Christmas is a time of year that is full of traditions, from the festive carols to the fairy lights on the Christmas tree.
One of the most established of them all though is that of eating turkey for Christmas dinner. So, what is the story behind this particular festive staple?
What makes the British love affair with turkey at Christmas all the odder is that it is not even a bird that is native to the country. Turkeys only started to be imported into Britain during the 16th century. They are said to have been a festive favourite of Henry VIII at that time, but were not consumed by the common folk.
In fact, it would take another four centuries for turkeys to graduate from being specialty dishes to something at the centre of Christmas dinner for most people. Once again, it was down to royalty to make it happen.
King Edward VII was the UK monarch for just nine years in the early 20th century, but he made his mark. One of the lasting gifts he left for his country was the tradition of eating a turkey on Christmas Day. His enthusiasm for the bird popularised it, but there were also other factors involved.
Farmers favoured turkeys being eaten as the festive meal, because it meant there was less demand for chickens or cows. This meant they could be kept for producing eggs and milk respectively.
Whatever the reasons, it looks like the festive bird will remain on plates across the UK for many years to come.