Clueless! One in five Brits don’t know Christmas Day is Jesus’ birthday

Jesus

by Emma Dodds |
Published on

A study has found that 20% of British people do NOT know that Christmas Day is the birthday of Jesus Christ.

We know - it seems shocking, but it's true.

Research undertaken by HISTORY, who are launching a new show about the life of Jesus, found that a shocking one in five people were unaware that Jesus was born on Christmas Day.

Although in a lot of primary schools across the country, the Nativity is performed every year at Christmas, it doesn't seem to have been taken in by many Brits.

WATCH: The Loose Women discuss whether we should call God a "She"

One in 20 people thought that Jesus was born at Easter, roughly one in 10 didn't know that the town he is considered to have been born in is Bethlehem, and another 10% didn't know he was born in a stable.

Aren't these all the main points of the Christmas story?!

The study, which surveyed 2,000 British adults, found that one in 20 didn't know his parents were called Mary and Joseph, and three in 10 people didn't know he was thought to be a carpenter or stonemason for an occupation.

Ok, we'll hold our hands up - we wouldn't have immediately remembered that Jesus worked as a carpenter...

GALLERY: These are the most DRAMATIC EastEnders Christmas Day storylines of all time...

Gallery

Eastenders Christmas Day episodes (D slider M stacked)

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CREDIT: BBC

9. Kat and Alfie's shockingly WONDERFUL Christmas love story

Not every EastEnders love story ends in disaster (yes, really!), and on Christmas Day 2005 we were all left stunned after EastEnders' answer to Romeo and Juliet - Kat and Alfie Moon - finally got their happily ever after. Known for their sizzling passion for each other, these two never shied away from a fiery row - private or public. However all seemed doomed for the pair when Alfie took off on Christmas Day leaving heartbroken Kat, shoeless and alone in the Vic. But in modern day Romeo style, Alfie was waiting outside by his Ford Capri to whisk his girl off into the sunset (well, a snowy Albert Square, but still!). #TeamKalfie4eva

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CREDIT: BBC

8. Jamie Mitchell's heartbreaking goodbye

One of EastEnders' saddest Christmas Day moments has to be when we said goodbye to the adorable Jamie Mitchell. His relationship with Sonia may have been short-lived (thanks to Martin Fowler, who accidentally knocked Jamie down in a dramatic hit and run), but it was definitely the real thing. Jamie and Sonia's love story came to a tragic end on Christmas Day 1998, when Jamie took his final breaths in hospital with Sonia by his side as the couple declared their undying love for each other. In true EastEnders style, Jamie's heartbreaking final moments were shown alongside scenes of Mo and Billy's marriage vows to the soundtrack of 'Stand by Me'. Basically, the whole nation was left bawling into their family-sized tubs of Celebrations.

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CREDIT: BBC

7. When Dirty Den served Ange a Divorce for Christmas

We couldn't write an ultimate ranking of EastEnders' most SHOCKING Christmas Day episodes ever without throwing it back to the 80's when Den and Ange were the landlords in the Vic (we know, nostalgia alert). Because who can forget Christmas Day 1986 when Dirty Den presented Ange with a divorce-shaped Crimbo present, after finding out about her cancer lie. Only on EastEnders, eh!

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CREDIT: BBC

6. Max Branning returns to Albert Square on Christmas Da

Christmas Day 2016 saw the totally unexpected and shock return of the infamous Max Branning. After serving an unjust sentence in prison having been falsely accused of Lucy Branning's murder, we see him in the last 30 seconds of the Christmas special going to his only trusted friend, Stacey (also explains where her mystery free turkey came from!) The duff duff left us all gawping at what this meant for Albert Square...especially the Beales....

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CREDIT: BBC

5. When Little Mo FINALLY stood up to evil Trevor

Who remembers Little Mo? Poor, defenseless little Mo that had to suffer at the hands of abusive husband Trevor. The brutally brilliantly written storyline that had us all on the edge of our seats and screaming at our screens was one of the most amazing portrayals of domestic violence I'd ever seen. The most painful Christmas episode we have ever had to sit through as Trevor overflowed Mo's Xmas dinner with gravy after shoving her face in it, saw her later fighting him off before hitting him over head with Pauline's iron.

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CREDIT: BBC

4. The whole Sharon, Phil and Grant love triangle drama…

The Mitchell brothers biggest weakness has always been a pretty Eastend blonde especially in the form of Sharon Mitchell. The whole Sharongate saga went full throttle on Christmas day of 1994 when Grant presented Sharon with divorce papers and a less than jolly 'Merry Christmas'. The episode ended in true Sharon style, hopping into a taxi and fleeing Albert Square...but only for a while of course…

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CREDIT: BBC

3. Evil Archie's last Christmas Day

Evil villain Archie Mitchell had no problem rubbing people up the wrong way and creating a number of enemies during his time in the Eastend. Christmas day 2009 saw us witness the comeuppance of this once undefeatable wrongdoer with a cold murder on the Queen Vic floor, with the legendary bar statue...this had us asking WHO DUN IT for may episodes to come!

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CREDIT: BBC

2. Mick finally finds out about Dean raping Linda

We saw Mick go full Danny Dyer on Christmas Day 2014 when he FINALLY finds out about Dean raping Linda. Faced with fairy lights and rose petals on her bed with a big, shiny engagement ring, Linda finally cracks after months of silence about what happened to her. Mick throttles Dean into the Christmas dinner table forcing Shirley to reveal the truth of their actual brotherhood...what a Christmas day it was for poor Mick...

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CREDIT: BBC

1. Father/Son betrayal; Max and Stacey affair exposed on Christmas Day!

An absolute corker of an episode that is forever imprinted in our memories, as the DVD of Max Branning's affair with daughter-in-law Stacey was revealed to the whole family…(what a moment!) Millions of us with gawped mouths was as poor Bradley was betrayed by both his wife and dad, turning a magical Christmas day into absolute shambles. When it comes to exposing secret affairs, this definitely trumps top!

But it seems that we're also a bit hazy on the other details about the Nativity, as one in 20 people thought one of the three gifts given by the Wise Men was a donkey.

Whilst a very practical gift for that time, it's not quite as romantic as the traditional gifts!

Other people believed that the story also involved a Christmas tree and a turkey dinner - with some even thinking that Father Christmas had a starring role.

Come on, now...

**How good is your knowledge of the Nativity story? Could you name all of these elements of the story? Let us know over on **Facebook and Twitter.

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