With the semester winding down and the holiday season in full swing, we thought we’d bring you one more cross-ocean interview with our amazing UK Sister Chapter, HC Nottingham! We asked them some questions about Christmas and New Year’s Eve in the UK. Read on to learn how they celebrate the holiday season across the pond!
1. Do you say Merry Christmas or Happy Christmas?
Controversial! It depends – I think I’d normally say Merry Christmas, but it’s nice to have a change with Happy sometimes!
2. Have you seen the movie “Love Actually” and do you like it?
I actually haven’t, but the song by Girls Aloud “Jump” which appeared in the film was HUGE when it was released! One of our team members says, “The Classic British rom com; I watch it all year round, it’s just the best!”
3. What are your go-to Christmas decorations?
Sam: I love decorating the Christmas tree and in my family we don’t have a colour theme – we just throw it all on! We have loads of tacky decorations that we made when we were kids, which my Mum kept. My favourite decoration is probably our ‘Santa Stop Here’ sign with reindeer that we put in the front garden.
Sheetal: Tinsel is amazing and you can literally just put it anywhere. I usually try and wear it somehow – I get so excited by tinsel crowns, necklaces, scarves… you name it!
4. Do you make Christmas cookies? If so, what are your favorites?
Sam: I love Christmas baking. We make lots of mince pies, pinwheels (puff pastry with mincemeat and icing inside) and fun Christmas biscuits too. I made a Gingerbread House last year, which worked out pretty well!
Sheetal: A traditional Christmas cake/pudding is the best thing ever. The further you make it in advance, the tastier it is. We put a tonne of alcohol in it and eat it warm with cream – yum!
5. What is your favorite Christmas carol?
I don’t know if it counts as a carol, but I love the song “Blue Christmas” by Elvis and Martina McBride!
6. What is your favorite Christmas Movie?
I LOVE LOVE LOVE the Polar Express! But it’s a bit of a British tradition to watch Elf when it is first shown on TV – that is when you know Christmas has started.
7. Do you leave cookies out for Santa?
Always, and carrots for Rudolph!
8. Do you have a channel that plays Christmas movies all month?
Christmas films are on all the time on the main channels – you can’t escape it!
9. BC students love a good, Christmas-themed party (like “Classy Christmas” or “Ugly Sweater”). Do Nottingham students throw Christmas-themed parties?
Lots of societies on campus have a Christmas social for their members – normally it’ll just be a night out and people will dress up festive! Lots of Freshers go to something called the Snowflake Ball, which is amazing. I went last year and it was a huge marquee with a lake inside and stars on the ceiling (all fake of course, but it looked great), two bars, a dance floor, dodgems and other fairground rides and a big seating area where we were served a three course meal. It’s a good excuse to dress up posh and behave like grown-ups!
10. Do you open presents on 24th or 25th?
25th, but we do Christmas cards on Christmas Eve night.
11. Any favorite Christmas memories?
My favourite memories are of all the little traditions we have. For example, we don’t open our presents until after we’ve eaten Christmas lunch, done the washing-up and sat and watched the Queen’s Christmas speech on TV at 3 p.m! I remember as a kid I’d get so impatient to open the presents, but now it’s nice to drag the day out a bit and enjoy spending time with the family instead.
12. Best gift you ever received and/or gave?
Last year I made my Grandma a ‘memory jar,’ which she loved. I asked all the family to tell me memories they had of her and my Grandad, and I typed them out, rolled them up in little scrolls with a bow around them and put them in a big jar with lots of old fashioned sweets. You’re supposed to take one out a day for a whole year. It took absolutely ages but it was worth it!
13. What do Nottingham students do for New Year’s Eve?
Most of us are at home for NYE so we’ll do our own thing. This year Sam’s coming to Nottingham with a few of her housemates to go to a big club night called Dollop, which should be fun!
14. Do people make goals and resolutions for the New Year? If so, what are the most popular ones?
Yes, but it’s very difficult to stick to them! Normally it’s things like eating more healthy, doing more exercise, not missing class, kicking a bad habit like smoking.
15. Are there any traditions associated with New Year’s Eve in England?
Sam: There’s the countdown on TV which is always fun to watch – a couple of years ago I went to see it in London by the London Eye which was amazing – a great atmosphere and everyone was dancing on London Bridge after the firework display. But it was so, so busy!
Sheetal: New Year’s Eve for a student means go out and get crazy! There are parties literally EVERYWHERE, you’ll always find something cool to do.
Merry (or Happy) Christmas HC Nottingham!! And thanks for taking the time to answer our questions!