A Lestrian Christmas Pudding!

Although America and Britain virtually speak the same language, Christmas celebrations in Leicester and Montana can vastly differ. From the food served to the actual festivities, there are certain marked differences. Take for instance my discovery that Christmas Pudding is rarely on the menu anywhere in America.
Shocked? Horrified? You can bet, and you can add mortified to that too!

After I'd become all unnecessary and had finally calmed my ruffled feathers, there was one question that remained in my head. "How on earth can you possibly have Christmas without Christmas pudding??" Is this society normal or what?

After a few years of living here, my views have changed somewhat and I've realized that Americans, as with any different culture, celebrate traditions as they've been raised to do. It's what you grew up with and it's what you know! With this in mind, you'll understand my feeling of persecution at being denied something I had eaten at Xmas for as long as I can remember.

However, it wasn't just the taste of this delicious dessert that added to it's appeal, it was the tradition behind it. From the time I was old enough to realize what money was, Christmas Pudding contained money! Of course it didn't come with money already in it, the money was placed by our parents inside the pudding prior to cooking. But can you imagine a child's anticipation at receiving a serving of steaming pud with cream or custard? Having the pudding was delight enough, but rifling through it for those sixpence's was even more delightful, and when you found one…or two…or even three maybe? Ahhh sheer heaven!

So, hopefully by now, you'll understand my consternation when faced with a pudless Xmas? Needless to say, I did the only thing I could. I got on the phone to dear Mum and ranted and raved for awhile before announcing that she needed to send me a pudding for Xmas or there would be no Xmas, and what would I do? How could I possibly celebrate with no pud, Christmas Day was Christmas Pudding etc. etc. and on and on and on! Having been assured that a pudding would be crossing the seas after all, I sat back and sighed, Christmas would be Christmas after all!

So what's all the fuss about I hear you ask? Well, let me just say this. The good old Xmas pud is more than good, it's great! The taste is something you never forget, and it's so good that you can't understand how people could NOT like it. I've had more than a few of my American friends try it and thankfully I can honestly say that they have all loved it. I am so confident about the great British Xmas pudding, that it's a case of, "You will like it," not, "You might like it." It's sooooo great that I actually pity people who don't like it. That is sad I know, but if you have a passion for something, you'll understand what I mean.