21 British Christmas Traditions That Will Confuse The Hell Out Of The Rest Of The World

    Home of the DEFINITIVE Christmas dinner.

    Jamie Jones
    by Jamie Jones

    BuzzFeed Staff

    1. Watching pantomimes featuring questionable celebrity combinations.

    Twitter: @ABCMagazineUK

    The Chuckle Brothers AND Chico?!

    2. Enjoying an iconic tin of Quality Street.

    Flickr: nataliejohnson / Creative Commons

    And getting outraged over the new plastic tubs they come in.

    3. Getting weirdly excited for AN ADVERT.

    John Lewis / Twitter: @aimee_hodnett / BuzzFeed

    4. Experiencing Nativity plays filled with really bizarre roles in order to fit in all the children.

    Twitter: @beastlymarlin

    Wait, how would Jesus even have a Grandfather?

    5. Either absolutely loving or absolutely hating mince pies.

    Flickr: wallyg / Creative Commons

    There is no in-between.

    6. Christmas lights being turned on by former X-Factor and Pop Idol contestants.

    Twitter: @stalbanscouncil

    7. And taking a drive around your hometown to see all the slightly-crap Christmas decorations.

    imgur.com

    Not everything has to be over-the-top and flashy. Looking at you, America.

    8. Fantasy shopping through an Argos catalogue.

    Sophie Gadd / BuzzFeed

    It's a habit that's leftover from your childhood.

    9. Belting out classic Christmas bangers like “Oh Come All Ye Faithful”.

    Keystone / Getty Images

    Fucking hype.

    10. Drinking a glass of buck's fizz (that's a mimosa to Americans) first thing on Christmas morning.

    11. And eating Christmas cake at any point during the day.

    Flickr: 14730981@N08 / Creative Commons

    Yeah, it's kind of a crap cake, but it's our crap cake.

    12. The adrenaline rush that comes with pulling a Christmas cracker.

    Macphersonphoto / Getty Images

    If you're lucky you get a mini-screwdriver set.

    13. And enjoying terrible, terrible comedy.

    Twitter: @mathsDK

    If Christmas cracker jokes aren't enough for you there's probably a Mrs. Brown's Boys Christmas special on later. (See also: Pantomimes)

    14. The ~definitive~ Christmas dinner.

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    All other Christmas dinners are false pretenders.

    15. With AT LEAST three different sauces.

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    Usually gravy, bread sauce, and cranberry.

    16. And saving the leftovers so you can eat nothing but turkey sandwiches for the next couple of weeks.

    Flickr: marinate_me_baby / Creative Commons

    17. Having a Christmas pudding, even if everyone in your family hates it.

    Flickr: minor9th / Creative Commons

    And setting it on fire because Britain is metal as fuck.

    18. And drinking drinks you normally wouldn't, like Baileys.

    19. Watching the Queen's speech for reasons you're not entirely sure of.

    Jeff J Mitchell / Getty Images / Twitter: @AliceBoltonX / BuzzFeed

    You’re usually to drunk to fully understand what she’s saying at this point.

    20. Feeling miserable after watching the Eastenders Christmas special.

    BBC

    Why do we do this to ourselves every year?

    21. And extending the celebration with Boxing Day.

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    Christmas 2.0.