New research has revealed the rituals that shape Christmas Day for millions of Britons, from early-morning gift-opening to festive meals featuring both traditional and unexpected dishes. With two weeks to go until Christmas, 88% of the UK plans to celebrate with its own mix of family customs, whether that means tackling presents at dawn, recovering from Christmas Eve drinks, or opting for a Chinese takeaway instead of cooking.
The greetings card marketplace thortful surveyed 1,000 UK adults to uncover the nation’s most common and most unusual Christmas Day traditions.
How brits spend Christmas Day
For 39% of respondents, Christmas Day follows a traditional pattern: opening presents first, sitting down to Christmas dinner, watching the King’s Speech and ending the day with evening entertainment.
Another 27% begin with a morning walk before moving on to dinner, presents and evening activities. Meanwhile, 19% prefer to start with gifts, enjoy their entertainment early, watch the King’s Speech and eat Christmas dinner later.
The UK’s most popular Christmas routine
The sequence of opening presents, eating Christmas dinner, watching the King’s Speech and ending with entertainment is the most popular order of the day, chosen by 39% of the public. This structure allows for a slow build of anticipation before the main meal.
The most common time to eat Christmas dinner is 2pm, selected by 26% of people. This is followed by 1pm (18%) and 3pm (15%), with a small minority eating before midday or as late as 9pm.
Entertainment choices also reveal nation-wide favourites.
- Home Alone is the most popular Christmas film, picked by 24%.
- Board games and Christmas cracker jokes each attract 15% of people.
- Everyone opening presents at once (16%) is slightly more popular than taking turns (14%).
- Last Christmas by Wham is the nation’s favourite Christmas song, chosen by 12%.
Christmas dinner: traditional turkey with modern twists
While many households still serve turkey with trimmings, a significant number add unexpected dishes. According to the survey:
- 22% serve pasta
- 22% include chips
- 21% have macaroni cheese
- 21% serve curry
- 20% fire up the BBQ
- 19% add a mezze platter
- 17% make dauphinoise potatoes
These choices highlight the growing fusion of comfort food and global influences, with the popularity of curry reflecting the UK’s multicultural food culture.
The most popular Christmas traditions
Some rituals remain firmly rooted. The King’s Speech continues to dominate festive habits, with 89% tuning in.
- 89% watch the King’s Speech
- 16% open their presents all at once
- 15% play board games
- 15% share Christmas cracker jokes
- 14% open presents one at a time
- 12% have a drink at the local pub
- 11% go carol singing
These activities reinforce a sense of community and continuity. The King’s Speech, first delivered in 1932 by King George V, stands out as a national moment of reflection.
Unusual and emerging Christmas Day traditions
A number of people take a different approach to the holiday.
- 5% eat their Christmas dinner on Christmas Eve
- 5% open all their presents on Christmas Eve
- 3% go wild swimming on Christmas Day
- 2% sell unwanted gifts immediately on platforms such as Vinted
A spokesperson from thortful says, “Christmas is a time full of traditions, and our findings show just how divisive they can be. We even see this with our Christmas card and gift sales, with some going down the rude, pop culture, or funny route, whilst many others love to send emotional and lovey-dovey cards during the festive season.”
A holiday rooted in tradition but open to change
The survey offers a snapshot of how British families balance long-standing customs with personal preferences. With 88% of the country taking part in the celebrations, the findings reflect a holiday that remains central to British identity while continuing to evolve with each new generation.