BBCWhen it comes to Christmas in London, it’s a mixed bag of traditions and flavours from all over the world.
From roast turkey with Iranian sides to Indian curries and Hanukkah doughnuts. These are just some of the ways Londoners are celebrating the season.
In Croydon, Pooja’s Christmas morning begins with a traditional Gujarati breakfast before attention turns to presents.
Her son Aarav knows exactly what he enjoys most about Christmas – opening gifts. His sister Niya says she enjoys the “yummy food” on Christmas Day.
Pooja grew up in a Hindu Gujarati household in south London where Christmas was quiet and centred on family.
She said: “We didn’t really do presents. It was about being together – playing games and eating vegetarian food like samosas and kachoris.”
Over time, those traditions have shifted. Since getting married and having children, Pooja has gradually expanded the menu.
Chicken curry and rice are now a Christmas staple, and last year the family tried a Christmas roast for the first time.
“We had all the trimmings – just not the Brussels sprouts,” she said.
Still, holding on to Gujarati traditions is significant to her. “It’s important my children understand where we come from,” she added.
That balance plays out in small moments around the house. Last year, when Pooja’s grandmother visited, she was shocked to see a Christmas tree in the lounge.
Pooja remembers her son plugging in the lights and saying: “Look grandma – it’s just like Diwali.”
“His grandma laughed,” Pooja said.
Living a few miles away from Pooja are Deborah and her family.
Deborah, who is Christian, remembers how Christmas was not part of her husband Omid’s life when they first met.
“Omid had never celebrated Christmas before as he comes from an Iranian Muslim background,” she said.
Instead of presents, he sent Deborah a calendar invite titled “multicultural goodies exchange”.
“We’ve been exchanging goodies ever since,” she chuckled.
This year, for the first time, Deborah will host her Iranian in-laws on Christmas Day, as well as her Swedish sister-in-law. “So we’ll blend all our cultures and have a big buffet where we all share and have a good time,” she said.
For Omid, he sees many similarities in Christmas with Nowruz, the Iranian New Year. “Ultimately, both are about bringing family together,” he said.
That idea of shared meaning is echoed across other parts of London.
In Walthamstow, Daniel and Rachel are also navigating December as a mixed, multi-faith couple.
Daniel is Jewish, while Rachel describes herself as a non-practising Christian.
This year, Hanukkah has come before Christmas, filling their home with lit menorah candles, doughnuts and games of dreidel – alongside a Christmas tree and wrapped presents.
“We do everything British Christmas is known for – the presents, the turkey, the mince pies,” Rachel said.
Daniel said: “Hanukkah holds similar values to Christmas. It’s about family, belonging, being together, eating lots of food and sharing a lot of love.”
“And it’s also about Dennis Bergkamp,” he added, laughing.
PA MediaThese families offer a glimpse of how some Londoners blend cultures at home during the festive season.
As Rachel says: “London is amazing because there are so many people of different faiths and identities.
“Over the Christmas period, the schools all close, but not everybody is celebrating Christmas.
“It becomes less about religion, and more about the festivities of togetherness.”
