A new survey from American housewares specialist, OXO, reveals young Brits enjoy tomato sauce on their Christmas dinner while half of us prefer to add a Yorkshire Pudding

Christmas comes around every year like clockwork, and while many of us have made small changes to our routine over the years, just how does the traditional Christmas stack up against busy modern lifestyles?  

American housewares brand, OXO, known for its universally-designed range of premium kitchen tools, has recently completed a new survey amongst UK consumers to discover just how many of us stick to our traditions, and what our most and least favourite Christmas cooking tasks are today.  

Christmas dinner differs depending on where you come from in the UK

• Stuffing is the accompaniment of choice in Northern Ireland, with 2 in 5 of people choosing to pad out their plate with this herby side dish
• Yorkshire puddings have made their way onto the Christmas plates of 50% of households up and down the country, with these savoury delights most popular in the North East, with 3 in 5 people in the region adding Yorkshire puddings to their Christmas dinner 
• Cranberry, mint and bread sauce all spring to mind when thinking of festive condiments, but in a huge break from tradition, tomato sauce has started to make an appearance with 2 in 5 18 to 24 year olds choosing to add ketchup to their Christmas turkey dinner

What we love and loathe 

• When it comes to things we like and loathe most about Christmas food prep, planning the timings came out as number one on the list of most stressful Christmas cooking tasks with 5 in 10 people dreading this Christmas task 
• Taking a step back to see excited faces at the dinner table is by far the most rewarding Christmas experience, with 6 in 10 of those aged 65 and over enjoying this part of Christmas dinner the most
• Of course, OXO had to ask which kitchen tool people rely on most to make Christmas dinner a breeze with a good roasting tray and reliable peeler coming out on top

Maria Spagnuolo, Brand Manager for OXO UK, explains: “Christmas, for those of us who celebrate this tradition, is a time for cooking, whether that's make the Christmas pudding or creating the dinner for the whole family. As a brand who is constantly looking at everyday activities to find ways to make things better, we were really keen to discover the pain points of UK consumers when cooking Christmas dinner and how traditions have changed over the years. 

“There were some surprising results with controversy over what should be part of a Christmas dinner, with Yorkshire puddings and tomato sauce dividing the nation, and not surprisingly, many people feeling daunted by planning the timings and creating the dinner for the main event. 

“The OXO team is dedicated to creating tools that make everyday living better, with many of our tools from our peelers through to thermometers, well suited to this busy time of year, helping home cooks prepare their way through mountains of food prep so they get more time relaxing and seeing happy faces.”

Money saving ideas

Following a challenging year, many UK households have decided to tighten the purse strings and cut back on the amount of money spent on gifts and going out over the festive period. 28% of people have decided to set a gift spend limit when buying for loved ones, while 27% of people plan to visit pubs and restaurants less frequently as a way to save money this year. 

OXO is a premium US brand that offers a wide range of high-quality, long-lasting kitchen, cleaning and organisation tools that effortlessly combine innovation with purpose. Guided by the principles of universal design, the brand is known and loved for engineering tools that fit comfortably in every type of hand starting with the iconic OXO Good Grips Swivel Peeler in 1990.

-ENDS-

Notes to editors

This online survey of 2000 UK adults who celebrate Christmas was commissioned by Unify PR on behalf of OXO UK and conducted by market research company OnePoll, in accordance with the Market Research Society's code of conduct. Data was collected between 11/11/2022 and 15/11/2022. All participants are double-opted in to take part in research and are paid an amount depending on the length and complexity of the survey. This survey was overseen and edited by the OnePoll research team. OnePoll are company partners of the MRS and has corporate membership to ESOMAR.

About OXO 

For over 30 years, OXO has been globally recognised for its ground breaking, award-winning universal product design. Starting with the iconic OXO Good Grips Swivel Peeler in 1990, OXO has paired innovation and purpose to create tools and gadgets that make everyday living better, every day. Today, OXO makes products that span several home categories: cooking, baking, cleaning, storage and organisation, coffee, baby. The brand has won over 100 design awards worldwide. OXO consistently challenges convention, solving problems and anticipating needs with thoughtful, modern design solutions. OXO is a proud member of 1% for the Planet, committing 1% of their annual sales to support environmental non-profits. Learn more about how OXO is making the everyday better at www.oxouk.com 

About Helen of Troy Limited 

Helen of Troy Limited (NASDAQ, NM: HELE) is a leading global consumer products company offering creative solutions for its customers through a strong portfolio of well- recognized and widely-trusted brands, including OXO®, Hydro Flask®, Vicks®, Braun®, Honeywell®, PUR®, and Hot Tools®. All trademarks herein belong to Helen of Troy Limited (or its affiliates) and/or are used under license from their respective licensors. For more information about Helen of Troy, please visit www.hotus.com. 

For further information, samples or product images please contact: 

Unify PR & Marketing on 01422 728710 or email ukpress@oxo.com