COVID impact on Christmas traditions as people nervous to return to festivities, study finds

The coronavirus pandemic has made people more appreciative of Christmas traditions, but also more weary of leaving the house for festivities, a study has found.

Research by Save the Children found that of 2,000 adults that took part, 53% believe the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has made them value Christmas traditions more than they realised.

Among the top traditions were, of course, watching festive films, giving and receiving presents and putting decorations up, but the standout leader was, naturally, eating Christmas dinner.

However, traditions such as going to a pantomime, shopping in-store and going out for drinks on Christmas Eve made Brits feel more uncomfortable than pre-pandemic times, according to this study.

It was also discovered that 41% of people believe the traditions they follow each year have changed over time, while 35% have adapted to be less materialistic, and 32% have altered for the sake of their children.

The study was commissioned to celebrate the tenth annual Christmas Jumper Day, taking place on Friday, December 10, which encourages everyone to wear a festive jumper and donate money to Save the Children and help disadvantaged kids across the globe.

To sign up for Christmas Jumper Day and register for an online fundraising pack, visit the Save the Children website.

Francesca Savage, Head of Christmas at Save The Children, said: “For many of us, the traditions we take part in at Christmas are what make the festive period something we look forward to.  

“However, COVID-19 has meant that we’ve had to adapt and in doing so, people have swapped materialistic traditions for ones that bring joy to their children. 

“Whatever happens this year, we hope that the nation will join us in one of their top twenty beloved traditions of wearing a Christmas Jumper Day this Friday.  

“The  bolder and  brighter,  the better, to raise vital funds to help support Save the Children’s work in the UK and across the world.”

The British public’s favourite Christmas traditions, according to the Save the Children study, are:

1. Christmas dinner
2. Giving and receiving presents
3. Putting the Christmas tree up
4. Eating with the family on Christmas Day
5. Putting up decorations
6. Watching traditional festive films
7. Eating turkey
8. Listening to Christmas songs on the radio
9. Sending Christmas cards
10. Getting an advent calendar