CONTACT US
Find out which traditions are in danger of becoming the ghosts of Christmas past as Britons opt for new rituals
Britons are opting for new festive rituals and leaving old Christmas traditions behind, a survey said today.
Pennies in puddings, tangerines in stockings and toasting the Queen are in danger of becoming the ghosts of Christmas past as people modernise their festive rituals, the research found.
Champagne breakfasts have become the most popular modern Christmas habit, with more than 65% of people treating themselves to a glass of bubbly as early as 9am on Christmas morning.
But just 3% of respondents planned to follow the old tradition of putting a coin in the Christmas pudding.
Boozy Britons were more likely to add alcoholic butters (48%) to their pudding, and 29% would be dousing it in brandy before setting it alight.
More than half the population (56%) preferred an alternative treat to Christmas cake.
New festive favourites included trifle (57%), Yuletide chocolate log (55%), German stollen (25%) and Italian panettone (14%).
A third admitted to having last year's Christmas cake in a cupboard. Only 21% will make their own Christmas pudding this year.
Just 5% of respondents roasted chestnuts, with 64% eating chocolates, 53% mixed nuts and 13% Bombay mix.
Embracing traditions
The study of 3,000 adults, commissioned by broadcaster UKTV and supported by celebrity chef Brian Turner, revealed how the Christmas experience has evolved over 50 years.
Mr Turner said: "While we may be in danger of losing some of our culinary traditions such as putting a penny in the pudding, roasting chestnuts and filling stockings with tangerines and nuts, there are lots of new rituals such as the champagne breakfast and eating stollen and panettone that we can really embrace.''
It also highlighted a change in how people entertain themselves on Christmas Day.
Three quarters of respondents (74%) did not watch the Queen's speech and only 18% raised a glass to the monarch after their lunch.
Traditional parlour games such as charades, the name game and trivial pursuit were no longer played by 72% of those surveyed. Instead, 42% said they would settle down to an interactive DVD or computer game.
And fireworks will be lighting up the sky for a quarter of Britons on Christmas Day this year.
Convenience is important for Christmas dinner. More than half (52%) of people said they would be microwaving at least two dishes and a quarter (24%) would be using bought pre-prepared food on Christmas Day.
The most likely to use a microwave to cook their food on Christmas Day were Scots (63%) and Londoners (50%).
Traditional stocking fillers are also disappearing, with 69% of respondents saying they did not even know the ritual of packing them with walnuts and tangerines ever existed.
But some festive traditions remained popular, with 56% looking forward to decorating the Christmas tree and 73% handing out a stack of presents to their nearest and dearest.
Singing carols (16%), picking mistletoe (9%) and making their own holly wreath (6%) also retained some popularity.
Top traditions that are dying out:
1. Coins in the Christmas pudding - 3%
2. Roasting chestnuts - 5%
3. Toasting the Queen - 18%
4. Making Christmas pudding three months ahead - 21%
5. Playing parlour games - 28%
6. Drinking ginger wine/sherry/port - 29%
7. Filling stockings with walnuts/tangerines - 31%
8. Eating Christmas cake - 44%
9. Traditional cooking methods - 48%
10. Wearing Sunday best - 51%
Top modern rituals:
1. Champagne breakfast - 65%
2. Eating chocolates - 64%
3. Eating Yuletide chocolate log - 55%
4. Eating mixed nuts - 53%
5. Serving alcoholic butters - 48%
6. Playing TV or computer quiz - 44%
7. Setting pudding alight - 29%
8. Letting off fireworks - 26%
9. Eating German stollen - 25%
10. Eating Italian panettone - 14%
