Search Data Reveals The UK’s Favourite Things About Christmas!

It’s near enough impossible to avoid the debate of how your Christmas dinner takes shape, from the non-negotiables on the plate to the unspeakable additions — Yorkshire puddings, we’re looking at you! We’ve gathered historic Christmas search data using Google Trends to determine the overall top choices for festive foodies in the UK. Find out how your plate fares!   

Christmas Day plates: The UK’s most popular components   

While traditions may vary between households, there are some savoury delights that Christmas dinner just wouldn’t be complete without. To create a clear picture of how Christmas dinner takes shape here in the UK, we analysed search interest around a selection of some of the most popular additions.  

Top 10 Christmas Dinner Additions In The UK Based on Google Trends Data.

  1. Stuffing 
  2. Nut roast  
  3. Roast Potatoes 
  4. Parsnips  
  5. Brussel sprouts  
  6. Turkey  
  7. Pigs in blankets  
  8. Roast Beef  
  9. Yorkshire puddings  
  10. Mashed potato 

Stuffing is officially the UK’s favourite part of Christmas dinner, and one particular celebrity chef is shaping the trends when it comes to perfecting this addition in 2021 — searches for ‘James Martin stuffing for turkey’ are up 1,600% in the past week. Roast potatoes are the vegetable of choice for Brits, and parsnips are preferred over sprouts, according to the search data.  

Nut roast triumphs over turkey and roast beef to claim the top spot as the most popular choice of main, and this isn’t all too surprising given the upsurge in popularity of non-meat diets since the start of the pandemic. In the past 7 days, searches for ‘vegetarian Christmas mains to buy’ are up by 450%, suggesting that many of us are staying committed to our new lifestyle choices, even on the big day. The meaty pairing of pigs in blankets are left further down the roundup too, suggesting that veggie options may well overtake traditional dinners this year.  

Of course, we can’t neglect the question of whether Yorkshire puddings should feature on our festive dinner plates. Our data analysis found that the UK has gradually become more accepting of this, and these UK cities are the biggest advocates for the humble ‘yorkie’ on Christmas Day: 

Top 5 UK Cities Ranked By Search Interest Around the Term ‘Yorkshire Puddings’

  1. York
  2. Northampton 
  3. Leeds 
  4. Norwich 
  5. Hull 

The nation’s favourite festive sweet treats  

It’s an unspoken rule that there’s room for more on Christmas Day, and the proof is always in the pudding! To find the UK’s most popular dessert, we picked a selection of classic Christmas treats, ranking them based on search interest — and the results are in! 

Top 10 Christmas Desserts In The UK Based on Google Trends Data. 

  1.  Christmas pudding 
  2.  Panettone 
  3.  Yule log 
  4.  Baileys cheesecake 
  5.  Vegan Christmas pudding 
  6.  Cheese board 
  7.  Trifle 
  8.  Pavlova 
  9.  Mince pies 
  10.  Profiteroles 

Christmas pudding comes out on top as the UK’s favourite dessert, with households in Saint Leonards, Halsmere and Kendal showing the most appreciation for this traditional treat. Brits appear to be satisfying a hunger for tradition this year. Search queries for ‘What fruit is traditionally put in Christmas pudding?’ are up by 200%, suggesting that even those who may have opted for modern alternatives are giving this classic taste a try.  

However, the second most popular dessert proves that not everyone will be keeping room for British heritage when the final course of the day is served. Instead, many households across the nation will be enjoying a healthy portion of the Italian doughy delight, Panettone. As a result, searches for ‘panettone delivery UK’ are up by 110%, as Brit’s scramble to secure something a bit different this Christmas. The sweet tooths’ amongst us are represented by the third most popular dessert choice of yule log, and the decadent chocolate-based delight is best served with ice cream.  

Of course, there’ll be many other extras to enjoy over the festive break — whether you pick cranberry or bread sauce, or if you opt for mulled wine over bucks fizz, indulge exactly how you want to this Christmas! If we’ve whet your appetite for search insights, get in touch with our team and find out how a SEO strategy could help your business to make the most of online trends in 2022 and beyond!