The famous Christmas lights in London’s Regent Street
At Christmas time and as the long nights draw in, London is lit up with a festive glow.
Throughout this cold, dark winter, photographer Jason Hawkes has snapped the capital from above.
Tower Bridge celebrates its 128th Christmas on the Thames…
…while the London Eye enjoys a purple patch
“I’ve always loved London at Christmas,” says the 54-year-old, who has spent the last few weeks photographing the cityscape from a helicopter.
“There looks set to be more and more festive activities including Christmas markets, fairgrounds and the fantastic ice rinks outside at Somerset House and the huge new ‘Glide’ at Battersea Power Station.
Battersea Power Station’s ice rink is one of London’s newest attractions
You can’t miss the Winter Wonderland…
… nor the Somerset House skaters
Mr Hawkes says he enjoys London’s changing seasons and the challenges posed by fog and nighttime. He said it was noticeable how much busier the streets are this year.
It is the first Christmas free of restrictions after Covid disrupted many Londoners’ plans over the past two years.
The top 20 floors of the Shard are illuminated by light sequences every day between 17:30 GMT and midnight
“I didn’t realize how quickly you can forget,” he adds. “I just looked back at flights in December 2020.
“The evening and nighttime images look quite similar, but the daytime images are almost completely devoid of any life at all.”
Seven Dials turn up the festive cheer…
…Christmas comes around this time every year
All photographs courtesy of Jason Hawkes.
Follow BBC London on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to hellobbclondon@bbc.co.uk
Why do Poles eat 12 courses during Christmas Eve dinner? According to tradition, 12 traditional dishes will be served during Polish Christmas Eve. This number is a symbol of wealth, the 12 apostles and a representation of the 12 months of the year. But previously the dinner consisted of an odd number of dishes.
What does Santa like to eat on Christmas Eve?
There are slight variations in each family, but Santa is usually given a glass of milk, beer or whiskey and then crackers to munch on.
What does Santa have to eat and drink on Christmas Eve? Leaving out a plate of cookies and a glass of milk for Santa on Christmas Eve is a well-established tradition among children.
What food do you leave out for Santa on Christmas Eve?
The most common choices were either a glass of brandy, whisky, sherry or milk for Santa. Together with mincemeat, gingerbread, candy or cookies. Most children leave a carrot for the reindeer. What is this?
What does Santa eat on Christmas Eve?
An exact date is not clear, but it is believed that in the 1930s, children began leaving cookies for Santa on Christmas Eve.
What snack is typically left out for Santa?
In the United States, many children leave a glass of milk and a plate of cookies for Santa. Some families deviate from the norm by leaving Santa and his reindeer carrots, pizza or even celery.
How much does Santa eat on Christmas Eve?
A well-fed belly is part of Santa’s iconic look. But you can imagine he’s gaining weight after eating so many cookies on Christmas Eve and drinking so many glasses of milk! If Santa eats 71.2 billion calories on Christmas Eve, he would gain about 20.4 million pounds.
How many calories does Santa eat in one night?
But Santa, on the other hand, would consume a whopping 123.5 BILLION calories and 6.65 BILLION grams of fat. There are 3,500 calories in one pound, so in one night he would gain over 35 million pounds, purely from caloric intake.
How many cookies does Santa eat on Christmas night?
Santa Claus eats 1 cake per household. There is an average of 1.93 children per household in the United States. Dividing the number of total children (48.2 million) by 1.93 estimates that Santa visits nearly 25 million households. If Santa decides to eat a cookie in every house, he will eat approximately 25 million cookies in one night.
What is Santa Claus’s Favourite food?
Santa Claus is a big fan of white milk and cookies. A few children prefer to give him some flavored milk, especially chocolate milk, for a delicious surprise. Many children have a simple ritual of leaving a large glass of chilled milk and cookies for their beloved Santa before Christmas.
What is Santa Claus’s favorite color?
Favorite colour: Most often you see Santa wearing his famous red and white suit and hat. But when he’s not dressed in this familiar outfit, Santa dons his other favorite color: green!
What snack is usually left out for Santa?
The Christmas dinner that is usually left for Santa consists of milk and cookies, but sometimes he is given carrots as a healthy alternative.
What is Christmas Eve dinner called?
Christmas Eve food, known as wigilia, is one of the most long-standing and much-appreciated of Polish rituals. In the vast majority of homes, both among believers and non-believers, a formal meal is celebrated and served on the table covered with a white tablecloth.
What do you eat on Christmas Eve? 70 Best Christmas Eve Dinner Ideas for a Special Night with…
- of 70. Roast beef. …
- at 70. Christmas jam tray. …
- of 70. Chicken Saltimbocca. …
- of 70. Double-baked sweet potatoes. …
- of 70. Christmas Deviled Eggs. …
- of 70. Spaghetti and meatballs. …
- at 70. Peppermint Chocolate Cake. …
- of 70. Garlic green beans.
What is Christmas Eve dinner called in French?
In France, the most important Christmas meal is enjoyed on Christmas Eve (24 December) – not Christmas Day. It is actually called âLe Réveillonâ which translates to the idea of staying up all night for the arrival of âPère Noëlâ (Santa Claus).
What do the French do on Christmas Eve?
Midnight Mass The traditional Christmas service is held on Christmas Eve in France. It is known as the Midnight Mass, and it usually begins at midnight or a few hours before. People gather in cathedrals and churches across the country to pray and sing carols (known as Chants de Noël).
What is Le Réveillon?
Le Réveillon is a traditional late-night party or party held when families return from la Messe de Minuit (Midnight Mass) on Christmas Eve. While the food tradition varies from region to region, the meal is full of sumptuous delicacies, including oysters, foie gras, escargot and roast fowl.
What is the Ukrainian Christmas Eve dinner called?
Box. The rich dinner, as well as the Christmas feast the next day, begins with the kutia. It is one of the main dishes, prepared from wheat, barley or rice and seasoned with grated poppy seeds, nuts, honey and nectar. It has a sacred meaning for the local people.
What is the dinner on Christmas Eve called?
Twelve-course dinner for Christmas Eve.
How do Ukrainians celebrate on Christmas Eve?
Christmas Eve (Holy Eve) is marked by traditional family gatherings in the evening in Ukraine – the so-called Sviata Vecheria (‘Holy Dinner’). The festivities start with the appearance of the first star, although all preparations traditionally start at dawn.
Do people celebrate Christmas Eve?
Celebrate Christmas Eve Since Christmas Eve is not usually an official federal holiday, most people have to work. However, there is a partial day off or a full day off in some states. Many workplaces hold Christmas parties or celebrations, so there is a festive atmosphere on the day.
What do people usually do on Christmas Eve? Most churches offer special programs on Christmas Eve (live performances, caroling, birthday contests and more), making it the perfect place to spend the evening. Some even offer late night services so your family can ring in the special day together at midnight.
Who celebrates Christmas on the eve?
This practice has been observed in the Czech Republic, Poland, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Norway, Denmark, Iceland, Sweden, Argentina, Colombia and Brazil, to name a few. It’s known as Heiligabend Bescherung in Germany, and it’s also why the royal family exchanges gifts on Christmas Eve.
What religion celebrates Christmas on Christmas Eve?
Roman Catholics and High Church Anglicans traditionally celebrate Midnight Mass, which begins either at or sometime before midnight on Christmas Eve. This ceremony, held in churches around the world, celebrates the birth of Christ, which is believed to have occurred at night.
Who celebrates Christmas on 24th?
Several European and Latin American countries exchange gifts and begin celebrations on December 24. This practice has been observed in the Czech Republic, Poland, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Norway, Denmark, Iceland, Sweden, Argentina, Colombia and Brazil, to name a few.
Do you celebrate Christmas on Christmas Eve?
For Western Christian churches, Christmas Day always falls on December 25, although some cultures observe the main celebration the night before, Christmas Eve.
Do people celebrate Christmas on Christmas Eve?
Roman Catholics, Lutherans and some Anglicans traditionally celebrate Midnight Mass, which begins either at or sometime before midnight on Christmas Eve. This ceremony, held in churches around the world, celebrates the birth of Christ, which is believed to have occurred at night.
Do you celebrate Christmas on 24 or 25?
Should Christmas be celebrated on December 24 or December 25? Christmas Day is always celebrated on December 25 in Western Christian denominations; however, some cultures hold the primary celebration the night before, on December Eve.
Does everyone celebrate Christmas Eve?
Everyone has their own Christmas Eve traditions, whether it’s making cookies to leave out for Santa or having a feast that lasts until the earliest days of Christmas. Read on to see how different Christmas Eve traditions are and take inspiration from countries around the world.
Why do people celebrate Christmas Eve and not Christmas Day?
We celebrate Christmas Eve because Jesus is traditionally believed to have been born at midnight, and we celebrate New Year’s Eve because midnight is when the year changes.
Do you celebrate Christmas on the 24th or 25th?
Christmas, the holiday commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, is celebrated by a majority of Christians on December 25 in the Gregorian calendar.
Comments are closed.