For many Americans, Christmas means rushing back to work on December 26th, squeezing celebration into a single day off, and treating the holiday season as more of an inconvenience than a time of joy. But across the Atlantic, the British approach Christmas quite differently – and that difference captured the hearts of Jonathan and Jackie Thomas, the husband-and-wife team behind Anglotopia, during their memorable 2013 Christmas visit to England.
The Gift of Time: Britain’s Extended Holiday Season
Perhaps the most striking difference between British and American Christmas celebrations is the approach to time itself. “In Britain, the holiday season is a holiday season,” Jonathan explains. Unlike in the United States, where many employees return to work immediately after Christmas Day, British companies typically shut down from a few days before Christmas until after New Year’s Day.
This extended break isn’t counted against employees’ allocated time off – it’s simply accepted that the entire country slows down to focus on what the British consider most important: family, friends, and enjoying life. “People have time off,” Jonathan notes. “You’re supposed to spend it with your family and friends, go do things, go out and have adventures, visit castles and stately homes, walk in the countryside.”
The contrast with American work culture is stark. While Americans might get Christmas Day and New Year’s Day off, the British enjoy Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Boxing Day (December 26th, a national holiday), and often the entire week between Christmas and New Year’s. Some companies don’t return until January 8th, giving employees a truly restorative break.
A Feast of Traditions: British Christmas Food
For Jackie, the culinary traditions of British Christmas proved to be a revelation. Their 2013 trip introduced her to authentic mince pies, mulled wine, and the institution of Boxing Day lunch – experiences that have since become integral parts of their family’s holiday celebrations.
“I had mince pie for the first time, mulled wine for the first time, Boxing Day lunch for the first time,” Jackie recalls. She was also introduced to Branston pickle, a fermented chutney that accompanies pork pies and other traditional fare. These discoveries weren’t just fleeting vacation experiences – they’ve become annual traditions in the Thomas household.
The Christmas dinner itself differs from American traditions. While Americans often serve ham, the British favor turkey, goose, or a beef roast. Yorkshire puddings make an appearance at the Christmas table, and Brussels sprouts are embraced rather than avoided. The meal is followed by traditional desserts like Yule log (a Swiss roll-style cake) or Christmas pudding with brandy butter.
Boxing Day lunch deserves special mention. Described by Jonathan as “Sunday roast on steroids,” it’s either enjoyed at the pub or at friends’ houses. The Thomases experienced their first Boxing Day lunch with friends in Shaftesbury, finding it reminiscent of the American “Friendsgiving” – relaxed, welcoming, and focused on good food and company.
Entertainment Fit for the Season
British television during Christmas stands in sharp contrast to the American landscape of reruns and hiatuses. “Christmas time is when the BBC and ITV showcase the best dramas of the year,” Jonathan explains. The Doctor Who Christmas special (though it’s moved to New Year’s in recent years), Call the Midwife, and premieres of prestige dramas make British Christmas television an event in itself.
Classic Christmas specials have become beloved traditions, including Blackadder’s Christmas Carol (where Rowan Atkinson plays a reverse Ebenezer Scrooge) and Mr. Bean’s Christmas special. The Thomases discovered “The Snowman,” a wordless animated short based on Raymond Briggs’ book, featuring the haunting song “Walking in the Air.” The piece moved Jonathan to tears – a rarity – and has become a cherished part of their holiday viewing.
The Queen’s Speech on Christmas Day represents another uniquely British tradition. At 3 p.m. British time, the monarch delivers a short, apolitical message of greetings and well-wishes to the nation. Even in the modern era, many Britons stop what they’re doing to watch, and the Thomases have adopted this tradition, making everything stop for the Queen’s Speech regardless of where they are or what they’re doing.
Creating Magic: The Cottage Experience
The Thomases’ 2013 Christmas was spent at Up Down Cottage on Gold Hill in Shaftesbury, Dorset – a location that provided the quintessential British Christmas experience they sought. The cottage owners, Jane and Simon, transformed the space into a Christmas wonderland, complete with a decorated tree (notably more branch-like and natural than the full, cone-shaped American varieties), wreaths, and thoughtfully chosen presents for each family member.
“They really went all out to make a nicely decorated cottage for us for Christmas,” Jonathan recalls. The preparations meant the family could focus on experiencing British Christmas rather than creating it from scratch.
Practical Magic: Christmas Crackers and Carol Bells
Some British Christmas traditions translate easily to American celebrations. Christmas crackers – tube-shaped party favors that pop when pulled apart to reveal paper crowns, small gifts, and corny jokes – are now readily available at Target, Costco, and World Market. During the podcast, the couple demonstrated with their own crackers, Jonathan receiving a magnifying glass and Jackie a luggage tag, both donning their paper crowns while sharing groan-worthy jokes about “newlywebs” and a “clocktopus.”
Jonathan’s most treasured memory from their British Christmas came on Christmas morning itself. Despite the rain and chill, the sound of church bells pealing across the Dorset countryside created pure magic. “You had this symphony of bells echoing through the English countryside,” he remembers. “It felt like something out of a Charles Dickens novel. It was simply magical.”
Bringing Britain Home
The Thomases have successfully incorporated numerous British traditions into their American Christmas celebrations. They serve Yorkshire puddings, make mulled wine (Jackie brought back special spice bags from Fortnum & Mason), and attempt British Christmas dinners complete with properly cooked turkey and all the trimmings. This year, they’re even planning to serve figgy pudding – an eight-pound specimen Jackie hauled back from London in her luggage.
Their recommendations for Americans wanting to add British touches to their holidays include:
- Christmas crackers – Now widely available in the US
- Mince pies – Either homemade or purchased (Walker’s makes readily available ones)
- British Christmas specials – Accessible through streaming services like BritBox
- Traditional British Christmas dinner – Featuring Yorkshire puddings and a proper roast
- Mulled wine – Perfect for cold evenings
- British Christmas music – Including traditional carols and “Walking in the Air”
London at Christmas
The couple also rhapsodized about London during the festive season. Oxford Street’s lights, Covent Garden’s decorations, Christmas markets throughout the city, ice skating at Somerset House, and Hyde Park’s Winter Wonderland all contribute to a magical atmosphere. Best of all, many of these experiences are free, making a Christmas visit to London accessible to many travelers.
The True Spirit of British Christmas
What strikes the Thomases most about British Christmas isn’t any single tradition or food, but rather the overall approach to the season. The extended time off allows for genuine relaxation and connection. The slightly different traditions – from the more natural Christmas trees to the Boxing Day gatherings – provide fresh perspectives on familiar celebrations.
“When we’re there, we get to focus on experiencing Britishness, which is what we love so much about going there,” Jonathan reflects. Whether it’s tucking into a pub on a cold, rainy afternoon with a fire crackling and a Labrador sleeping on the stone floor, or standing in a centuries-old cottage listening to church bells ring across the countryside, British Christmas offers something their American celebrations can’t quite replicate.
As Jackie notes, many of the traditions they discovered during that 2013 trip have become staples in their household. They’ve even begun hosting British-American fusion Christmas dinners for their extended family, complete with Brussels sprouts, red cabbage, Yorkshire puddings, and mulled wine – and the family loves it.
The magic of British Christmas lies not in any single element but in the combination of time, tradition, and the British understanding that the holiday season should be savored, not rushed. It’s a lesson the Thomases have taken to heart, and one they’re eager to experience again. As they conclude their Christmas special podcast with wishes of “Happy Christmas” (the traditional British greeting), it’s clear that their love affair with British Christmas is far from over.
For Americans looking to slow down and savor the season, perhaps the British have the right idea: extend the celebration, embrace different traditions, and remember that the most important gifts are time spent with loved ones and the magic found in new experiences – even if they’re centuries-old traditions from across the pond.
