What does it take to make a proper Christmas for you? Yuletide songs being sung by a choir? Folk dressed up like Eskimos?
A nationwide survey by Amazon Fresh has sought to put this question to bed once and for all. Prepare to discover which foods and drinks Britain believes it SIMPLY would not be Christmas Day without.
You say potato…
Yes the humble roast potato sits proudly atop the Christmas tree [What not a star or an angel? – Ed]. Heading our list with an impressive 65 percent, roast potatoes rule the roost, even leaving turkey a poultry [You’re on a warning] second place, with 60 percent of the nation’s vote.
Watch out, it’s the pigs!
Pigs in blankets came in third place (59 percent) followed by gravy (58 percent), stuffing (53 percent) and, love them or hate them, sprouts (50 percent). And if you’ve never enjoyed sprouts, why not give them a chance this year? Just a small one? You never know…
Made for sharing, thank you very much
In the battle of the bulging waistlines, Quality Street JUST pipped Cadbury’s Roses to the post when it came to the top Christmas day chocolates, picking up 36 percent of the vote, compared to 32 percent. Doesn’t explain who eats the strawberry ones though.
Making your mind up
For 23 percent of the 2,000 Brits surveyed, the 25th of December would be seriously lacking if there wasn’t a glass of Buck’s Fizz to quaff. Originally made from two parts of Champagne or sparkling wine to one of OJ, the recipe originates from London’s swanky, exclusive Buck’s Club, where it had nothing to do with quick-release Velcro skirts.
Can you believe your mince pies?
It’s no surprise that mince pies (54 percent) and Christmas pudding (44 percent) made it onto the list, but assuming you’re not vegetarian you are pretty insistent that there MUST be a roasted ham (26 percent), while Britons also believe that mini sausage rolls (31 percent), satsumas (21 percent), chocolate coins (18 percent), Twiglets (15 percent) and Mini Cheddars (16 percent) are a VITAL aspect of Christmas Day.
Oops...
Watch out though because 66 percent of those polled said they always forget something vital. Even though we love our food and drink on the big day, pigs in blankets (10 percent) cranberry sauce and stuffing (both 9per cent) are on the at-risk list of most-forgotten items. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!
No wonder we need the gym in January…
The research also uncovered just how much the average Brit eats on Christmas Day, including an average of 12 chocolates, two large handfuls of Twiglets, four mince pies, four roast potatoes, six pigs in blankets, five sprouts, two beers, two glasses of wine and two glasses of fizz. [Actually, that sounds relatively moderate to me – Ed]
Cheers!
Here’s the full list of the 25 food and drinks that 2000 Brits said it simply would not be Christmas Day without:
1. Roast potatoes 65%
2. Turkey 60%
3. Pigs in blankets 59%
4. Gravy 58%
5. Mince pies 54%
6. Stuffing 53%
7. Sprouts 50%
8. Carrots 44%
9. Christmas pudding 44%
10. Parsnips 40%
11. Quality Street 36%
12. Cadbury’s Roses 32%
13. Selection boxes 32%
14. Mini sausage rolls 31%
15. Cranberry sauce 30%
16. Celebrations 30%
17. Cadbury’s Heroes 28%
18. Chocolate coins 28%
19. Shortbread 26%
20. A roasted ham 26%
21. Mulled wine 20%
22. Bucks Fizz 23%
23. Satsumas 21%
24. Mini cheddars 16%
25. Twiglets 15%