今日は12月25日、クリスマスです。1つお伝えしておきますと、もちろん今日仕事をしているわけではありません！ブログの投稿日を指定できる現代のテクノロジーに感謝です:)
イギリスではクリスマスは家族と過ごすとても大切な行事です。昔、休みを利用してイギリスに帰国し、クリスマス当日を家族と過ごしていたら、なんとそこに日本の上司から家の電話に連絡が…こんな日に仕事の電話とは！と私の両親はショックを受けていました。
もちろん日本では通常の営業日でしたし、文化の違いですよね。
ということで今日は、イギリス人のクリスマスの過ごし方についてお話したいと思います。
是非ご覧下さい。
I just want to make it VERY clear that I’m not working today 🙂
December 25 – Christmas Day – is an important day in my family. One year when I was back in the UK with my parents for Christmas Day, my Japanese boss phoned about work (this was on the landline in the days before I had a smartphone).
My parents were so shocked.
But of course, it was just another normal working day in Japan 🙂
It’s a cultural difference.
When I conducted a Sasuga! Tips For You readers’ survey earlier this year, some asked for more cultural insights, so I’m going to tell you a bit about our Christmas tradition.
Christmas Eve
On December 24 – Christmas Eve – the tradition in our home is to put a mince pie, carrot, and glass of whisky under the Christmas tree. Mince pies are sweet, filled with dry fruit, and traditionally eaten at Christmas.
The mince pie and whisky are for Father Christmas (that’s what we call Santa in the UK). The carrot is for Rudolf, his reindeer (I feel sorry for the other reindeer because they don’t get anything – lol!).
Christmas Day
On Christmas Day morning, presents for all the family have magically appeared under the Christmas tree! And even more magical is that there are just a few pastry crumbs, a chewed carrot end, and a few drops of whisky left.
“He’s been!” we all declare.
It’s so much fun.
Then we open the presents. We spend some time feeling each present and guessing what it might be. Some presents are the same every year – Rummy chocolate, stew mix, cling film, and breadcrumbs (Father Christmas always gets these from Japan for my parents because you can’t get them – or at least not the same quality – in the UK).
After we’ve opened all the presents, it’s time to eat.
Now here’s a little quiz. What do you think we call the midday meal on Christmas Day?
Christmas Breakfast?
Christmas Lunch?
Christmas Dinner?
What’s your answer?
In the North of England, where I’m from, the midday meal is dinner. This can be rather confusing for people who think that dinner is eaten in the evening 🙂
For Christmas Dinner, we start with homemade mushroom soup.
The main course is turkey (I always have to measure it to be sure it will fit in my tiny Japanese oven), roast parsnips, roast potatoes, Brussel sprouts, bacon rolls, sausages, stuffing, and gravy.
For dessert, it’s Christmas pudding! This is a steamed sponge pudding with lots of dried fruit and nuts. It’s traditional to pour brandy over it and set it on fire. Yum!
What does your Christmas Day look like???