Britons prefer modern traditions at Christmas, poll reveals

Forget Elf on the Shelf and watching Santa’s movements on an online tracker, Britons prefer to stick to a traditional Christmas, according to a survey. 

Some classic festive favourites like watching a pantomime, getting a Christmas stocking hung up and tucking into a turkey dinner remain the nation’s favourite things to do at this time of the year.

A survey has revealed that six in ten Britons said the old ways were the best, and almost half of the 2,000 adults polled said they still carried out the Christmas traditions that they enjoyed as a child.

A spokesman for St Pierre bakery, which commissioned the research, said: ‘For a lot of families, keeping up with Christmas traditions is an important part of the season and it is what makes this time of year so special.

‘However, there are some modern customs which have made their way into people’s homes over recent years.

The top five best-loved and disliked British Christmas traditions according to a survey

‘It’s been interesting to see the nation’s take on these and even more interesting to hear which global dining traditions Brits would most like to adopt.’

The study, carried out via OnePoll, also found a third of Brits enjoy any rituals that involve food or family recipes and 36 per cent say most of what they do at home revolves around them.

Foodie festive celebrations include eating turkey on Christmas Day, tucking into mince pies, and enjoying a traditional Chocolate yule log.

While leaving milk and cookies (or biscuits!) out for Santa made the top-ten list of our favourite activities, the poll found 27 per cent loathed the modern tradition of Elf on the Shelf. 

Based on a children’s book published in 2005, it involves leaving an elf around the home to watch over children to ensure they behave.

Other Christmas cringe-inducers include wearing matching pyjamas for the whole family, which left a fifth of Britons saying ‘bah humbug!’