Cultural Christmas Lesson

Okay, so I know I just wrote a journal, but I had to write one more today just to inform all of my fellow Americans about a traditional UK Christmas practice... if you already know about it, well done there!

So, if you've seen Billy Eliot, Bridget Jones... any number of Brit films with a scene at Christmastime, you are familliar with the little colored paper crowns that are worn. These hats are part of a tradition, an IMPERATIVE tradition, known as the Christmas Cracker.

I will attach some photos from the WONDERFUL Christmas party that Tim and Philippa, owners of the Little Apple Bookshop, had for Shannon, Matthew and me... but here is the basic idea. There is a tube-esque wrapping-paper type thing, and inside of it is a paper crown, a toy or prize and a joke. You and another person each pull at an end (wish-bone style), and when the cracker pulls apart there is a bang, a la the party-popper at New Year's. Philippa says that no matter how little you spend on your crackers, or how posh they are, they should always have a joke, a hat, a prize, and a bang! Sam, Tim and Philippa's little boy, was lucky enough to get all of our prizes... he deserved them, he is so cute and smart. I had really missed having a family atmosphere, and being invited over to their house for dinner, getting to see Sam run around and play and be silly... it was really special.

Anyway, I apologize if everyone was already SO in the know about this tradition. I just didn't want you to meet the SHOCKED face of a British person one day when you asked, as I and few of my housemates have, 'What's a Christmas Cracker?' What else don't we have, they would ask... do we have Santa Claus? Do we have a tree? He he. Take care and Happy Holidays!

Love,
Ryan

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