Top 50 Christmas Day disasters revealed - with more than half centred around food

The most common Christmas Day disasters include undercooked roast potatoes, running out of wrapping paper, and either under-cooking or over-cooking the vegetables, research has found.

Brits have revealed some of the festive mishaps they have made on the big day – including burning the turkey, or even forgetting to defrost it in the first place, according to a poll of 2,000 adults, who celebrate Christmas.

In fact, more than half of the top 50 most common disasters are to do with food – with lumpy gravy, burnt Yorkshire puddings, and food being served cold, all appearing among the top 10.

And among the non-food related misfortunes were running out of wrapping paper, presents not arriving on time, and the Christmas tree falling over.

But looking back, those who have made errors now feel nostalgic (21%) and entertained (20%) – with 28% claiming many of their fond festive memories are food-based.

Finding gone-off bread when trying to make a Boxing Day sandwich ranks among the top 50 disasters (St Pierre)

A spokesman for bakery brand, St Pierre, which commissioned the research, said: “It’s safe to say the majority of us have experienced some sort of unplanned mishap at Christmas.

“A lot of the list of disasters are food-focused, because it’s is such an important part of the occasion and it’s something everyone wants to get right to impress others.

“That said, it’s always useful to have something in the cupboard as a back-up, and there are clever ways to cheat your way to a “magnifique” Christmas spread.

“No matter how bad it might feel messing up on Christmas Day, those who have experienced such a thing agree that it’s all part of making memories.”

The study also found people have typically hosted seven Christmases, experiencing two disasters each time – but 45% are confident they’ve made fewer mistakes over the years.

Almost a third (29%) admitted such catastrophes create amusing stories to re-tell years later – and hearing about other people’s mishaps makes one in five (19%) feel better about their own.

For 58%, food is a central part of Christmas, and 22% have had a “practice run” before hosting – with 42% of them admitting the trial was better than the real deal.

Keeping track of the time (35%), chatting to others (29%), and music being on (15%) are among the scenarios which impact the success – or lack of – of festive dinner.

In order to avoid mishaps with Christmas dinner, 53% write a to-do list, and half (51%) prep some elements the night before.

It also found nine in ten of those polled, via OnePoll, believe food is an important aspect of Christmas, and 21% even have “back-up” ready-to-eat items, in case something goes wrong.

And unfortunate Brits have also burnt the turkey, the stuffing, and the Yorkshire puddings (St Pierre)

But assuming it all goes to plan, leftovers are typically enjoyed in a sandwich (53%), bubble and squeak (29%), or even given to pets (17%).

It also emerged that while two in five (38%) think mishaps are simply part of the big day, 59% prefer to stick to what they know to avoid mistakes.

And making errors leaves people feeling annoyed (28%) and embarrassed (17%).

Some of the most memorable Christmas disaster scenes from films and TV shows also feature food – including the Vicar of Dibley eating three festive dinners (41%), and Mr Bean with a turkey on his head (35%).

The forgotten puddings in Gavin and Stacey’s 2019 festive special (15%) was also popular and relatable to 7%, who have done the same.

St Pierre’s spokesman added: “The festive season is about making memories with friends, family, and unforgettable food.

“Good food is more than just a meal on your plate, it’s a get-together, it’s sharing, it’s family – and this is never more true than at Christmas.”

For festive recipes, inspiration, and rescue plans, visit here.

TOP 50 CHRISTMAS DISASTERS:

1. Soggy vegetables
2. Undercooked roast potatoes
3. Hard, under-cooked vegetables
4. Lumpy gravy
5. Burnt Yorkshire puddings
6. Running out of wrapping paper
7. Burnt stuffing
8. Presents ordered online not arriving on time
9. Food being served cold
10. Forgetting gravy when serving up
11. Burnt turkey
12. Christmas tree falling over
13. Not putting name tags on gifts and forgetting who it is for
14. Watery gravy
15. Forgetting to put food in the oven at the right time
16. Not having enough chairs to seat all guests
17. Christmas lights blowing a fuse
18. Having to cook when hungover
19. Forgetting to defrost a dessert
20. Waking up late, meaning dinner will be late
21. Forgetting Christmas pudding
22. Undercooked meat
23. Presents going missing
24. Oven breaking
25. Giving someone a gift intended for someone else
26. Forgetting to supply vegetarian/vegan alternatives for guests
27. Writing the wrong person's name on a card
28. Power cut
29. Leaving presents at home when visiting someone else on Christmas Day
30. Breaking a Christmas present immediately after opening it
31. Arguments over politics at the dinner table
32. Forgetting to turn the oven on
33. Fridge/freezer breaking so all food is ruined
34. Not having enough plates to serve dinner to all the guests
35. Pet cat climbing and getting stuck up the tree
36. Microwave breaking
37. Kids seeing me wrapping present intended to be from Santa
38. Finding gone-off bread when making a Boxing Day sandwich
39. Caught cheating at a board game
40. Not buying enough food for guests
41. Forgetting to defrost the turkey
42. Not having enough cutlery for all guests
43. Someone choking on the coin in the middle of a Christmas pudding
44. The dog eating someone's Christmas dinner
45. Presents being stolen
46. Breaking down in the car en-route to a relative's
47. The table centrepiece catching on fire
48. The Christmas pudding catching on fire
49. The oven setting on fire
50. Dry sprouts