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According to one of the New Year's traditions of Great Britain, New Year let in through the open front door, A Old year let out through the back door

England has long been considered a country of established traditions, many of which then migrate to the habits of other peoples. The same can be said about the New Year traditions of Great Britain. True, for modern residents of Foggy Albion, it is not so much the details of New Year's celebrations that are valuable, but large-scale New Year's sales. Discounts on goods reach up to 95%, so it's easy to imagine what's going on in stores at this time.

New Year's Eve celebration in London

In the capital, the central place for New Year's entertainment is the famous Trafalgar Square. Back in 1841, Queen Victoria ordered the installation of the main Christmas tree of the kingdom here. Thousands of people gather here around a huge Christmas tree to celebrate the New Year.

For several decades, this tree has been delivered from Norway as a thank you to the people of Great Britain from Norway for their help in freeing themselves from German troops in World War II.

Video about New Year traditions in England

Every year, the largest of the New Year's processions in the world, the London New Year's Parade, passes through this square. More than 10,000 people traditionally take part in this procession. Among the participants there are many dancers, musicians, acrobats and clowns.

There is also an alternative Chinese New Year parade, also featuring dancers and musicians, held in Chinatown where spectacular fireworks are set off to delight the local public.

The sound of the famous Big Ben on the Elizabeth Tower announces the arrival of the New Year in London. At the same time, he begins to beat quietly and a little before midnight, since he is covered with a blanket that hides the sound. Exactly at midnight, the cover is thrown off, and a powerful ringing is carried around the neighborhood, announcing the New Year to Londoners.

As you know, in the West, Santa Claus is called Santa Claus. In London's many theaters for children on New Year's Eve, performances based on the plots of old English fairy tales are arranged. Lord Chaos leads the noisy carnival procession, followed by the March Hare, Hobby Horse, Punch, Humpty Dumpty and other famous characters.

Throughout New Year's Eve, you can buy various tweeters, whistles, Balloons and masks. England gave the world the tradition of exchanging greeting cards for the New Year. First in London New Year card was issued in 1843.

Features of the British New Year

• In England there is still a very old tradition, according to which the New Year needs to be “let in” into the house. After all, this holiday is considered a milestone, when the old life gives way to a new one. To this end, the British open all the entrances to the house at the moment when the clock strikes midnight: the New Year should enter through the front doors, and the old one should leave through the back door.
• Old New Year's traditions in England require lovers who do not want to part in the coming year to kiss under a branch of mistletoe - the magic tree of the English. Mistletoe, along with the Christmas tree, is a New Year's decoration for houses, bouquets and wreaths from it can be seen on windows, chandeliers and tables. There is a belief that kissing a person standing under the mistletoe brings happiness. The tradition of making New Year's wreaths has come down to us - today in many Russian homes you can see this festive attribute.
• The morning after New Year's Eve, adult Englishmen can set themselves important plans for the next year, which they usually try to stick to. Often these are some promises to oneself, which one really wants to achieve without fail this year, and sometimes these are more global plans for life.
• A very curious sign and tradition among the British is associated with the meeting of the first guest. If, after the clock strikes, a young man, a brunette, is the first to come into the house, then the coming year should certainly turn out to be successful. But the guest should not come empty-handed either - bring coal, bread and a pinch of salt (symbols of warmth, food and prosperity). The first guest should silently go to the fireplace and throw a coal into it, after which all those present begin to regale the guest and congratulate each other.
• The British are superstitious people, but they will differ radically from our Russian New Year's signs. So, the weather of the first day of the new year allows them to make a forecast for the future harvest. If the day turns out to be rainy, then the harvest is likely to be poor. The British are trying to find information about the views of the harvest even by the outlines of the clouds.

Christmas decoration at home in English

The fantasy with which the British decorate their houses, streets, offices and shops for Christmas is amazing. The owner, who especially successfully decorated his house, is proud of this for a long time, because there is always a competition between neighbors - who will “dress up” his house better and more interestingly.

New Year welcomes all colors, but the main colors are green and red. The branches of evergreens and the Christmas tree itself are decorated with red bells, lanterns and ribbons - these are classic Christmas attributes.

The Christmas tree is decorated not only colorful balls and toys, but also specially prepared sweets. The top of the festive tree is crowned with a large five-pointed star, preferably silver. Sometimes, instead of a star, a Christmas fairy is hoisted at the top of a tree.

Expensive New Year's gifts in England are considered mauvais ton; it is not customary to give expensive gifts at this time. Jewelry or luxury souvenirs. Traditionally, inexpensive trinkets are given: beer mugs, key rings, souvenir dolls, scented candles, etc. In the family circle, according to tradition, New Year's surprises are distributed by lot.

Santa Claus in the UK

The English Santa Claus, unlike ours, dressed in a toe-length sheepskin coat, wears a short bright red and white jacket (what are the frosts in England?), a red cap and the same pants. The jacket is girded with a belt with a large buckle. He also carries a large bag of gifts over his shoulders and distributes them to the English children.

Near the Christmas tree trafalgar square Santa Claus always sits, to whom the kids sit down with pleasure on their knees. While they are being photographed, they manage to whisper to their grandfather their wishes for a New Year's gift. Instead of Santa Claus' daring trio, Santa Claus has only a donkey, so the children prepare treats for him, folded into wooden shoes. And before going to bed, they do not forget to put a plate on the table, where Santa Claus will put a gift at night.

It is clear that parents strive to support the child's faith in a wonderful old man, who, according to legend, once became St. Nicholas. During his lifetime, he was a bishop in the city of Mira in the 4th century. According to legend, he secretly distributed money to the poor. Once he climbed onto the roof of one of the houses and threw a wallet with money through the chimney. Moshna fell into a sock, which the little girl hung up to dry by the fire. Since then, a legend has been created, in which children still believe, that Santa descending through the chimney leaves his gifts in a sock or under the tree. Children write naive letters to Santa Claus, in which they tell him what they would like to receive for the New Year. But such letters do not get into mailboxes, but are burned in fireplaces, since Santa can read them from the smoke coming out of the chimney.

English New Year's table

Typical British holiday dishes are:

• turkey with fried potatoes and chestnuts with sauce;
• roast goose;
• meat pies;
• stewed Brussels sprouts;
• round oatmeal cakes;
• kebben cheese;
• steaks.

Then there are the desserts:

• pudding;
• Apple pie;
• fruits and sweets.

The English favorite New Year's drink is punch.

Scottish New Year Traditions

But England is only part of the kingdom. In no less old Scotland, residents love the New Year more than in England, considering it the main winter holiday. The Scots are therefore even more thoroughly preparing for the New Year.

Video about Scottish New Year traditions

Preparation begins with a general cleaning: all unnecessary things are thrown out of the house, taking them with them from the home negative emotions. But all things must be completed before the New Year. Further, much resembles the celebration of the British. The owner of the house opens the front door at midnight, seeing off the old year and welcoming the new one. The first guest who appears in the house in the new year can determine financial success families.

As elsewhere, the Scots try to diversify festive table special meals and snacks. Traditionally, the main decoration New Year's table haggis is the emblem of Scottish cooking (a dish of lamb giblets). There is another New Year's dish with long traditions - this is an unusual dessert, which is a sand cake filled with almonds and other nuts, and decorated with sugar national symbols and marzipan figurines.

Did you celebrate New Year in England? Or is it still your dream? Tell about it in

The British usually celebrate the New Year visiting friends, on the streets, in restaurants and pubs. The youth have fun holiday parties, which start at 8 pm and continue until the morning. In Trafalgar Square, a festive crowd roams all night. Street vendors briskly offer New Year's toys, whistles, carnival masks and balloons to the merry Londoners.

New Year's festivities

For children, performances based on the plots of classical English fairy tales. There are merry carnival processions led by the chief jester named Lord Chaos. Among their participants are Hobby Horse (a young guy in a horse costume), the March Hare from Alice in Wonderland, Humpty Dumpty, Punch and others fairy tale characters.

On Trafalgar Square, on Christmas Eve, they install Christmas tree, which, on this occasion, is brought from Norway. The famous London New Year's parade is also held there - one of the most massive New Year's processions in Europe. Usually more than 10,000 people take part in it, including dancers, musicians, acrobats and clowns.

At midnight, the blankets are removed from the bells of Big Ben, in which the clock is wrapped for the winter, and their sound heralds the coming of the New Year. At this time, young lovers try to kiss under the mistletoe branch in order to stay together for the next year.

New Year with family

Christmas trees have been standing in the houses since the celebration of Christmas, sprigs of holly, ivy and mistletoe hang over the doors. The main gifts are given here at Christmas, but on New Year's Eve it is customary to exchange cards and small souvenirs. It is believed that in new year's eve Like at Christmas, Santa Claus comes to the children. Before going to bed, they leave him a treat in specially prepared wooden shoes, and put a plate for gifts on the table.

The New Year's table is served with traditional festive dishes: turkey with chestnuts and fried potatoes, meat pies, stewed Brussels sprouts, oatmeal, roast goose and steaks. Followed by favorite English desserts, incl. pudding, apple pie, fruits and sweets. Punch is considered a traditional New Year's drink.

The most famous of the British New Year's traditions is the welcome of the first guest. It is believed that the year will be successful if, after midnight, a dark-haired young man comes first to the house. At the same time, he should bring bread, coal and a pinch of salt as a gift to the owners - symbols of food, warmth and prosperity. The guest immediately throws a piece of coal into the fireplace. After that, all households congratulate each other and treat the guest.

Fireworks over the Thames, rivers of champagne in Trafalgar Square, New Year's Carnival - all these are integral parts of the grandiose celebration of the New Year in the UK.

The concept of the New Year in the UK is inextricably linked with a string of traditions and beliefs that the British strictly adhere to. So, on New Year's Eve, it is customary to give a piece of fragrant bread as a symbol of abundance, a piece of coal as a symbol of warmth, a pinch of salt as a symbol of prosperity.

Illumination and decoration competitions are considered typical for London on New Year's Eve. They are held among the owners of shops, hotel and business complexes, ordinary residents. So every street turns into a museum under open sky where you can walk for as long as you like in the company of friends and relatives.

Weather in the UK for Christmas and New Year's weekends

Great Britain has a humid maritime climate, which is determined primarily by the proximity of the warm Gulf Stream. That is why even in the dead of winter the temperature on the island does not fall below zero.

During the Christmas and New Year weekends, it usually stays at +6…+7 degrees Celsius.

A slightly overcast, shaggy sky with snowy clouds creates a special holiday mood. From time to time they sprinkle the streets with light, fluffy, "sugar" snow.

New Year's program in the UK from "A" to "Z". What to do, what to see, where to go?

New Year's Eve in London promises to be truly unforgettable. Each traveler's to do list includes:

Fireworks over the Thames. It starts with the final deafening blow of Big Ben and lasts 40 minutes. The charges are mounted on capacious barges, as well as on the supports of the London Eye, which makes the action truly bewitching.

Tourist note: best places for observation - the embankments of South Bank and Victoria. Please note that access to the bridges in central London closes around 8 o'clock to avoid crowding, so the observation point should be taken care of in advance;

Ice rink near the Museum natural history, which is open all New Year's Eve.

Reminder to the tourist: after skiing, be sure to try the local flavored coffee and mulled wine;

Historical banquet. New Year in London can be celebrated in one of the colorful bars, pubs, restaurants that occupy the central part of the city.

Each of them for the weekend offers special program. With luck, there is a chance to get to a medieval feast, where everything, from the menu to the design, is reminiscent of the glorious royal era;

Evening cruise on the Thames. If you do not want to pre-occupy seats on the embankments, but want to enjoy all the splendor of the festive fireworks and at the same time get excellent service, choose cruises on the Thames. In the program of the evening: musical numbers, cocktail shows and much more.

Reminder to the tourist: places on the ship must be booked in advance. For such holidays there is a dress code (neat festive clothes). It is also not allowed to stay on the ship with kids - an evening cruise on the Thames will be a vivid romantic memory;

Celebrations on Trafalgar Square, which traditionally take place with mid-nineteenth century. Here the main Christmas tree of the country comes from Norway. Take part in festive round dances, try local sweets from merchants' shops and soak up the incredible atmosphere of a noisy New Year's celebration;

Club parties, including theme parties. A banquet, dancing until the morning is an excellent solution for seeing off the old year. Entrance to the famous club London - Ministry of Sound - will cost 80 pounds.

Coming to the UK for New Year's celebrations, you get a chance to see everything at once: torchlight processions, carnivals in Scotland for the pagan festival of Hogmanay with spiced wine and sumptuous pies, bell competitions in Wales and much more.

Great Britain, like no other country, is suitable for a family New Year's holiday with children. The restaurants offer a special menu for the little ones, in the capital and major cities operate entertainment centers for babies different ages. And there are no number of shops with toys, souvenirs, sweet gifts.

A must visit when traveling to the UK London Zoo, children's theaters. Their performances in holidays are held on the streets, anyone can take part in them.

Villas, apartments, cottages for the New Year in the UK

Renting houses, villas, cottages in the UK remains one of the most expensive in the European space. But this is not a reason to deny yourself the pleasure of plunging into a winter fairy tale.

Top deals for travelers:

Houses and apartments in Greater London for 2-4 people - from 620 to 1550 euros for renting an object for 7 days;
in the South, South-West, South-East - an average of 470-780 euros for a similar weekly rental.

Villas and cottages in Wales and around Edinburgh will cost an order of magnitude cheaper - from 310 euros for two people. The range of offers also includes luxury real estate - for example, studio apartments in London Kensington from 3200 euros.

NOTE! The amount indicated in the price lists may increase by the amount of additional or mandatory costs provided by the owners of the apartments. IN total amount includes the cost of using Wi-Fi, parking spaces, special equipment, facilities for the disabled, small children, etc.

What you need to do during the New Year holidays in the UK to fully feel the mood of the holiday?

To fully feel the spirit of the English New Year and leave home with a bunch of unusual experiences, experts advise trying everything that the European capital and its charming suburbs offer:

• taste fragrant potatoes with green sauce, turkey with chestnuts, sweet pies and other treats that are traditionally put on the New Year's table;
• make a postcard in a small London workshop, which is considered the main New Year's gift in the UK. The tradition of giving it as a gift dates back to 1843, when the Englishman Henry Cole first sent a colorful souvenir to his friends;
• join the festive procession at Trafalgar and Piccadilly and clink glasses with at least a dozen people. According to experts, in festivities more than 10,000 people take part in these areas. You can enjoy the magnificent spectacle absolutely free of charge;
• visit at least one of the famous English pubs. IN new year holidays any feast in such establishments is accompanied by explosions of firecrackers. Before tasting the local ale - foamy beer - be sure to shower your neighbor with colorful confetti. This will be the best holiday wish for happiness and prosperity.

Want to see what a real European New Year looks like? Do you dream of finding out where the line runs, separating millennial traditions and modern holiday programs? Go to the UK - a place where joy reigns!