Christmas cheer is officially on the horizon, and Tesco’s latest survey reveals that Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK jingle to slightly different tunes this festive season.

Tesco conducted a survey to learn more about Christmassy habits all over the UK. While 92.73% of people in Northern Ireland plan to celebrate Christmas this year, it seems the Province takes its own approach to festivities and, of course, the food. See some of the details that make a truly Northern Ireland Christmas.

Tastes even better the next day

Christmas Day breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner (yes, all of the above) top the list of festive food moments in both Northern Ireland and the UK, followed by Christmas dinners throughout December in second place. However, in Northern Ireland the next best thing is enjoying turkey leftovers, be it in sandwiches, the inevitable turkey curry or the even more sustainable ham and turkey pie, while across the pond Christmas Eve dinner takes the third place.”

Christmas cheer is officially on the horizon, and Tesco’s latest survey reveals that Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK jingle to slightly different tunes this festive season

placeholder image — Christmas cheer is officially on the horizon, and Tesco’s latest survey reveals that Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK jingle to slightly different tunes this festive season

Turkey, ham, and roast beef: The Holy Trinity Turkey reigns supreme as the centrepiece for both Northern Ireland and UK households, but ham and all the trimmings come in a close second in Northern Ireland, while chicken takes second place across the UK. Roast beef remains the reliable third option on both sides of the water.

Both Northern Ireland and UK households are practical when it comes to leftovers: sandwiches remain the most popular post-Christmas meal – hopefully not for too many days. Some also get creative, freezing or turning them into curries.

Trimmings showdown Cauliflower cheese fans, where are you? The good-old sausage roll is non-negotiable as the favourite Christmas dinner trimming for everyone. After that, Northern Ireland opts for meat stuffing, with yummy combinations such as pork and chestnuts and, of course, and perfectly crisp roast potatoes (duck fat optional), while the UK is apparently Yorkshire pudding-obsessed.

Sweet (and timely?) treats

It’s all about getting into the festive mood. As soon as December kicks in, Northern Ireland Christmas fans can’t wait to get stuck into a box of chocolates first, followed by mince pies, while the UK reaches for mince pies first and chocolate second. However, everyone agrees on Christmas biscuits in third place.

The survey also revealed that both Northern Irish and UK households admit to the shameful crime of having to re-buy products because they had been eaten before Christmas. Chocolate, cheese/desserts and biscuits lead the list of culprits in Northern Ireland, while biscuits and mince pies come in second and third in the UK.

Festive signals Nothing screams “Christmas is here” like putting up the tree – a first sign of the festivities for all. But while Northern Ireland gets into the spirit with festive tunes in shops (“It’s tiiiii-iiime”) and Christmas films on TV, the UK crowd is more likely to be motivated by heart-warming ads and decorations.

Santa snacks Mince pies and milk are still top of Father Christmas’ menu in both Northern Ireland and the UK, but a Tesco meal deal (complete with seasonal drink, side and drink) just might work as it takes the second place as a great alternative for the big man.

Merry mayhem Hosting stress is universal, with cooking the main meal and cleaning up taking the first and second spots across the board. However, while the dread of cleaning and prepping the house for the big day comes in third place in the UK, 40,91% of the interviewees in Northern Ireland blame tricky family dynamics for a not so merry Christmas.

As we know, during Christmas everyone is a chef and, in both Northern Ireland and the UK, the worst “hosting ick” are the criticisms about the food. People who don’t help clear up and guests that just won’t leave take the second and third places in Northern Ireland households, while UK hosts can’t stand guests or children who misbehave and people who refuse to take part in the cleaning.

Christmas fun factor In Northern Ireland, playing games and watching family movies beat the thrill of opening presents, while in the UK, the joy of unwrapping gifts wins by a narrow margin.

Party food favourites Crisps and dips triumph in Northern Ireland, while cheeses take the crown across the UK, though sweet treats and puddings remain a shared love.

For festive households in Northern Ireland, mince pies and spiced fruits are the most iconic Christmas flavours, followed by turkey and stuffing and the brie and cranberry winning combo. In the UK, turkey and stuffing rule the season, with mince pies/spiced fruits in second and Christmas cake/pudding in third.