From Yorkshire Puds to Carol Singing: LNER Crowns England and Scotland’s Festive Favourites

The research scored 46 towns and cities on how people there celebrate, how early the Christmas lights go on, the number of festive events nearby, their popularity as a Christmas getaway, and how many cosy pubs have a real fireplace. LNER also surveyed 2,000 adults across England and Scotland to find out how each area celebrates.

The North East of England is the keenest to countdown to Christmas, with more people there than anywhere else saying the season begins as soon as Halloween ends, led by Gen Z, who are five times as likely as Boomers to start celebrating in early November. When it comes to festive dining, the North East loves a Christmas dinner Yorkshire pudding more than anywhere else in Britain (27%), even outpacing its namesake county. Meanwhile, three in four Scots (75%) say their Christmas would be just fine without a mince pie, with only 25% naming them a seasonal favourite compared with 46% of people in the South East. Generational traditions are shifting too: Gen Z are four times as likely as Boomers to go carol singing, and four times as likely as Gen X to attend a Christmas church service.

With its cobbled streets, cathedrals, abbeys and minsters, Yorkshire is made for a traditional Christmas break. York tops the region, with alpine chalets filling its streets from 12 November 2026 and York Minster’s Christmas Tree Festival returning on the 28th of 28 November 2026. Leeds lights up its City Square market with around 200 Christmas trees, while Sheffield’s 50-plus log cabins stay open right up to Boxing Day.

In the North East, Newcastle tops the table. The reveal of Fenwick’s Christmas window has become a much-loved Geordie tradition, and for many, it’s the moment Christmas officially begins. In Darlington, the birthplace of the modern railway, families can meet Santa at the Station at the town’s railway museum, Hopetown. This year, Gateshead’s riverside music venue, The Glasshouse, hosts a packed festive line-up, including The Snowman in Concert.

Meanwhile, Scotland’s party spirit lasts all season. Edinburgh tops the table, with its popular Christmas market in East Princes Street Gardens and the LNER Big Wheel offering views right across the Old Town. Glasgow follows, with its Winter Wonderland spanning two sites this year, including an open-air ice rink on Glasgow Green. Rounding off the top three, Aberdeen’s Christmas Village brings skating to the foot of Marischal College, one of the largest granite buildings in the world.

London remains a magical place to be at Christmas, and the season gets off to a dazzling start when Regent Street’s iconic ‘Spirit of Christmas’ lights switch on from early November. Among the other festive favourites highlighted across Britain are Carols at King’s College Chapel in Cambridge, Birmingham’s Frankfurt Christmas Market, and Brighton’s Burning the Clocks lantern parade on the south coast.

​David Flesher, Commercial Director at LNER, said: “Christmas means something a little different in every community across the LNER route. Whether it’s what belongs on the plate or the traditions we cherish, every region, town or city has its own customs and festive favourites.” 

“This year, we wanted to celebrate with a guide to the places where this special season really comes alive, inspiring people to explore new destinations and discover what makes Christmas unique. Travelling by train means leaving the winter motorway traffic jams behind, relaxing from the moment you step onboard, and arriving right in the centre of the best festive towns and cities.​"     ​ 

To read more about the research, visit:​​​ ​https://www.lner.co.uk/destinations/travel-inspiration/christmas-traditions