Sony Pixel Power calrec Sony

Talking Turkey Top 20 Festive Flash-Points revealed!

03/12/2018

The 20 traditions that divide the nation at Christmas

Outdoor Christmas decorations, where to hang the stocking and whether to watch the Queens Speech top list of seasonal squabbles that split the country down the middle

Arguments around Die Hard being a Christmas movie, the merits of panto and whether to put sprouts on the table also loom large when it comes to seasonal spats

Study commissioned by TV channel Dave, to celebrate the launch of Daves Advent Calendar, a selection of festive comedy shorts each night at 9pm until Christmas

Festive outdoor decorations, watching the Queens speech and whether to eat the Christmas meal in the afternoon or evening are among the top traditions that divide the nation during the festive season.

The best location to hang a Christmas stocking, drinking alcohol before noon and whether turkey should be the seasonal centre-piece were also named as key festive flash points.

The study of 2,000 British adults by TV channel Dave, shows it is not just the big issues like Brexit which divide the nation as we approach the festive break. The new study was commissioned to celebrate the launch of Daves Advent Calendar, daily comedy shorts in the lead up to Christmas Day with exclusive episodes from Sally Phillips, Josh Widdicombe, Jon Richardson and twenty other comedians, every night, at 9pm, on Dave and UKTV Play.

The survey shows that it is the nation that gets carved up at Christmas as much as the traditional roast, with opinions deeply divided over the festive fundamentals. It shows the issues which are most likely to create an even split nationwide.

__

The top 20 Christmas traditions that leave the nation MOST divided are revealed as:

Christmas decorations outside of the house

Christmas lunch or dinner

Watching the Queens speech

Alcohol before noon on Christmas Day

Sunday best or Christmas jumpers on Christmas Day

Stockings - above the fireplace or at the end of the bed

Sprouts on the table

Turkey as main Christmas Day dish

Angel or star at the top of the tree

Christmas Day walk

Watching TV as a family or on your own

Giving Christmas stockings to loved ones

Spending more than 24hrs with family at Christmas

Sending Christmas cards

Owning an advent calendar

Going to the pub on Christmas Day

Pre-Christmas gifting

Agreeing Die Hard is a Christmas movie

Attending church over the Christmas period

Watching a Christmas pantomime

Festive foods cause some of the biggest divides between the generations, with less than half (46%) of 18 - 40 year olds liking sprouts with their Christmas dinner compared to 62% of Brits aged 40 and over, showing it is not just Theresa May who has tussles over Brussels. In fact, one in ten (10%) millennials would swap a Brussel spout for an avocado for their Christmas lunch.

When it comes to choosing a festive meat, 61% of respondents over 40 opt for a turkey for their Christmas dinner, whilst less than half (49%) of 18 - 40 year olds would choose the traditional bird.

Interestingly, over two in five (42%) British 18-40-year olds enjoy the age-old tradition of visiting a church for a Christmas service, in comparison to less than a quarter (24%) of those aged 40 and over. When it comes to pre-Christmas gifting 46% of 18-40-year olds will be handing out presents to friends and family ahead of the big day, whilst only 27% of those aged 40 and over will entertain gifting presents early.

Nearly a third (31%) of Brits aged 18-40 said they are likely to make ethical purchasing decisions, whilst only 16% of those aged 40 and over said they would buy an ethically sourced gift this Christmas.

Brits are largely united in their love of Christmas, with over half (54%) agreeing that the festive season starts at the beginning of December - a time when people start getting stuck into their advent calendars. On Christmas Day itself, the average Brit reaches for their first alcoholic drink at 12.56pm.

Luke Hales, channel director for Dave, said:

Its fascinating to see that outdoor Christmas decorations divide opinions down the middle - for half of us they lower the tone of the neighbourhood whilst the other half revels in the bright glow of LED light.

We were actually hoping to prove that the nation was united but dont worry, Dave is bringing the nation back together every night of December at 9pm, with a lovely festive comedy short, from some of our favourite comics. I think we can all agree that laughter is essential over the Christmas period and hope you all enjoy our lovely festive advent calendar and enjoy a daily laugh on us.

Results reveal a North vs. South divide as almost nine in ten (88%) Northerners are eager to open their presents ahead of Christmas lunch, compared to 68% of Southerners.

Results also reveal a regional divide. Three-quarters (75%) of Northern Irish citizens prefer to agree on what to watch as a family, while only 43% of Welsh people like to watch their favourite shows in solitude at Christmas.

Londoners are the ultimate Royalists. Half will tune in to watch the Queens Speech compared to 30% of Scots. The study also found that 61% of Scots prefer an artificial tree they can whip out of the loft to avoid picking up pine needles, while two in ten (20%) Londoners opt for no tree, stating that a Christmas tree takes up too much room.

Daves Advent Calendar, exclusive daily comedy shorts, starts from Saturday 1st December until Tuesday 25th December, featuring comedy favourites such as Sally Phillips, Josh Widdicombe, Jon Richardson, and 20 other familiar faces, every night at 9pm on Dave. The shorts are also available to stream at uktvplay.co.uk

For more information contact, please contact Frankie Allen at Taylor Herring on 0208 206 5151 or FA@taylorherring.com

Notes to Editors: Survey of 2,000 British adults by 3Gem in November 2018.

About Dave Sky 111/24
LINK: https://corporate.uktv.co.uk/news/article/talking-turkey-top-20-festiv...
See more stories from uktv

Most recent headlines

05/01/2027

Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be demoed at CES 2026

Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...

04/08/2026

Dalet Announces Commercial Availability of Dalia, Bringing Media-Aware Agentic AI to Enterprise Productions

Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...

04/07/2026

Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in Dolby Cinemas Across Japan, Presented in Dolby Atmos and Dolby ...

April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...

01/06/2026

Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026

January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026 Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...

12/05/2026

Beyond the Hype: A Strategic Post-Hoc Analysis of NAB 2026

Beyond the Hype: A Strategic Post-Hoc Analysis of NAB 2026 If NAB Show 2026 had an underlying theme, it was a quiet, industry-wide pivot from the high-energy sp...

12/05/2026

G&D and CT Square Establish Joint Venture for India and Middle East Distribution

Guntermann and Drunck (G&D), a Panoptec Technologies Group company, and CT Square, led by Chandresh Shah, have announced a joint venture to distribute G&D and V...

12/05/2026

Telemundo Reports Record Advertiser Demand for FIFA World Cup 2026 Coverage

With 30 days until the start of the FIFA World Cup 2026, Telemundo, the exclusive Spanish-language home of the tournament in the United States, has announced th...

12/05/2026

NHLs Stanley Pup Returns for Third Year on June 8

The NHL has announced the return of Stanley Pup for its third consecutive year, a 90-minute special featuring adoptable rescue dogs competing on a miniature rin...

12/05/2026

NBCUniversal Outlines Ad Technology and Content Strategy at 2026 Upfront

NBCUniversal presented its 2026 Upfront to advertisers at Radio City Music Hall, detailing upcoming programming across NBC, Peacock, Bravo, and Versant properti...

12/05/2026

FOX Sports Funds Fandom Research Initiative at Harvard Kennedy School

FOX Sports has announced funding for the Fandom and Social Connection Initiative at Harvard Kennedy School's Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics, and Publ...

12/05/2026

TNDV and Live Media Support NCAA Final Four Weekend for 13th Consecutive Year

TNDV and Live Media, both divisions of Live Media Group, supported live broadcast coverage around NCAA Final Four weekend in Indianapolis, including the March M...

12/05/2026

European Football Alliance Signs Distribution Agreement with Fubo Sports Network

The European Football Alliance (EFA) has announced a content distribution agreement with Fubo Sports Network, the free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) channel ...

12/05/2026

ESPN, TelevisaUnivision Ink Deal to Produce Additional Spanish-Language Super Bowl LXI Telecast

For the first time, Spanish-speaking fans in the U.S. will have two separate tel...

12/05/2026

CP Communications Manages RF Spectrum for Kentucky Derby Week

CP Communications led a comprehensive spectrum management initiative on behalf of Churchill Downs during Kentucky Derby week, coordinating RF assets across the ...

12/05/2026

LiveU and DRONERESPONDERS Announce Partnership for Public Safety Drone Video Transmission

LiveU has announced a strategic partnership with DRONERESPONDERS, a 501(c)3 non-...

12/05/2026

BMC TV Selects Open Broadcast Systems 5G Flyaway for Horse Racing Transmissions

Open Broadcast Systems has announced that BMC TV, a specialist in IP transport of broadcast content, has selected the Open Broadcast Systems 5G Flyaway solution...

12/05/2026

NEP Europe to Deliver Broadcast Solutions for Eurovision Song Contest 2026 in Vienna

NEP Europe, part of NEP Group, has announced it will deliver broadcast solutions...

12/05/2026

Grass Valley Expands Collaboration with Ravensbourne University London on Media Production Education

Grass Valley has announced continued collaboration with Ravensbourne University ...

12/05/2026

Stats Perform Launches Opta Pulse AI-Assisted Video Creation Platform

Stats Perform has announced the launch of Opta Pulse, an AI-assisted video creation and distribution platform for leagues, rights holders, and broadcasters. The...

12/05/2026

FOX Sports and Sesame Workshop Announce Collaboration for FIFA World Cup 2026

FOX Sports has announced a collaboration with Sesame Workshop to integrate Sesame Street characters into FOX Sports' FIFA World Cup 2026 programming. Conten...

12/05/2026

Little Show, Giant Heart: NHL in ASL Earns Two Sports Emmy Nominations in 2026

To date, NHL Productions has produced 19 broadcasts with commentary in American Sign Language NHL in ASL (American Sign Language) may be just one show, but the...

12/05/2026

At Its Annual Brandcast, YouTube Aims To Show Why Sports Is No Longer Just the Game

Google's Brian Albert: creators, athletes, highlights, nostalgia, second-scr...

12/05/2026

Your Next Double Feature: Old Joy and Past Lives

A still from Past Lives by Celine Song, an official selection of the Premieres program at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival. (Courtesy of Sundance Institute | p...

12/05/2026

It's Your Party of the Year(s): A Look Back at Your Entire Music History on Spotify

Spotify is where fans and artists come together, turning discovery into somethin...

12/05/2026

Black Lion Audio introduce the Auteur 8DAT

Features patented Marco-MMC clocking technology Black Lion Audio's latest release combines the company's expertise in clocking with their renowned p...

12/05/2026

Reason 14 now available

New Track Panel, sequencer upgrades & more Following their recent public beta release, Reason Studios have announced the full release of Reason 14. With the...

12/05/2026

One month to go! SBS reveals expansive FIFA World Cup 2026 lineup beyond the pitch

One month to go! SBS reveals expansive FIFA World Cup 2026 lineup beyond the pi...

12/05/2026

Rohde & Schwarz presents its advanced solutions for power electronics testing at PCIM Expo 2026

Rohde & Schwarz presents its advanced solutions for power electronics testing at...

12/05/2026

Ad-Hoc News: aconnic AG announces improved fund raising plan to support business and refinance debt

aconnic AG (ISIN: DE000A0LBKW6), Munich, has developed a modified fund raising p...

12/05/2026

CNN Pushes Into Lifestyle Products with CNN Weather' App Launch

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

12/05/2026

Marshall Electronics Cameras Elevate Elite Equestrian Com...

Tyrell Corporation, specialists in high-end live sports and entertainment broadcasts, was tasked with delivering compelling broadcast coverage of premier equest...

12/05/2026

IBC2026 registration opens as international media industr...

Registration is now open for IBC2026 as the global media, entertainment and technology community prepares to converge on the RAI Amsterdam from 11 14 September ...

12/05/2026

Ross Video Showcases Unified Production Workflows at Broa...

Ross Video, a global leader in live video production technology, will present its latest innovations and integrated production workflows at BroadcastAsia 2026, ...

12/05/2026

With over 50bn euros in assets under management and recor...

500 selected leaders from around the world across start-ups, corporates, and venture capital. Over 50bn in assets under management among attending investors, a...

12/05/2026

Randy Koeman Joins CVP as Part of Continued European Expa...

CVP, one of Europe's leading suppliers of professional video and broadcast solutions, has appointed Randy Koeman as Sales Manager, Netherlands, marking anot...

12/05/2026

Taiwan Television selects PlayBox Neo Suite multi-channel...

Taiwan Television has expanded its HD content ingest workflow capabilities by investing in the PlayBox Neo Suite - a leading multi-channel multi-server UHD/HD/S...

12/05/2026

Jigsaw24 Appoints Tom Laker and Ashish Chauhan to Support...

Jigsaw24 is strengthening its media team with the appointment of Tom Laker as Client Director and Ashish Chauhan as Project Manager. These strategic hires bring...

12/05/2026

Pebble brings future-ready playout innovation to Broadcas...

Broadcast playout leader showcases hybrid IP infrastructure and workflow automation with Videoland deployment as regional benchmark...

12/05/2026

dzjinius to Showcase All-in-one Production Management Pla...

dzjinius, the all-in-one production management platform for the media and entertainment industry, will showcase its centralised approach to production workflows...

12/05/2026

G&D and CT Square Launch New Joint Venture in India

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

12/05/2026

Congress Urged to Protect Live Sports on Broadcast TV

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

12/05/2026

Roku to Stream Inaugural Enhanced Games in North America

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

12/05/2026

Austrian Broadcaster Selects Lawo, SLG Broadcast for Studio Upgrade

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

12/05/2026

NUGEN Audio Debuts Enhanced DialogCheck at MPTS 2026

NUGEN Audio will debut Version 1.1 of DialogCheck, its intelligent dialog intelligibility and compliance tool, at the 2026 Media Production & Technology Show (S...

12/05/2026

Disguise Powers Interactive LED Castle for Laura Pausini

The reactive visuals can adapt to any stage or screen setup and comprise 50 layers of Notch content Today, Disguise announced that its high performance GX 3 m...

12/05/2026

DoPchoice Intros Light-Shaping Accessories for ARRI Omnib...

Snapgrid , Snapbag & Airglow Expand Creative Control for the ARRI Modular LED BarFollowing the launch of the ARRI Omnibar, DoPchoice introduces a dedicated li...

12/05/2026

Tribeca Festival Unveils 2026 Games Program

May 12th, 2026 Press Materials Available Here TRIBECA FESTIVAL UNVEILS 2026 GAMES PROGRAM Tribeca Celebrates Its 25th Anniversary With World Premieres and Pl...

12/05/2026

Madonna Brings The World Premiere Of Confessions II To 2026 Tribeca Festival

May 12th, 2026 Press Materials Available Here MADONNA BRINGS THE WORLD PREMIERE OF CONFESSIONS II TO 2026 TRIBECA FESTIVAL The Global Icon Will Unveil a Cine...

12/05/2026

Increasing Data Demand, Excellent Networks and Solid Financial Results - Magyar Telekom's Q1 2026 financial results

Customer demand for data continues to grow in the first quarter of 2026 at Magya...