With less than two months to go until the main event, this Christmas many of us will be making plans for other festive celebrations in the countdown. These celebrations may be organised activities, such as light walks, Christmas markets or workplace parties or more informal get-togethers with family and friends.

What could this mean for consumption occasions? Will we be heading out to catch up with people in bars and restaurants? Will we see trading-up happening for at home activities? As new products and Christmas ranges continue to arrive in stores, will consumers be more open to trying something new?

At IGD we have been exploring different consumption occasions over the last year and have identified five common factors that make up each occasion; the level of planning, who it is with, the frequency it happens, where it takes place, and the role of food and drink. What will this mean for festive occasions this year?

1. Elevate the everyday occasion: coffee gets festive

One of the most frequent consumption occasions is going for or getting a coffee on the go.  Festive and seasonal menus are a great example of encouraging consumers to make small trade ups to elevate their functional daily habit.

In the summer months we saw innovation in iced drinks driving increased average spend in the drinks mission. What could festive innovation drive? With seasonal drink menus already live will consumers choose to treat themselves to some festive upgrades?

2. Will we all be competing with our colleagues?

The leisure sector, which includes sports stadia, visitor attractions and entertainment venues, is growing ahead of the total away from home market, at 5% CAGR from 2025 to 2030.  These environments blend activities and experiences with food and beverages.

The majority of out of home occasions involve partners or friends. In March 2025, just 5% of out of home occasions took place with colleagues. However, end of year celebrations will likely result in more workplace activities. To make these occasions more inclusive, more workplaces may opt for competitive socialising outlets for their workplace celebrations. Taking the main focus away from food and drink and dialling up other elements of the occasion, like the overall experience.

3.Taking in home dining to a new level

The development in prepared meal solutions in recent years has been significant. However, the last month has seen the next evolution with ultra-premium ranges launching at Tesco and Sainsbury’s alongside a new range from Charlie Bingham available at selected Waitrose stores. These ranges are designed to enable consumers to re-create restaurant quality meals at home for a lower cost.

As shoppers continue to be a little cautious about their financial outlook alongside uncertainty around the upcoming budget, it is likely to mean they will continue to keep a close eye on their spending. These meal solutions enable consumers to elevate an in-home occasion while still being more affordable than dining out.

To keep up with how Christmas 2025 develops:

• Visit ShopperVista at the end of November to see our pre-Christmas research about how shoppers are thinking about the event.

• Go to Retail Analysis to see how in-store activations are being brought to life in the UK and globally.

• See our Away From Home site to appreciate how its sectors are approaching the event and aiming to win share from dine-in occasions.