CHRISTMAS in the United Kingdom is surely a spectacular one. That is what I can personally assure you. Although the United Kingdom is predominantly Anglican and therefore Catholics are a minority here, there are various ways to celebrate the birth of Christ here. Catholics usually celebrate Christmas four weeks before December 25 in a ceremony called Advent and they cap this with nine days of vigil in the wee hours of the morning prior to Christmas Eve with a festive dinner right at 12 midnight on the same date. That is true in the United Kingdom too at least although merrymaking and food tripping are done on the midday of December 25.

Like I’ve said earlier, their Christmas celebration here is something distinctive. But they do also have fruit cake, and other sweet pastries served during that time.

There are children’s parties all around with honking of toy horns, decorations in the home, adornments of Christmas lights and a dinner complete with a huge turkey just like they do during Thanksgiving in the United States. There are even caroling activities around the neighborhood so it would be helpful to have friends right there in the United Kingdom and spend some time at their home for about two weeks.

It’s nice to spend Christmas in a foreign country such as the United Kingdom in a hotel but unless there is someone around with you who can cheer you up, it’s still better to immerse yourself with a local family so the celebration would be multiplied. The birth anniversary of the Messiah should be ushered in with glee, not loneliness. So here you are, if you have a friend here in all the four nations surrounding the United Kingdom during Christmas Eve, then make it an experience worth cherishing. London and the rest of England is only one nation comprising the United Kingdom. The three other nations are Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Of the four, only Northern Ireland is not located in the isle of Great Britain.

But if you don’t have any friends or relatives here in the United Kingdom and you would like to spend your second honeymoon with your spouse and with your children, then book a hotel here in London. Hotels here offer considerable discounts during the Christmas season and it’s advisable to book early so travel agencies like Travelocity and Expedia can arrange for humongous discounts for you. During Christmas Eve, stroll around the banks of the River Thames right in front of the London Eye and watch the spectacular fireworks. Then go to Big Ben a week later to participate in the New Year countdown.

If you want to go to malls here, Christmas music and great Christmas deals will greet you. It’s nice to shop around for gadgets here like game consoles or iPhones and bring them back home in the United States because it’s cheaper in here. So what are you waiting for? Go run down that travel agency website and book for the flight right now because flight seats going to Heathrow this Christmas will soon become a rarity already.