Some of the earliest and most beloved Christmas traditions originated in Victorian England. From a midday meal of roasted goose to serving figgy pudding and draping the town with holly, your students will love learning about special customs and Christmas traditions in England.
Teaching your students about traditions around the world is a wonderful way for them to learn about different cultures and the unique customs in other countries. In this post, I’ll share fun facts and crafts, teaching ideas, classroom activities, and even ready-to-use lesson plans to teach your students about:
- The story of Christmas crackers
- How the tradition of sending Christmas cards started
- How to make paper Christmas crowns
- The First Christmas Tree in England
Christmas Traditions in England
Sending Christmas Cards
Sending Christmas cards originated in England. The founders of the post office created the first Christmas card in 1843 as a way of encouraging people to use its services! At the time it cost half a penny to mail a card! Many cards feature pictures of Father Christmas, the British Santa Claus.
The First Christmas Tree in England
Many countries have decorated Christmas trees for centuries, but it wasn’t until Prince Albert put up a Christmas tree at Windsor Castle in 1841 that the tradition first appeared in England. Prince Albert wanted his children to have a Christmas tree just like the Christmases in Germany he had growing up.
On Christmas Eve in England, when everyone is asleep, Father Christmas comes and leaves gifts in stockings hung by the fireplace or next to children’s beds rather than under the Christmas tree.
Christmas in England PowerPoint
Take your students on a virtual field trip to learn about some of the special events and holiday traditions in England. This ready-to-use Holidays Around the World teaching PowerPoint is the one I use to teach about holiday foods, Father Christmas, crackers and crowns on Christmas Eve, and many more English Christmas traditions.
PowerPoint source here or on TPT
Filled with captivating photos showing English holiday foods, special events, and celebrations, your students will love learning all about England at Christmastime.
Christmas Crackers
Christmas crackers are a cherished item at Christmas dinner in England. The crackers are carboard tubes wrapped in festive colored paper and twisted at both ends. The tube contains two strips of chemical paper that react with friction and make a loud pop when pulled apart.
Tradition tells of how a London candy maker called Thomas Smith invented the Christmas cracker in 1847 as a promotional item to increase his declining candy sales. During a visit to Paris, he came across confections beautifully wrapped in paper and twisted at each end. Mr. Smith decided to try selling a similar item to promote his candy. Once he figured out a way to make them “crack” when opened, sales of Christmas crackers, and his candy, took off.
Crackers are typically used to decorate individual place settings and usually contain a small toy, a riddle or a corny joke, and a paper crown.
The Story of Christmas Crackers
Paper Christmas Crowns
Why do Christmas crackers have crowns inside? Paper crowns were added to the crackers in the early 1900s. The paper crown tradition can be traced back to the ancient Romans who wore festive headgear during winter solstice celebrations.
💡Try this classroom idea: Make DIY Christmas Crowns! Use tissue paper and tape to make simple crowns like the ones worn at Christmas in England. You can purchase paper crowns on Amazon or learn how to make your own Christmas crowns here.
Make A Christmas Cracker Craft
If your students are “traveling” around the world, have them write a postcard to their families! This Christmas cracker postcard craft is part of the holiday traditions in England lessons we do during our holidays around the world unit.
Our students travel to different classrooms to learn about the unique customs and holiday traditions in countries around the world.
They make postcard crafts for each country before stamping their passport and departing! See more of how we do it in my classroom and all the magical ways to teach holidays around the world.
💡Try this classroom idea: Make a Christmas cracker ornament! Make the postcard craft above and instead of gluing it to a postcard template, make an ornament by punching a hole at the top and tying yarn through.
Christmas in England Lesson Plans
Learn much more about Christmas in England with an entire week of activities, teaching slides, a fun suitcase folder, and a passport with these Holidays Around the World lesson plans!
I’ve created a complete unit for teaching winter and Christmas holiday traditions in 14 countries. Each country has detailed, scripted lesson plans with related books and videos, boarding passes, a teaching PowerPoint with actual photos of the countries, and even a short quiz as an exit ticket before students depart! (they make it super easy to take a quick grade!)
This unique holidays around the world unit is available here in the Around The Kampfire Shop and also in my TPT shop.
Christmas in England Reading Comprehension
Add comprehension practice with leveled passages about holiday traditions in England! These passages also include a digital version that you can project on your whiteboard and use during a lesson or make it a partner activity during your literacy center time.
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Holidays Around the World & Christmas Holidays Unit
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Holidays Around the World Math Games
💡Try this classroom idea: Set up holiday-themed math centers around the room so students can “travel” to different countries and practice math skills!
With these holiday math centers, (available in three grade levels) students carry a “math passport” and stamp it when they finish the game at each country’s table. Pictured is the 2nd grade England game to practice place value.
For a fun and festive day with your students, use the games for a math-around-the-world holiday party! This post has holiday math party ideas that you can do in your own classroom!
Books About Christmas in England
Now that you know about holiday traditions in England, let’s talk about holiday traditions for your classroom! Here are 10 holiday classroom traditions to start this year that your students will love! (And I really do mean it!)
10 Holiday Traditions to Start in Your Classroom!
Visit this post to find many ways to make it MAGICAL when teaching your students about holidays around the world!
10 Magical Ways to Teach Holidays Around the World
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