Christmas crackers, mince pies and the Queen's Speech – here's how to do Chrimbo like the Brits
A wintery holiday in the UK may be off the cards, but that doesn't mean you can't give your yuletide affair in tropical Singapore a British spin. From stuffing yourself with pigs in a blanket (we won't judge) and sharing a festive dad joke from a Christmas cracker to re-watching Love, Actually and staying glued to the Queen's Christmas message, here's our guide on how to have a full-fat British Chrimbo in Singapore. We'll even skip the pantomime this year, how about that?
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In the UK, wintertime calls for an ice skating sesh under the stars – or watching people attempt figure eights while you sip on your expensive hot chocolate. While there aren't any outdoor ice rinks in Singapore, you can still pirouette like Michelle Kwan or slip around like Bambi at its indoor rinks including The Rink and Kallang Ice World. Skaters gon' skate, anyway.
Whether you opt for the snail mail or the e-card, spreading the festive cheer through a Christmas card has become customary in the season of giving. Plus, we could all use a little extra joy this year. The first Christmas card was sent in 1843 by Sir Henry Cole, a British civil servant and inventor. Since then, Christmas cards have been exchanged during the weeks leading up to the big day. If you're planning to post one to your nearest and dearest, be sure to start early so that it'll reach them in time. Oh, and don't forget to sign off with your very best wishes – Happy Christmas and all.
Traditionally, British children hang their stockings at the end of their bed – instead of doing so above the fireplace which is seen as Americanism – with the hopes of having them stuffed with presents by Christmas morn. It's unlikely you have a fireplace in your Singapore home, anyway, so the bed will do. Together with the help of their parents, the wee ones also tend to leave Father Christmas ('Santa' is the American moniker) brandy and mince pies, instead of milk and cookies. After all, he is a grown man and not a boy scout.
Christmas isn't complete without festive films – and thanks to Netflix, HBO Go, and more streaming platforms, you can binge-watch frothy movies in your ugly Christmas jumper at the comfort of your ho-ho-home. But skip the cheesy Hollywood blockbusters for festive Britflicks like Love, Actually, Bridget Jones's Diary, and any Dickens adaptation you can find. For something new-ish, scoff down your box of Quality Streets – which you can find at the supermarkets – with the winning slushfest Last Christmas, starring Emilia Clarke as a blunt-talking shop-elf-slash-wannabe-singer and Henry Golding as her mysterious new crush.
If Christmas dinner with fam isn't loud already, wait 'till everyone at the table starts pulling a cracker. A traditional festive favourite in the UK, the cracker was first introduced in the mid-1800s by a London sweet maker named Tom Smith (what's more English than that?), which probably explains its sweet wrapper-like shape. The colourful table decoration makes a snapping sound when pulled open, and often contains a festive dad joke, paper crown and tiny gift that sometimes come in the shape of, um, a miniature screwdriver.
Everyone's talking about the latest season of Netflix's The Crown, but did you know that the Queen's Christmas Message is the most-watched programme on Christmas Day in the UK? The tradition started in 1932 when King George V (Queen Elizabeth II's grandad) made a radio broadcast on the BBC. The message typically summarises the year's major events, mentions the Commonwealth of Nations, and expresses the sovereign's festive feels on Christmas. It'll be broadcasted in the UK at 3pm (11pm in Singapore), so you might have to stay up a little longer to catch it. You can watch it on The Royal Family's official YouTube channel.
It’s not a jolly festive feast without the classic turkey – all stuffed, roasted and served with all the trimmings including Brussel sprouts, roast potatoes, pigs in a blanket (cocktail sausages wrapped in streaky bacon), Yorkshire puddings (a non-sweet, baked pudding with a distinct hole in the middle), cranberry sauce, and lots and lots of gravy. If you're not planning to fire up the oven this Christmas, you can dine like royalty at The English House, By Marco Pierre White with its traditional British festive feast. Otherwise, check out the Oxwell & Clan festive pop-up at the iconic Clan Cafe as it spices up its signature British fare with a dose of Singaporean flair.
'Tis the season for turkey, ham and roast beef but don't forget about the unsung hero of the Christmas table – dessert. But this time, go past the Italian panettone and the German stollen for the Christmas pudding. One to start making early – specifically, the last Sunday before the start of Advent – the Christmas pudding is a dense, boozy fruit cake that's set alight on Christmas Day and topped with a sauce of brandy, butter or rum buttercream, lemon cream, ice cream, custard or sweetened béchamel. Other must-have desserts include mince pies (pastries filled with dried fruits and spices), a Christmas cake (a rich fruit cake covered with marzipan and icing), and trifle (soaked sponge cake, jam, fruit, custard and plenty of cream on top).
After embodying Chris Rea's Driving Home For Christmas, many Brits return to their family home and head to the nearest pub for a reunion with school friends or any other excuse to enjoy a pint on Christmas Eve. But if it's the fancy, festive tipples you're after, cocktail bars are your best bet. And while you can’t be sipping mulled wine and hot toddy at Christmas markets in the UK this year, you can still imbibe at Christmas pop-up bars in Singapore.
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