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Find out about Christmas around the world

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Christmas around the World on whychristmas?com

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Find out how Christmas is celebrated Around the World in lots of different Countries, Traditions and Cultures.

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Don't drink too much!

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Christmas Cocktails & Drinks | Christmas | Jamie Oliver

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Jamie's Christmas cocktails and drink recipes are the perfect way to start the festive season; get in the Christmas spirit with our festive tipples!

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A Christmas Carol
- An oldie but a goodie!

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An old bitter miser who makes excuses for his uncaring nature learns real compassion when three ghosts visit him on Christmas Eve.

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Christmas podcast

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Christmas Past Podcast - A podcast that tells the stories behind your favorite holiday traditions

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A podcast that tells the stories behind your favorite holiday traditions

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TED Talk

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How Christmas lights helped guerrillas put down their guns

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“In my lifetime, I have never lived one day of peace in my country,” says Jose Miguel Sokoloff. This ad executive from Colombia saw a chance to help guerrilla fighters choose to come home -- with smart marketing. He shares how some creative, welcoming messages have helped thousands of guerrillas decide to put down their weapons -- and the key insights behind these surprising tactics.

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Poem: Twas the Night before Christmas

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Vocabulary related to winter

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Fun with the family!

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CHRISTMAS QUIZ QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ***

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Check out our 2017 Questions and Answers Christmas Quiz Night selection. Free Printable questions and answers Christmas quiz suitable for family or pub quizzes or Party Games. Christmas Quiz Questions and Answers are fun and free.

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Christmas Shopping

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Beautiful Christmas window displays are one way shops get into the Christmas spirit. Amandeep goes to Fortnum & Mason to see the work that goes into the displays and find out more about Christmas shopping.

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Christmas baking

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This easy gingerbread recipe is great for baking with children, and it makes a lovely homemade Christmas present. Make gingerbread men or any other shape!

Each serving provides 161 kcal, 2g protein, 25g carbohydrates (of which 11.5g sugars), 6g fat (of which 3.5g saturates), 0.7g fibre and 0.3g salt.

Ingredients

To decorate

writing icing (optional)

cake decorations (optional)

Method

1. Sift together the flour, bicarbonate of soda, ginger and cinnamon and pour into the bowl of a food processor. Add the butter and blend until the mix looks like breadcrumbs. Stir in the sugar.

2. Lightly beat the egg and golden syrup together, add to the food processor and pulse until the mixture clumps together. Tip the dough out, knead briefly until smooth, wrap in cling film and leave to chill in the fridge for 15 minutes.

3. Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4. Line two baking trays with greaseproof paper.

4. Roll the dough out to a 0.5cm/¼in thickness on a lightly floured surface. Using cutters, cut out the gingerbread men shapes and place on the baking tray, leaving a gap between them.

5. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until lightly golden-brown. Leave on the tray for 10 minutes and then move to a wire rack to finish cooling. When cooled decorate with the writing icing and cake decorations, if using.

Recipe Tips

You can freeze the gingerbread dough, double wrapped in cling film, for up to 3 months.

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This easy gingerbread recipe is great for baking with children, and it makes a lovely homemade Christmas present. Make gingerbread men or any other shape! Each serving provides 161 kcal, 2g protein, 25g carbohydrates (of which 11.5g sugars), 6g fat (of which 3.5g saturates), 0.7g fibre and 0.3g salt.

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The Nutcracker
One for the children!

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The Nutcracker Children's story book read aloud

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A perfect introduction to the story for younger children, who will be enthralled by the magical story of the Nutcracker which comes to life on Christmas Eve

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Christmas Karaoke!

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Christmas in the news

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Brands will be spending a record £6bn on Christmas advertising in 2017, according to an industry body forecast.

The Advertising Association says it is being driven by intense market competition, especially within the retail sector, and the rise of big-budget campaigns.

It believes spending on ads has jumped nearly 40% in just seven years.

The figures come as campaigns by major retailers such as John Lewis, M&S and Asda get under way.

"There have been so many blockbuster campaigns over the last 10 years," says Karen Fraser, director of Credos, a think tank which compiled the forecast with the Advertising Association.

John Lewis' Christmas ads have become particularly anticipated by the public and advertisers in recent years.

A recurring theme in John Lewis adverts has been to take out branding and centre on stories to grab people's attention.

Their latest campaign - launched this week - focuses on the tale of a little boy and his friendship with an imaginary monster living under his bed.

Rival Marks and Spencer has launched an advert featuring Paddington Bear stumbling across a burglar he mistakes for Father Christmas.

Meanwhile, Asda's ad follows a girl and her grandfather visiting a festive food factory.

Upping the ante

Among a survey of 1,000 Brits interviewed on behalf of the Advertising Association, nearly half said they had been moved to tears by Christmas ads they'd seen.

One in six also said they have changed plans to watch the premiere of their favourite Christmas ad.

"It's just upped the ante," adds Karen Fraser, "and so many brands and retailers are looking to compete in that market but it means that everyone needs to work harder to get people's attention."

Latest figures from the Office for National Statistics show that purchasing from retailers - traditionally the biggest investor in Christmas advertising - has increased.

Prices of consumer goods have also undergone their highest year-on-year growth since March 2012 at 3.3%, meaning shops are facing an uphill struggle to attract consumers as real wages fall.

"A lot of businesses don't have much of an option other than to go for it," says Craig Mawdsley, chief strategy officer at advertising agency AMVBBDO.

"Some brands get to grow, but most are trying to offset the growth of others".

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Brands will be spending a record £6bn on Christmas advertising in 2017, according to an industry body forecast. The Advertising Association says it is being driven by intense market competition, especially within the retail sector, and the rise of big-budget campaigns. It believes spending on ads has jumped nearly 40% in just seven years.

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Short Christmas stories

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The Snowman
Okay, no English practice here but a taste of British culture instead! Almost everyone in the UK watches this film at least once over the Christmas period!
Have a wonderful Winter Holiday everyone xxx

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Stand Up Comedy

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Michael McIntyre's Comedy Roadshow : Children & Christmas

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The hilarious comedian Michael McIntyre talks about his children (Lucas and Oscar) and Christmas! Follow the link to buy the new for 2012 DVD, 'SHOWTIME', released in November. http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B004MEZP4Q/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=ofthke-21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=B004MEZP4Q Subscribe to my YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/awesomecomedyclips

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Christmas cracker jokes

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Some of the best/worst Christmas Crackers jokes! Christmas jokes and humor.

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Christmas Dinner in Britain

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We're all for breaking with convention and trying something new on special occasions, but sometimes only classic dishes will do on Christmas Day.

We've put together a menu of our favourite traditional festive recipes for inspiration.

This menu serves eight, but we've also included alternative options if you're catering for less or more guests.

For even more inspiration, see our Christmas dinner hub and more Christmas menu ideas.

Christmas morning ideas

Bake this Middle Eastern-inspired loaf to serve for a festive brunch. To make things extra-indulgent, spread thick slices with our moreish honey & tahini butter.
See more Christmas breakfast recipes
Christmas dinner ideas

Starters
Perfect pâté, parfait & pickles
Pâté, terrine or parfait are perfect make-ahead starters. Take them out the fridge just before serving and put on a serving platter with toasts or, for even less hassle, oatcakes or crackers. Our homemade fig chutney is also a sweet and sticky accompaniment.
More Christmas pâté recipes Prawn cocktails
Breathe new life into prawn cocktail, a classic Christmas starter. With the addition of some Cajun spices, it's a flavour-packed modern twist.
See more prawn cocktail recipes Smoked salmon
Keep things light before the onslaught of roast dinner with all the trimmings. Stocking smoked salmon in your fridge is a wise choice at Christmas. Make a canapé classic of salmon & herb blinis, which you can rustle up in less than 20 minutes using four ingredients.
See more festive smoked salmon recipes Christmas soup

Serve a warming bowl of soup for a light yet satisfying Christmas starter. This creamy celeriac and hazelnut soup includes a drizzle of truffle oil for added luxury. Or, capture more seasonal flavours by blitzing chestnuts and parsnips into a silky-smooth blend and topping with crispy bacon pieces.
See more Christmas soup recipes
Traditional turkey ideas

For some, there will never be a centrepiece that can replace turkey. If you want to stay traditional, make our classic roast turkey recipe with a rich red wine gravy. Placing pancetta under the skin will keep the meat beautifully succulent and add a hint of saltiness.

If you're serving fewer people, a turkey crown can often be more suitable than a whole bird. We've added flavour and moistness to our turkey crown with a dry-brining recipe.

If turkey isn't your thing, roast beef with Yorkshire puddings should fit the bill without straying too far from tradition.
See more turkey recipes Watch our video on how to carve a turkey:
Side dishes and trimmings

Serve your centrepiece with all the trimmings. It wouldn't be Christmas without the much-debated Brussels sprouts, but parsnips, carrots and potatoes are all solid choices, along with one of our favourite parts of Christmas: pigs-in-blankets.
See more Christmas sides
Sauces

Elevate bread sauce by adding buttery, crisp onions. It's an ideal condiment for the Christmas dinner table or to serve with your Sunday roast.
See more Christmas sauces
Christmas dessert ideas
Christmas pudding
Love it or hate it, a fruity basin pudding embodies the spirit of Christmas. Serve with rich and luxurious brandy butter.
See more Christmas pudding recipes Christmas trifles
Take trifle to the next level for the festive season. Make the jelly with raspberries and enrich the custard with clotted cream for ultra indulgence.
See more Christmas trifle recipes.
Christmas drink ideas

A bottle of fizz will serve a crowd if you add some juice or fresh fruit to the glass. Alternatively, get your spices melding and stir up some fragrant mulled wine. We also have a mocktail version for non-drinkers.
See more Christmas drink recipes Want a plan that takes all the stress out of Christmas dinner? Try our easiest ever, next level or budget menu plans, complete with time plan, shopping list (to print out or use for online shopping) and all the recipes you'll need for the big day. If you're still stuck for inspiration, visit our Christmas dinner page or browse more Christmas menus... Complete Christmas menu: vegetarian
Vegan Christmas menu
Gluten-free Christmas menu
Complete Christmas menu: quick
2 hour Christmas menu
Complete Christmas menu: for a crowd
Complete Christmas menu: for two
All our Christmas menus

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Natalie Hardwick - Editor, bbcgoodfood.com

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We're all for breaking with convention and trying something new on special occasions, but sometimes only classic dishes will do on Christmas Day. We've put together a menu of our favourite traditional festive recipes for inspiration. This menu serves eight, but we've also included alternative options if you're catering for less or more guests.

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Make you own Christmas cracker
Note - you can make them without the cracker snap, they just won't go 'BANG'!

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There's no need spend your hard-earned present money on tacky crackers with plastic little toys. Try these amazing homemade Christmas crackers from Jamie's favourite designer and give your Christmas dinner table a personal touch.

These homemade crackers aren't hard to make at all, and you can put whatever kind of gift you want inside - as long as it fits. Below is an easy method, but even better you'll find a step-by-step gallery beneath that!

You will need

Toilet-roll tubes, or thin postal tubes cut to size

Attractive A4 paper (you can use newspaper, wrapping paper, comics, book pages, prints - whatever you have to hand and will look pretty)

Sticky tape

Cracker snaps (you'll find them on Amazon and other online stores)

Thin card, at least 20cm long

Decorative string or ribbon

Small but exciting things to put inside the crackers

Place a toilet-roll tube on the long edge of your paper, in the centre, and hold it in place with some sticky tape. Thread a cracker snap through the toilet roll and tape it down to one side of the paper.

Roll the tube across the paper, then secure with 3 bits of tape along the seam, in the centre and ends.

Cut two 20x5cm strips from the thin card. Curl each one into a circle and place one inside each end of the cracker, leaving roughly 2cm sticking out of the end. Hold the card in place with a little sticky tape.

At one end of the cracker, form the hand signal for "OK" around the gap between the toilet roll and the card. Gently squeeze and twist a little with your thumb and forefinger, while using your other hand to hold the card in shape. Keep squeezing until the cracker has a nicely defined neck to it. Tie a piece of string or ribbon around the neck of the cracker. Cut off any straggly bits or make a bow.

Pop a Christmas hat, a cooking tip or joke and a little surprise in the open end of the cracker (we used candy canes, nutmeg graters and cookie cutters, but you can customise for your family). Seal the open end as before and ta-da! You have just made your own homemade Christmas crackers!
This article comes courtesy of Jamie Magazine, our gorgeous monthly mag full of recipes and travel writing from Jamie and the best chefs and writers in the world. You can get a year's subscription for just £19.95 (plus postage outside of the UK), click here. You can buy the Christmas edition of the magazine for just £3.99 at WHSmith, supermarkets and leading independent newsagents.

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How to make homemade Christmas crackers - Jamie Oliver | Features

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There's no need spend your hard-earned present money on tacky crackers with plastic little toys. Try these amazing homemade Christmas crackers from Jamie's favourite designer and give your Christmas dinner table a personal touch. These homemade crackers aren't hard to make at all, and you can put whatever kind of gift you want inside - as long as it fits.

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Christmas Taboo to play with friends

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Christmas idioms

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Continuing my series of blog posts on idioms, this latest one unwraps a few of the most popular Christmas idioms and other holiday-related phrases and sayings.

For those of you interested in word origins, I've also included links to extra information where I could find it.

'Tis the season to feast on Christmas idioms

Bah! Humbug!= first used by Ebenezer Scrooge in Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol", this is sometimes said by people who aren't fans of Christmas when confronted with holiday well-wishers

Be no angel = sometimes behave badly

Christmas comes but once a year = used as an excuse for over indulgence, whether on food or on gifts, on the basis that it doesn't happen often

Cold turkey = nothing to do with eating leftovers from Christmas dinner but the sudden and complete withdrawal from an addictive substance

Deck the halls = decking (or decorating) one's hall with branches from a holly tree is an old tradition; the popular carol of the same name began as a Welsh tune dating back to the 16 th century

Don't get your tinsel in a tangle = don't get stressed out trying to make Christmas perfect

Don't look a gift horse in the mouth = don't be ungrateful when you receive a present, even if it's not exactly what you wanted

Good things come in small packages = the size of a gift doesn't determine what's inside; in the same way a small person may have a big heart

It's the thought that counts = it's the kindness behind an act that matters, however imperfect or insignificant it may be

Like turkeys voting for (an early) Christmas = when people choose to accept a situation that can only end badly for them (as turkeys are traditionally eaten at Christmas)

Lit up like a Christmas tree = nothing to do with decorations but used to describe an intense military attack on enemy positions

The more the merrier = the more people or things there are, the better a given situation will be

The proof of the pudding (is in the eating) = in order to fully test something you need to experience it yourself

There's no time like the present = a reminder that there are things in our lives we can take charge of and accomplish with a little hard work

'Tis the season to be jolly = taken from a Christmas carol, this phrase serves as a reminder to put on a happy face over the festive period ( 'Tis is an old method of contracting it and is, but is rarely used these days)

Trim the tree = nothing to do with cutting, this is an old reference to decorating a pine tree with ornaments, lights and other glittery bits

White Christmas = when it snows at Christmas time (something which we can place bets on in the UK, as it happens so rarely!)

Written in the stars = intended to be, destiny
Hopefully this collection of Christmas idioms will have helped get you in the festive mood, if you weren't already. Any other seasonal idioms or sayings that you'd care to add?

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Christmas Idioms & Phrases Unwrapped | Every Word Counts

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Continuing my series of blog posts on idioms, this latest one unwraps a few of the most popular Christmas idioms and other holiday-related phrases and sayings. For those of you interested in word origins, I've also included links to extra information where I could find it. Bah!

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Follow the instructions to make Christmas origami

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Christmas Origami is such a wonderful activity for Christmas time... creating something beautiful with your very own hands while being with your loved ones - just perfect for this time of year!

And the best thing about origami decorations and gifts is they are so cheap to make! Most of the models in the pictures below are made with scraps of gift paper, and leftover origami paper... and yet they look so lovely!

Christmas is about giving your love and your time... so spend some quality time with your loved ones creating origami, and you'll find out for yourself what an enjoyable activity it is!

On this page you will find all of these wonderful origami models to make and share, just scroll down to browse through! :)

Make A Mini Christmas Tree

This gorgeous little tree is made with a 15 x 15cm piece of origami paper (the larger one in the pic) - but any paper will do, of course. Gift wrap, printed origami paper, or even brown paper looks lovely, especially when your tree is decorated with lucky stars (for instructions on how to make lucky stars, scroll down).

This mini tree can be a centrepiece for your dining table, or a decoration for your mantle or coffee table. I think they make wonderful gifts also - especially if you're trying to keep costs down! To make this tree more durable, and last longer, you can spray it with a spray varnish - from a craft or hardware store. The lucky star is just pinned to the top of the tree with a long thin pin.

Instructions for the Christmas tree/pine tree can be found here.

Lucky Stars To Decorate Everything!

Origami lucky stars are made with strips of paper, and are wonderful not only for topping your mini christmas tree, but for decorating everything! You can glue them to gifts, gift boxes or cards, or you can make dozens and string them together to hang on your christmas tree. They look wonderful in metallic paper, but any colourful paper will make these beauties stand out!

Instructions for the lucky star can be found here.

Other stars you can make include the modular star (which can be any number of points you like - 4, 5, 6, even 10-pointed if you like!) and also the four-pointed star, which is a lovely traditional-looking model.

Gift Boxes For All Those Smaller Gifts

These christmas origami gift boxes are simply wonderful! To make a lid for the gift box, you make the box slightly bigger (eg 0.5 - 1 centimetre larger). If you make the box with patterned paper, I dont think it needs any extra decoration, but if you make it with plain, or white paper, you can top it with a gift bow (instructions are below) or even some lovely lucky stars (see above). The size of these boxes are only limited by what size paper you have - but if you're making larger boxes than can be made from a sheet of office-sized paper, you may need stronger paper/card.

Instructions for the origami box can be found here.

Gift Bows To Adorn Your Presents

A wonderful way to decorate your gifts, the christmas origami gift bow can be made with metallic or plain paper, or patterned. I think they work the best with double-sided paper - with one of the sides patterned - then you can have the patterned side showing through the middle, like in the images.

Instructions for the gift bow can be found here.

The Flapping Bird Makes A Lovely
Christmas Dove

I think the traditional flapping bird looks just like a Christmas Dove, and its wonderful as the bird can flap its wings - so kids love it! The flapping bird is not the same model as the crane, though it looks similar. Textured white paper, if you have any, makes a gorgeous bird, though as it is white, you can just as easily make it with printer/office paper. How easy is that?!

Instructions for the flapping bird can be found here.

Christmas Envelopes For Cards And Gifts

To hold presents or cards, these envelopes are far more special than plain old envelopes! The great thing about this particular model is you can make the envelope long and thin, or almost square, depending on what dimensions of paper you use. A square piece of paper will make a long envelope, while a piece of paper that is much taller than it is wide will make a squarer envelope.

Instructions for the bar envelope can be found here.

Silver Star Flowers Are Beautiful And Unique!

These beautiful little flowers look just like shining stars, so are fantastic to decorate you tree, table, or gifts with. These ones are made with foiled paper, but metallic gift-wrap works well, and you can even use kitchen foil if you like!

Instructions for the star flower/blossom can be found here.

Some Fantastic
Christmas Origami Videos...

Free Printable Christmas Origami Paper
Click here to download 10 free printable paper designs Click for ideas about how to get free and cheap origami paper!
Make a Gift Envelope

You Might Also Like:

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Christmas Origami is such a wonderful activity for Christmas time... creating something beautiful with your very own hands while being with your loved ones - just perfect for this time of year! And the best thing about origami decorations and gifts is they are so cheap to make!

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Christmas Playlist

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Mariah Carey - All I Want For Christmas Is You (Official Video)

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Practise your listening skills with this family favourite!

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Dean Martin - Walking In A Winter Wonderland (Audio) | Music Video, Song Lyrics and Karaoke

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Learn English in a fun way with the music video and the lyrics of the song "Walking In A Winter Wonderland (Audio)" of Dean Martin