English Christmas traditions date back hundreds of years. Many of these customs have been adopted by lots of other countries around the world.

The first ever Christmas card was posted in England in the 1840s, and today, in the build-up to Christmas, we send over a billion Christmas cards every year.

Christmas decorations have an even earlier origin: the use of holly, ivy and mistletoe as decorations in our houses, dates back more the a thousand years. And the Christmas tree was introduced into England by Prince Albert, husband of Queen Victoria, 1840.

In the run up to Christmas, groups of children, accompanied by adults, like to walk the streets singing carols, whilst collecting money for charities. Also, in most primary schools in England, at the end of term, the children act out in front of their parents, relatives and friends, the Nativity: Mary and Joseph's journey to Bethlehem and the Baby Jesus' birth in the manger

Christmas Eve, just before the children go to bed, they hang up a stocking for Father Christmas to fill with presents. In the morning, when all the family is up, they open the presents Santa left for them.

After breakfast many families go to a Christmas service at their local Church. After Church, it's back home for the traditional English Christmas dinner of roast turkey, with stuffing and roast potatoes, followed by Christmas pudding and the pulling of crackers.  In the afternoon, everyone gathers round the Christmas tree, to open up the presents left there by the family for each other.

The day after Christmas is known in England as Boxing Day, which takes its name from the early custom of giving the servants and trades people a gift of money or food inside a box.