Christmas is steeped in history and tradition. It’s a time where traditions both old and new come together to create magical moments and memories. Christmas traditions are rituals that bring loved ones together and are moments that are talked about for years after.
Although everyone’s Christmas traditions are different, they all have special meaning. Popular traditions in the UK include hanging stockings by the fire, carol concerts in the local community and feasting on mince pies. Around the globe there is huge diversity in Christmas traditions from eating raw whale blubber in Greenland to celebrating Christmas on the beach in Australia to a giant straw goat in Sweden to eating KFC in Japan.
This Christmas we’ve decided to share some special traditions enjoyed by our team.
A special Christmas Eve meal
Steph Lowndes, Marketing Executive
Since moving out with my boyfriend, we’ve had the chance to start our own Christmas traditions! Each Christmas Eve we have an early dinner which is a giant toad in the hole, but instead of regular sausages, I use giant pigs in blankets with gravy and veg – not the healthiest meal but if you can’t indulge at Christmas when can you?! Then we head to the pub for Christmas drinks with friends to see in the big day.
A Christmas Dinner toast to family far and wide
Laura Alder, Graphic Design Consultant
On Christmas Day at 2pm over dinner we raise a glass and toast the family far and wide! Supposedly!!
This has been something my mum has talked about ever since I was a young child, however funnily enough we have never actually made it on time, not one year! My mum has always insisted it's something we must do but we miss the timing every time and it’s become a bit of a joke. We imagine our extended family toasting us too but I bet they have forgotten, as they dig into their turkey dinners!
Silly Secret Santa
Lisa McShane, Digital Marketing Consultant
The highlight of our family Christmas is the Secret Santa. We buy each other proper gifts too, but the Secret Santa is always a joke gift. The aim is to buy a gift that highlights something ridiculous that the receiver of the gift has done that year. There have been some brilliant ones over the years including a personalised Christmas message from Glenn Hoddle.
Matching Christmas pyjamas
Sophie Esene, Digital Marketing Manager
Now that our kids are 2 and almost 4, they’re really starting to get excited about Christmas, which has made it even more special for us. Last year, we started a few little family traditions, like matching Christmas pyjamas. It might be a bit cliché, but we had so much fun with it.
Making a Christmas (pudding) wish
Sue Land, Founder & Marketing Consultant
For as long as I can remember, my mum has always made a Christmas pudding for our Christmas dinner. It’s an old traditional recipe and it needs to be made at least six weeks before Christmas to give it time to ‘mature’ which apparently adds to the flavour. When we were younger, mum would add all the ingredients and then call my sister and I down to the kitchen to stand on a chair at the kitchen worktop and stir the mixture with a wooden spoon. We would have to make a wish whilst closing our eyes and stirring the mixture.
Even now, in my late 40’s she phones me mid-November and says ‘It’s pudding wish time!’ and I make my wish with my eyes closed over the phone.
Rockin’ Around a 40 year old Christmas Tree
Beccy Tombs, Marketing Consultant
Just after my sister was born, my parents decided to buy an artificial Christmas tree so that she didn’t get the pine needles stuck in her hands as she began to crawl. When I moved out and started my own family, I inherited the tree as a stop-gap one Christmas but I couldn’t bring myself to throw it away and we have used it every year since. The branches have long since lost the colour-coded letters that show you how to put it all together which makes it a little more challenging every year and it has become our very entertaining Christmas Tradition! On the 1st December, my parents come round for bubbles and nibbles as we watch my girls attempt to assemble the 40 year old tree.
Christmas traditions are moments we eagerly anticipate each year
Christmas traditions whether modern or timeless connect us with families, friends and cultures around the world. Some traditions are heartwarming or funny and looked forward to with fondness every year whereas others may seem wearied or pointless but are still done every year simply because they are tradition. Above all else, Christmas traditions are a chance to reflect and remind us of the joy, togetherness and love in our lives.
No matter how you choose to celebrate this year, the Your Marketing Team would like to wish you all the best for the festive season and the year ahead.