Here at Najonajo we like to think we bridge the UK/Germany/Zanzibar divide. With that in mind we thought it appropriate at this festive time of year to explore some of the traditions surrounding each country’s interpretation of this magical event. So, what does Christmas Day mean in the UK? Well, Christmas day fall’s on the 25th December. This is the day when baby Santa redistributes all the loot he received from the 3 Kings to children throughout the land. AND be warned, any children who have been naughty during the year won’t get any presents. Instead they get a ticket straight to hell come the day of reckoning. Or something like that. On the great day itself we all eat and drink until we’re slightly ill and grumpy which is usually round about the time of The Queen’s Speech. The Queen’s Speech is an annual TV tradition stretching back to the 16 century. To Queen Elizabeth I no less! Heavens knows what TV looked like then. Wood fuelled contraptions I presume. Her Royal Maj’ uses the Queen’s speech to regale the land with anecdotes taken from the past year’s Royal Calendar to bring cheer and mirth to her subjects. Perhaps a story of the Princely princes and princesses enjoying a polo match or of flying here, there and everywhere in a royally royal luxury jumbo jet. Gosh, what japes.  Often it includes a timely moral hidden for us all to discover. To give you a flavour of the pearly wisdom her Maj’ passes down to the commoners here’s a little link for you all to enjoy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXrbw4y9BYc

So there we have a traditional British Xmas day. What about our German cousins? What’s a German Xmas look like? Well, as usual the Germans well and truly beat the Brits, again. We did, after all, nick the whole idea off them. You could say that Germany is the home of Christmas and we can’t really expect to better them at their own game, can we? Crikey, they have a town where it’s Christmas all year round, every street filled with Christmas shops, Santa Grotto’s and Santa’s little Japanese elves. In Germany the snow is colder, crisper, whiter. They have bigger and better Christmas markets. They even pip us to the post for the grand day with 24th December the start of the yuletide festivities. Sorry England, you don’t even make it to penalties. There are no real TV events on the day itself. There is the Chancellor’s Christmas Speech, but that’s just a party political broadcast. Far more interesting is  New Year’s Eve when a rather special offering is dished up in the form of a unique television event called, ‘Dinner for One’. A highly complex and subtle study of the interaction between an elderly lady and gentleman. I say complex and subtle as the same episode is watched by many, many Germans every year. Sometimes more than once on the same evening. It must be similar to our own marvellous Queen’s Speech, containing so many subtle lessons and hidden truths that only a lifetimes viewing can hope to uncover its secrets . Here, now, for your viewing edification, the absorbing, contemplative: ‘Dinner For One’. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zVd_VLO9xcc

And what about Zanzibar I hear you say. Well, about 50% of Germany and Britain appear to decamp to Zanzibar every Xmas and book into hotels up and down the coast and don’t go back until the New Year. You can’t move for them. So I guess by popular vote a true Christmas is only to be had on the tropical shores of a sun kissed beach. A Pina Colada in one hand a handful of suntan lotion in the other.

Wishing you all a splendiferous Xmas and a digit injury free New Year.