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.
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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
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The 20 traditions that divide the nation at Christmas 
