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Understanding how various cultures in the UK celebrate the holidays will help you market to them and draw in customers from various ethnic minority groups during this advantageous time.
A report by Finder found that Christmas shopping and spending statistics show that the United Kingdom will spend £20.1 billion on gifts and celebrations, which represents a huge opportunity for brands even though it is 21% less than the £25.5 billion spent in 2021. Given that 13% of the population in the UK is made up of members of racial or ethnic minorities, there is a potential market of £2.6 billion that brands could be missing out on.
In the UK, people from ethnic minority groups may celebrate Christmas in various ways, depending on their cultural traditions and beliefs. Some people may celebrate Christmas similarly to the majority culture by attending church services, exchanging gifts, and having festive meals with their families. Others may celebrate the holiday in a way that reflects their own cultural and religious traditions.
In this post, we will discuss how different cultures celebrate Christmas differently to be more culturally aware during the festive period, ensuring you don't miss out on that £2.6 billion spend. We also have insight into how two of GottaBe!'s team members celebrate Christmas in the UK as people who come from Asian and Indian origins.
John, our Office Administrator, is from the Philippines and has given us insight into how his family traditionally celebrates Christmas. The Philippines is a largely Catholic community where many adhere to the Christmas tradition of Simbang Gabi, where people wake up at the break of dawn for nine days to attend mass. John explained that religion is a big part of his community and celebrations around Christmas; he attends midnight mass and then spends the rest of Christmas day eating food and relaxing with his family.
Indian cultures in the UK celebrate Christmas in various ways, depending on their individual beliefs and traditions. For example, people from an Indian Hindu background do necessarily celebrate Christmas as it is a Western holiday, but Diwali instead, which is the festival of lights, which is around the same time as Christmas. Others may celebrate Christmas combining elements of both Indian and Western traditions, such as by preparing a traditional Indian meal to share with friends and family.
Our Marketing Executive, Rajit, is from India, and he celebrates Christmas in the UK by gathering with his family, visiting the Christmas lights, and enjoying a Christmas lunch and dinner together. This is like how his family celebrates Christmas back in India; they go to church, dine, and party together. So Rajit celebrates by combining both elements of Indian and Western culture.
Like many other cultures, African cultures in the United Kingdom frequently combine religious and secular traditions to celebrate Christmas. Festive concerts, sunny outdoor feasts, and Christmas street parades mark Christmas in Africa. The United Kingdom has a sizable African-descent population, which some celebrate traditionally, such as street parades and festive concerts. However, many may participate in some of the traditional Christmas customs ingrained in British culture, such as carol singing, sending Christmas cards, and attending Christmas parties. Most Africans in the UK celebrate Christmas by attending religious services, decorating their homes with Christmas trees and lights, exchanging gifts, and preparing and enjoying special holiday meals with family and friends.
According to the research we conducted within the UK setting, most cultures celebrate Christmas similarly. It is the concept of gathering the family for a meal, decorating the house, etc.
It's crucial for marketers to understand that adding a personal touch to their campaigns—whether it's a social media post about Diwali or a campaign tailored to support Africans' traditional Christmas celebrations—can help your company tap into the £2.6 billion in spending power that consumers from Ethnic Minorities have at this time of year.
If you fancy taking the first step in representing a significant untapped commercial opportunity, we can help you. GottaBe! Ethnic is a multicultural marketing agency which specialises in representing and targeting consumers from groups of Ethnic Minorities and can help your brand generate Consumer Equality and future-proof your business.
