Christmas dinner preparation named biggest stressor for Brits

Last-minute Christmas cooking concerns named biggest stress before Christmas

• Christmas dinner preparations have been named the biggest last-minute stress for Brits as the big day approaches, according to Google searches.
• Nationwide searches for ‘turkey cooking time’, ‘vegan recipes’ and ‘how to cook Christmas ham’ peak the night before Christmas.
• Other concerns that are likely to cause stress include unpredictable weather, boxing day sale anticipation, and supermarket opening times.
• Rest experts stress the importance of managing stress over the festive period, in order to better enjoy the main event with loved ones.

New analysis of Google searches has revealed what stresses are most likely to keep Brits tossing and turning the night before Christmas – with cooking coming out on top.

The data, pulled together by botanical experts Cannabotech, cross-referenced Google searches made across the UK in the run-up to Christmas, covering a range of categories – including food preparation, streaming platforms, social media, gift-buying and more.

The findings show that of all the major categories analysed, it’s food preparation that causes the most last-minute stress, as most Brits seek some cooking advice on Christmas Eve.

Searches that peak the night before Christmas include ‘turkey cooking time’, ‘vegan recipes’, ‘vegetarian recipes’, ‘chicken cooking time’, ‘how to cook Christmas ham’ and ‘christmas trimmings’ – whilst ‘how to cook Christmas dinner’ searches peak on the big day itself.

Other concerns around festive food – as indicated by the related queries – are what time to serve dinner, what dinnerware is best to use when plating up, and how long some dishes should be prepared in advance.

It makes sense that Christmas dinner causes last-minute stress, given many Brits consider it the highlight of their day – with recent polls suggesting that ‘eating a lot of food’ is the third-best part of Christmas, after seeing family and socialising with friends.

When it comes to which specific components of dinner are likely to raise the most questions – aside from the centrepiece – the analysis shows that ‘roast potatoes’ has the highest search volume on Christmas Day, followed by Yorkshire puddings, and stuffing. 

As for what else is likely to be keeping Brits up before Christmas, the analysis reveals that concerns around the weather cause the second-most stress, with searches for ‘snow’ peaking on the big day, and ‘rain’ rising in volume throughout Christmas Eve. 

Many Brits are also preparing for post-Christmas discounts in advance, despite the main event not yet having passed, with searches for ‘sales’ and ‘Boxing Day sale’ steadily starting to creep up as early as Christmas Eve morning. 

Other searches that peak the night before Christmas are for social media sites – primarily Reddit – and streaming platforms (with Netflix proving most popular), whilst some people are still shopping last-minute, with searches for ‘Amazon’, ‘Morrisons’ and ‘Aldi’ included.

Categories that cause the most stress just before Christmas, ranked

1. Christmas dinner preparations
2. Climate and weather
3. Saving money and discounts
4. Supermarket opening times
5. Last-minute gift-buying 

Although some stress is understandable the night before Christmas due to the level of prep and passion involved, there are negative side-effects to burning yourself out before a big event.

These include disrupted sleep – which in turn can lead to memory deficits, anxiety and a weakened immune system – and increased irritability, which will make it harder to enjoy the holiday with loved ones after all. 

Speaking on the findings, rest and relaxation experts Cannobotech said: “Improving sleep and reducing stress is key to boosting immunity and day-to-day well-being. Getting enough rest should be a priority at all times, particularly during stressful periods like Christmas.

“Whilst some stress over the festive period is inevitable – whether it’s due to spending money, wrapping things up at work or juggling family commitments – it’s crucial to stick to a healthy sleep routine in order to prevent any short or long-term impacts on your health.

“To keep stress-levels low, Brits should start to wind down and avoid screens at least one hour before their planned bedtime – even if they have last-minute searches on their mind. Preparation is key, but prioritising managing your mental health is more important.”