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Brits' most loved - and hated - Christmas traditions are revealed

• New data reveals family time, festive decorations and visiting the pub are the best things about Christmas, as voted for by Brits
• If given the choice, the nation would BAN Christmas jumpers and Secret Santa from the list of festive traditions
• Brits can win a £3,000 holiday voucher and £2,000 spending money thanks to new Greene King festive giveaway

Seeing family around the festive period has been voted the best thing about Christmas, according to new national research by Greene King.

Commissioned to identify the best and worst things about Brits’ festive spirit, data revealed that a third of Brits (28%) place family above all else at Christmas time, with other top festive traditions voted as Christmas decorations and visiting the pub for a festive meal.

Throughout December, Brits visit the pub an average of four times, with over a third of the nation (35%) considering the classic pub as the perfect place to have a festive celebration. What’s more, almost a quarter (24%) view the pub as the most important place for the local community at Christmas.

Shockingly, Christmas themed music, a staple of the festive period, did not make the top five favourites. In fact, when quizzed, over one in ten Brits (12%) said they’d ban "All I Want for Christmas Is You" by Mariah Carey – a song played so often it reportedly earns the singer between $2.5-3 million in royalties each year.

When it comes to festive traditions we could do without, almost one in five (20%) would vote to ban Christmas jumpers (18%) with a further 13% voting to ditch the tradition of Secret Santa. Other traditions that the nation is tired of include singing Christmas carols (7%) and Christmas themed music (6%).

As with recent years, the cost of living continues to impact Brits’ festivities, with a quarter of people hosting Christmas dinner planning to charge friends for their attendance. Despite this, an overwhelming seven in 10 (68%) say they’d be happy to pay, with a fifth (25%) saying they’d happily pay up to £20.

To give one lucky winner a gift truly in keeping with the festive spirit, Greene King has launched a brand-new Christmas giveaway, with a grand prize of a £3,000 TUI holiday voucher and £2,000 cash on offer.

To enter, all customers need to do is head to www.greeneking.co.uk/competitions/get-in-the-spirit and say what it is that gets them in the festive spirit before 18 December 2023.

Andrew Gallagher, Marketing Director for Greene King Pubs said: “As a nation we’re big on tradition, and it’s fantastic to see that despite the ongoing pressures, Brits still place the pub at the heart of the community.

“Aside from the welcoming festive atmosphere, one of the main reasons that our pubs resonate so well with communities across the UK is that they’re accessible to all, and provide the perfect place to connect with loved ones at such an important time of year. It doesn’t matter if you’re dropping in with friends for a quick festive drink or planning a big Christmas meal with your family, we’ve got something for you.”

For full terms and conditions, visit www.greeneking.co.uk/competitions/get-in-the-spirit.