Alternative Christmas Day ideas

Christmas

Posted by Hayley on 12th October 2022

Alternative Christmas

Christmas for most of us consists of bickering over the last mince pie, endless doses of EastEnders, cheesy films on repeat, and consuming our body weight in chocolate. 

No one knows what Christmas will look like year on year, but whatever the festive season brings, there are plenty of ways to enjoy yourself while having a more alternative Christmas Day. Here are our suggestions for embracing the season and doing Christmas a little differently this year! 

From alternative Christmas Day activities to making it through the festive season without a tree, we've got alternative Christmas covered. If your yuletide involves getting away this winter, have a look at our Christmas cottages.

Christmas cottages


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Alternative Christmas Day activity ideas

Winter surfing

Go surfing or kite-surfing

Forget stuffing yourself silly and lounging on the sofa - well, not yet anyway! Beginning the big day with a surf or kite surf is invigorating and fun, plus you can work up an appetite for the big feast and then feel you've earned your nap later. 

There are so many surf spots around the UK that are worth checking out, making this the ultimate alternative Christmas activity. Just be sure to consult the tide times and forecast ahead of time and ensure you have the appropriate gear, as the water is rather chilly! 

Best UK surf spots


Outdoor swimming in a Santa hat

Enjoy a Christmas swim

If surfing seems a bit too adventurous for a Christmas morning, why not embark on a brisk swim? What better way to celebrate the festivities than by stripping off and plunging into the icy water?

Traditionally, the most famous organised seasonal swim is the Christmas Day dip at the Serpentine in Hyde Park, whilst swims are also held at Brighton Beach and Sennen Cove in Cornwall. There are also several festive swims held on Boxing Day and New Year’s Day, including in Tenby, Whitby and at the Firth of Forth.

If you’re looking for a festive dip without the crowds, try these top wild swimming spots.

Top wild swimming spots


Tudor houses in Stratford upon Avon

Go back in time

Britain’s heritage is fascinating to explore at any time of the year, however, during the festive period, it is made even more magical! Step back in time and wander Britain’s historical cobbled streets, or take a trip to one of the many ancient castles scatted across the rural landscapes.

Stratford-upon-Avon in Warwickshire offers a walk in Shakespeare’s footsteps, taking you past Shakespeare houses, theatres, 15th-century timber-framed buildings, tea houses, pubs and restaurants all whilst hearing fascinating stories of fires, floods, plague and medieval cures, but there are many more historical sites all across the UK ready to explore. 


Lend a hand at Christmas

Lend a hand

It can be very easy at Christmas time to get wrapped up in the presents, decorations and excessive celebrations, and forget about those who are in most need of our help. There are numerous charities all across the UK this festive season that would be grateful for any volunteers during this period.

Doing a wonderfully selfless act such as helping serve up Christmas dinner to the homeless, or simply being there to do the odd jobs, can provide a truly rewarding experience whilst also helping others have a nice Christmas.


Skiing in Scotland

Go skiing

There isn’t a sport more Christmassy than skiing! And with Scotland right on our doorstep, what better time than this Christmas to try it out for yourself?

Surrounded by beautiful Highland scenery, Scotland’s ski resorts offer the best outdoor skiing and snowboarding in the UK. Take to the slopes at the Nevis Range in Scotland, where spectacular slopes are waiting to be experienced - even the most inexperienced skier can have hours of fun.

Where you can learn to ski


Child cycling in winter

Go for a bike ride

The festive season is synonymous with indulging in your favourite foods – and in large quantities! Why not opt for an after-dinner cycle?

Cycling is an excellent family-friendly activity that everyone can enjoy no matter how long or short their legs are. Gather everyone together and embark on a long countryside cycle before returning back home to enjoy the rest of your evening.


Alternative Christmas dinner ideas

Christmas tree-shaped nachos

Christmas dinners alternatives

Perhaps you like the idea of spending all of Twixmas and beyond eating turkey sandwiches, turkey soup, turkey stew and turkey ice cream. But if this all sounds a bit repetitive to you, it’s time to think of some alternative Christmas dinner ideas.

Try a taste from across the pond with Christmas tacos, a fantastic fruity and spicy dinner alternative. Or treat yourself to a trip to the continent and serve up seafood linguine. If you’re fed up with feeling bloated for half of Christmas Day, opt for something like shrimp and crawfish jambalaya or grilled sea bass with garlic butter.

However, it’s understandable that many will want to keep it traditional even if the turkey doesn’t quite ruffle your truffle this year. In this case, there are many great meaty options to choose from. Something like a honey-roasted ham, a cumin-spiced roast chicken or a marmalade-glazed roast duck will go down very well with roasties and vegetables. And for vegetarians, try a butternut squash Wellington or a squash, chestnut and hazelnut roast wreath.


Christmas panettone

Alternative Christmas desserts

Christmas pudding can be a divisive dessert, no doubt some of you reading this will still have one at the back of your cupboard from two years ago! So maybe it’s time for some Christmas pudding alternatives.

Why not try Christmas panettone pudding, Christmas berry cheesecake, chocolate pavlova with spiced pears, rum baba or a festive Christmas crumble? That Christmas pudding will keep for another year…


Christmas BBQ

Eat completely differently this Christmas

Who says that you have to follow traditional standards when it comes to Christmas dinner? Why not break away from the norm and prepare a BBQ feast this Christmas? 

Take a visit to your local butcher, but instead of choosing a large turkey, instead gather a selection of sausages, burgers, bacon and chicken to cook up. With less preparation and less washing-up after, you can be assured of a day with reduced stress.

For even less stress and washing up, you could always visit your local country pub for your Christmas dinner.


Alternative Christmas decor ideas

A girl putting up simple window decorations

Alternative Christmas decorations

If you’ve had enough of baubles and you’re all tinselled out, then you may find some of these alternative decoration ideas quite inspiring.

You could keep it very low-key and decorate your rooms with muted green garlands, branches and magnolia leaves. Add red berries for a pop of colour during the Christmas period and then remove them but keep the branches to continue the cosy feeling into New Year.

Decorating your windows is a great idea for those short on space or those tall people who are constantly avoiding bumping into ornaments and other decorations hanging from the ceiling. If you’re short on festive embellishments, just hang Christmas cards in the window – from the outside, your home will still look joyous and full of colour.


A Nordic-style ladder decorated with Christmas ornaments

Christmas tree alternatives

Perhaps you are allergic to Christmas trees (it does happen!) and you don’t want to buy a plastic tree, so what do you do? Luckily, there are quite a few good options available to you.

You could decorate a wall by stringing up some fairy lights in a tree shape and filling the centre with ribbons and ornaments. Or maybe use different lengths of foliage and place them horizontally, one on top of the other, starting with the largest at the bottom. Do this above a mantlepiece or on a blank wall to create a near-2D Christmas tree with a difference.

You could decorate your existing plants around the house with subtle trinkets for a really understated look, or go minimalistic by decorating mini ladders in a Nordic style or having mini Christmas trees in multiple rooms.


Homemade crackers

Alternative Christmas crackers

A great alternative Christmas Day idea is to either make your own crackers or buy a DIY kit. These kits are a great way to personalise each cracker, as instead of receiving a small, plastic toy that will no doubt be swept into the bin, you’ll be able to put a small gift into each cracker that will mean something to the recipient. Party hats to go inside can be bought easily online and you could even try writing your own Christmas jokes to go inside too – the cringier, the better.


Themed Christmas

Themed Christmas

Make the most of the festive fun and conduct a themed Christmas break. The fun doesn’t have to stop at the presents, games and activities, and crackers - choose a theme and be as tame or as wild as you like, then get planning your themed day.

Whoever you're spending Christmas with this year, ensure everything keeps in line with the theme and you can be assured of a fun-packed day with a twist. It also makes for some great photos!


A girl putting gifts in a stocking by an open fire

Spend Christmas in a holiday cottage

Don’t host; holiday this Christmas with a stay in one of our festive cottages. Forget putting up the decorations, you’ll feel right at home in our decked-out cottages for an extra-special seasonal treat. 

Christmas cottages

Disclaimer: Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information at the time of writing, please ensure you check carefully before making any decisions based on the contents within this article.