a big bird there is plenty to eat for everyone. As well as
all this there is a tradition of pulling the turkey’s wish bone.
It’s shaped like a Y so two people grab either side and when it
snaps the person with the biggest piece left makes a wish.
Christmas Pudding
What
is
a
Christmas
pudding?
What ingredients are in a
Christmas pudding?
Who has tried Christmas
pudding?
Who
likes
pudding?
Christmas
How Christmas
pudding began
The Christmas
pudding began as a
Christmas porridge
called frumenty a dish
made up from wheat
or corn boiled up in
milk. As time went on
other ingredients
were added such as
dried plums, prunes,
eggs and lumps of
meat to make it more
interesting . This dish
became known as the
plum pudding.
TRADITION
Traditionally a six pence coin was
hidden inside the Christmas
pudding. It was meant to bring
good fortune to whoever found
it when the pudding was cut.
When to make Christmas pudding
• The traditional time to make Christmas
pudding is on stir up Sunday at the beginning
of advent. A proper Christmas pudding is
always stirred from east to west in honour of
the three wise men and is traditionally made
with 13 ingredients to represent Christ and his
disciples.
Christmas Pudding
The Christmas pudding is a brown pudding with raisins,
nuts and cherries. It is similar to fruitcake, except that
pudding is steamed and fruitcake is baked. Traditionally
silver coins were hidden inside the Christmas Pudding. A
silver coin brought good fortune to whomever was lucky
enough to find it when the pudding was cut.
Christmas Pudding Ingredients
These are some of the ingredients for a Christmas
puddingcurrants
sultanas
raisins
glacé cherries
nutmeg
mixed spice
butter
brown sugar
eggs
Christmas rum sauce
Ingredients
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75g butter
60g plain flour
570ml whole milk
50g caster sugar
4-5 tablespoons dark rum (or more)
1 tablespoon double cream
Method
Place 60g of the butter in a saucepan with 60g flour, pour in the milk,
then, using a balloon whisk, whisk everything vigorously together over a
medium heat. As soon as it comes to simmering point and has thickened,
turn the heat right down to its lowest setting, stir in the sugar and let the
sauce cook for 10 minutes. After that add the rum, the remaining 15g
butter and 1 tablespoon cream. Pour the hot sauce into a jug, then cover
the surface with clingfilm and keep warm until required.
Mince Pies
• Mince pies should traditionally have a star on top to represent
the Christmas star which led the shepherds to baby Jesus in
Bethlehem.
• Mince pies usually include three spices cinnamon, cloves and
nutmeg for the three gifts given to baby Jesus.
• It was thought to be lucky to eat mince pies on the twelve
days of Christmas ending with epiphany 6th January . Refusing
to eat one would be bad luck.
• Children traditionally would leave one or two mince pies on a
plate at the foot of the chimney along with brandy, sherry or
milk and a carrot for the reindeer as a thank you for filling
there stocking.
MINCE PIES
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Ingredients
225g cold butter, diced
350g plain flour
100g golden caster sugar
280g mincemeat
1 small egg
icing sugar, to dust
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Method
To make the pastry, rub 225g cold, diced butter into 350g plain flour, then mix in 100g golden caster sugar
and a pinch of salt. Combine the pastry into a ball – don’t add liquid – and knead it briefly. The dough will
be fairly firm, like shortbread dough. You can use the dough immediately, or chill for later.
Preheat the oven to 200C/gas 6/fan 180C. Line 18 holes of two 12-hole patty tins, by pressing small
walnut-sized balls of pastry into each hole. Spoon 280g mincemeat into the pies.
Take slightly smaller balls of pastry than before and pat them out between your hands to make round lids,
big enough to cover the pies. Top the pies with their lids, pressing the edges gently together to seal – you
don’t need to seal them with milk or egg as they will stick on their own. (The pies may now be frozen for
up to 1 month).
Beat 1 small egg and brush the tops of the pies. Bake for 20 minutes until golden. Leave to cool in the tin
for 5 minutes, then remove to a wire rack. To serve, lightly dust with icing sugar. They will keep for 3 to 4
days in an airtight container.
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Christmas cake recipe
Ingredients
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225g/8oz of plain flour
¼ tsp of salt
½ tsp of mixed spice
½ tsp of ground cinnamon
200g/7oz of butter
200g/7oz of dark brown sugar
2 tbsp of black treacle
1 tbsp of marmalade
¼ tsp of vanilla essence
4 free range eggs, lightly beaten
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•
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800g/1 ¾ lb of mixed fruit
100g/ 3 ½ oz of chopped mixed peel
150g/ 5oz of glace cherries, halved
100g/3 ½ oz of blanched almonds, chopped
brandy.
To decorate
• 200g/7oz of marzipan
• 1-2 tbsp of apricot jam
For royal icing
• 3 free range egg whites
• 600g/1lb 5oz of icing sugar
• 1 ½ tsp of liquid glycerine – optional
• 1 tbsp of lemon juice
Preparation time: 30 minutes- 1hour
Cooking time: over 2 hours
Preparation method
1.Heat the oven to 150c /300f/gas mark 2. Grease a
20cm/8 inch round or a 18cm/7inch square tin and line
the bottom and sides with baking parchment.
2. Sieve the flour, salt, mixed spice and cinnamon into a
bowl.
3. Cream the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl and
then mix in the sugar, treacle, marmalade and vanilla
essence till light and fluffy.
4. Mix the eggs a little at a time into the mixture and
add a tbsp of flour with the last amount.
5. Fold in the remaining flour mixture until well mixed
and mix in the dried fruit, mixed peel, glace cherries
and the almonds.
6. Turn the mixture into the prepared tin and make a
slightly hollow centre.
7. Bake in the oven for 3 hours and then test with a
skewer. If not ready bake for up to another hour
testing every 20 minutes until the skewer comes out
clean.
8. Remove from the oven and leave it in the tin to
cool for 15 minutes
9. Turn out on the wire rack and leave to cool.
10. Once cool make a few holes in the cake with a
skewer and pour over 3-4 tbsp of brandy. Let the
brandy soak into the cake.
11. Store the cake wrapped in foil in an airtight
container or plastic container hole side up.
12. Optional: for a rich moist cake, spoon over a few
tbsp of brandy each week until your ready to ice
and decorate your cake.
13. To decorate the cake, place the cake on a foil
board or cake plate.
14. Dust your hands and work on a surface with a
little icing sugar and knead the marzipan until soft.
15. Roll out half the marzipan to fit the top of the cake
and roll out the other half into strips to fit on the side
of the cake.
16. Brush the cake all over with warm apricot jam and
then place the marzipan on top and around the cake.
17. Cover the cake with a clean tea towel then leave in a
cool place for at least one day.
18. To make the icing, lightly whisk the egg whites adding
the sugar at intervals. Beat well until the icing reaches
soft peaks add the glycerine [if using it] and the lemon
juice.
19. Spread the icing all over the cake either flat iced using
a clean ruler or by forming soft peaks.
How did Reindeer
become associated
with Christmas ?
It all originated from goats and Thor the god of
thunder. Ancient Norse mythology tells of the
god Thor and that he was known to fly around
the stormy skies in a chariot. The chariot was
pulled by two magical goats named Gnasher and
Cracker. Over time Scandinavians winter festivals
that later became associated with Christmas.
In England we leave out carrots for the reindeer
to eat on Christmas Eve.
Cards and Presents
Our Christmas tradition of presents
facts
• One main reason we
receive presents to remind
us of the presents that
given to Jesus by the wise
men: Frankincense, Gold
and Myrrh.
• Frankincense was a
perfume used in Jewish
worship and, as a gift; it
showed that people would
worship Jesus
• Gold was associated with
Kings and Christians believe
that Jesus is the King of
Kings
• Myrrh was a perfume that
they put on dead bodies to
make the bodies smell nice
and, as a gift, it showed that
Jesus would suffer and die.
Gifts and cards
facts
• Presents can be left In
different places, in the UK
presents are sometimes left
in stockings, often left
hanging by the fire place.
The custom of stockings
comes from the story of St.
Nicholas. We open our
presents on Christmas Day.
facts
• The custom of sending Christmas
cards was started in 1843 by Sir Henry
Cole . Sir Henry had the idea of
Christmas cards with his friend John
Horsley, who was an artist. They
designed the first and sold them for 1
shilling each. Christmas cards became
much more popular and were
produced in a large numbers from
about 1860.
• At school we send cards to each other
and make them to send to our
families. We have a post box at school
to put them in.
In England we have Father Christmas. He comes down the chimney on
December 24th. We leave a stocking or pillow case for him to put
presents in. We leave a drink and a mince pie for Father Christmas and
a carrot for the reindeers who pull the sleigh. Often it is difficult to
sleep on Christmas Eve as we wait for Father Christmas. Now a days we
can track where he is on the Internet.
Track Santa Claus
Click to open up web page.
Father Christmas
Father Christmas has two addresses,
Edinburgh and the North Pole. Letters
addressed to Toyland or Snowland go to
Edinburgh but letters addressed to the North
Pole have to be sent there because there
really is such a place.
Did you know:
• Santa is also known as Saint Nickolas
• Santa has a white beard and a red suit with cuffs ,
a white collar and a black belt. He also wears a
red hat and black boots
• Santa Claus is believed to bring gifts to all the
good boys and girls on the night of Christmas Eve
• Throughout the year Santa Claus keeps to lists of
good and bad boys and girls
• Santa’s sleigh travels at the speed of light. That is
about 186,282.4 miles per second or 617million
miles per hour
What are the names of father
Christmas’s reindeers?
Santa’s reindeers are called Dasher, Dancer,
Prancer , Vixen, Comet, Cupid and Rudolph.
These are the reindeers which are all well
known .
WE HOPE YOU ENJOYED FINDING OUT
ABOUT OUR CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS
Years 4,5 and 6 have made the Christmas decorations. They
designed and made them by themselves, most are made
from felt and sewn together others are made from paper and
cardboard. We had fun making them. We hope you enjoy the
one you receive.
HAPPY CHRISTMAS FROM
EVERYONE AT DUNALLEY
PRIMARY SCHOOL.