Ever wondered what your favourite YouTubers get up to over Christmas? Us too!
TenEighty caught up with 25 content creators that we love dearly to find out what presents they hope to get, learn about their Christmas day traditions and much more. So sit down round our rather large dinner table, pull a few crackers and don a paper crown as we carve-up a YouTube-packed feast. (Oh shush, you try puns!)
Emma Blackery
Emma Blackery performing at Upload Tour 3 at the O2 Islington Academy, London in May 2014
What’s your perfect Christmas and do you have any unique traditions?
Spending time with my little brother and sister, who I don’t get to see much because of work. For me, Christmas is about them, and seeing their faces light up.
As for traditions, my family is probably the least festive family you’ll meet! We tend to get each other presents around a month before Christmas and just give them to each other unwrapped early and get the adult Christmas out of the way!
Strange to some, but that’s how it’s been for the past few years. We focus on the little ones on the actual day.
What would you like to find under your Christmas tree this year?
Haha, a boat. Someone buy me a boat.
What’s the best present you’ve given to someone else, who was it, and why?
I think the best present I’ve ever bought someone was a designer purse for my mum. I saved up for ages to get it for her because I remember as a kid growing up with very little money.
She’d always talk about this certain brand of purses and handbags that she always loved but couldn’t afford. It was nice to see her finally have something she’d always wanted.
If you could invite any YouTuber round for Christmas dinner, who would it be and why?
I think that one’s probably very obvious! I’d invite Luke [Cutforth] over for a vegan dinner and cuddles.
Sam King
Sam King (far right) at the Project Six meet-and-greet at Summer in the City 2014
What’s your perfect Christmas and do you have any unique traditions?
I think my idea of a perfect Christmas would be how it is for me every year, I like being with my small family group and just being in the company of people I don’t see often.
I wouldn’t want anything different as that wouldn’t be my family!
What would you like to find under your Christmas tree this year?
I’d love to see a new tripod. Currently I have to duct-tape my camera to my current one! I’m a professional… I swear.
What’s the best present you’ve given to someone else, who was it, and why?
This year me and my friends are doing something called ‘Secret Banter’ – it’s like ‘Secret Santa’ but instead of getting them a good gift you have to get them something bad.
I hope my friend is going to be happy with £5 worth of bricks I got off a village selling page…
If you could invite any YouTuber round for Christmas dinner, who would it be and why?
I think I would probably invite Tyler Oakley over for Christmas, I could imagine him being as excited as a child on Christmas day and I think him and my Nan would get on great.
Alex Bertie
Alex (far right) on the LGBTQ+ Panel at Summer in the City 2014
What’s your perfect Christmas and do you have any unique traditions?
My idea of a perfect Christmas would just be having everyone under the same roof for a little while. We’re all so busy it’s rare these days!
As for unique traditions: unless you could count the annual Google of ‘which way up does the turkey foil go’ were pretty standard.
What would you like to find under your Christmas tree this year?
Under the tree this year I’d really like Benedict Cumberbatch but I’ll play it safe and say something like a new TV for my console collection.
What’s the best present you’ve given to someone else, who was it, and why?
The best present I’ve ever given. I’m going to say Star Trek shirts for my parents because they’re massive nerds and don’t ever ask for much.
If you could invite any YouTuber round for Christmas dinner, who would it be and why?
The YouTuber I want round for Christmas is Jake [Edwards] because he’s top nugget, my family love him and he’ll definitely make things more festive.
Chloe Dungate
Chloe Dungate presenting her first #Vlog4Good video for Save The Children
What’s your perfect Christmas and do you have any unique traditions?
My perfect Christmas is yet to happen, but it would involve elegant evening gowns, a grand piano, a fireplace and New York City.
It would preferably be in black and white and there’d be some dude in a damn fine suit… But this is negotiable.
One unique tradition is that every year, my brother and I compete with who can give the other the most nostalgic gift. I won last year with a CD-Rom from 1994.
What would you like to find under your Christmas tree this year?
A Canon 600D, a Toblerone and Daniel Radcliffe.
What’s the best present you’ve given to someone else, who was it, and why?
Not the best, but definitely the funniest. In Year 10, every day in December, I stole one thing from my friend’s locker, and then gave them all back to her, individually wrapped, on the last day of school.
If you could invite any YouTuber round for Christmas dinner, who would it be and why?
Honestly, probably Charlie McDonnell. He’s so sweet and polite, my family wouldn’t mind that I’d invited a stranger to dinner. We’d probably have to play Pictionary and watch The Grinch and then I would apologise to him a lot.
My little brother would insist on showing him how good he is at skateboarding. That’s literally about it.
Lou Foulkes
What’s your perfect Christmas and do you have any unique traditions?
I can’t imagine a Christmas anywhere other than home, aside from maybe New York, and I’m quite happy to spend the whole day punishing my body with fatty food and alcohol.
As for traditions, when my sister, brother and I were kids, my mum used to buy us all new pyjamas to wear on Christmas eve night.
My mum is also vegetarian, so for a while we didn’t actually have a “proper” christmas dinner, though years of constant nagging for a turkey have paid off, and in the last few years we’ve had turkey, stuffing and all the trimmings (though she just eats the vegetables).
What would you like to find under your Christmas tree this year?
It would be cool to find a Nando’s black card under my tree but more realistically I’d quite like a leather jacket.
What’s the best present you’ve given to someone else, who was it, and why?
I gave my stepdad a Cliff Richard calendar last Christmas, not because he likes Cliff Richard, but because it was hilarious to see the disappointment in his eyes.
If you could invite any YouTuber round for Christmas dinner, who would it be and why?
Probably Hank Green so we could record a Christmas album together.
Myles Wheeler
We featured Myles’s Brewsters Spruce Pit in one of November’s Weekly Round-Ups
What’s your perfect Christmas and do you have any unique traditions?
A perfect Christmas for me is eating so much food I feel nothing but regret. Delicious regret. And family! That’s important. Delicious family.
I don’t have any unique traditions because everything on Christmas shared with my family, but I’m content that I get to share un-unique traditions with anyone.
What would you like to find under your Christmas tree this year?
Guardians of the Galaxy DVD
What’s the best present you’ve given to someone else, who was it, and why?
Wrapped up an apple once and gave it to my friend whose allergic to apples.
If you could invite any YouTuber round for Christmas dinner, who would it be and why?
I’d invite John Green for dinner. What would we do? Eat dinner. Why? Because it’s dinner.
Candice Cathers
What’s your perfect Christmas and do you have any unique traditions?
I like to do a lot of reading, a lot of eating and a lot of sleeping.
My only family tradition is that every Christmas, my whole family watches the Father Ted Christmas special whilst eating copious amounts of chocolate.
What would you like to find under your Christmas tree this year?
A week off! I don’t want anything apart from a really nice sleep and an empty to-do list.
What’s the best present you’ve given to someone else, who was it, and why?
A few years ago, I gave my fiancé (then boyfriend) a mix CD. It wasn’t just any mix CD though, I stayed up until 2am designing a lyric booklet and illustrating every page.
It was so cheap but it was an unbeatable gift. I still see it upstairs in our house sometimes and think ‘gosh, that was a great gift.’
If you could invite any YouTuber round for Christmas dinner, who would it be and why?
Kina Grannis? Someone who sings so I can just make them sing at me all day. The only thing better than a great singer is a great singer singing Christmas carols.
Mark Ludford
Mark was featured in one of August’s Weekly Round-Ups for his coming out video
What’s your perfect Christmas and do you have any unique traditions?
An argument-free day with the family. But my family always argue, so there’s no chance!
A nice little tradition we have is playing board games after Christmas dinner (which is, for the most part, why we argue). My Nana bought Cluedo for us to play this year after I told her I’d never played it, which is adorable, I love my nan.
What would you like to find under your Christmas tree this year?
I’d like to say a new laptop and a camera lens, but I just ask for money nowadays so I can go out and get stuff I want. If I asked my family to get me a new camera lens they’d probably get me a fish-eye for my iPhone.
What’s the best present you’ve given to someone else, who was it, and why?
I’m kinda ashamed to admit that I don’t have one. I never had a job until recently, so every year I’ve only been able to get DVDs and books for people, because it was all I could afford.
But I got a job about a month ago, so this year I’m going all out for the first time. I got my Dad tickets to see Spandau Ballet, I think he’ll love that.
If you could invite any YouTuber round for Christmas dinner, who would it be and why?
Lindsay Atkin, definitely. She could help my mum out with the cooking, I bet she makes a cracking roast. She’s a lovely and genuinely warm person and I think she’d lighten up any occasion.
Paul Neafcy
One of Neafcy’s (left) guests during his YouTube Movie Deal series was Charlie McDonnell
What’s your perfect Christmas and do you have any unique traditions?
My perfect christmas is pretty straightforward. Home, family, presents, booze, disappointment at the Doctor Who Christmas special. The usual.
What would you like to find under your Christmas tree this year?
I would like to find a Scrooge McDuck-style pool of money under my tree this year.
What’s the best present you’ve given to someone else, who was it, and why?
I got my Dad a signed picture of Miranda Otto from Lord of the Rings because he’s a massive nerd.
If you could invite any YouTuber round for Christmas dinner, who would it be and why?
I would invite Khyan [Mansley] to christmas dinner to rescue him from this kind of thing.
Cherry Wallis
We featured Cherry in one of December’s Style Slice columns
What’s your perfect Christmas and do you have any unique traditions?
Honestly, this is going to sound boring – but my perfect Christmas would be just with all of my family, and getting to see my closest friends!
What would you like to find under your Christmas tree this year?
The Salvatore brothers from The Vampire Diaries! Or the new Pokemon game!
What’s the best present you’ve given to someone else, who was it, and why?
I used to make cute scrapbooks for people who meant a lot to me – as I think gifts like that mean a lot more.
If you could invite any YouTuber round for Christmas dinner, who would it be and why?
I would invite the Shaytards – because that would be the BIGGEST Christmas dinner in history – I watch all of their vlogs without fail, wonderful family!
Mawaan Rizwan
Mawaan at the screening of his short film at The BFI, London in May
What’s your perfect Christmas and do you have any unique traditions?
My dad not avoiding my calls.
As for traditions, I like to cycle around London wearing nothing but the socks I always get gifted from a particularly imaginative friend of mine.
It’s the only time London streets are empty and quiet so I might as well make the most of it. Besides, being naked in public is the only time I feel alive.
What would you like to find under your Christmas tree this year?
A P45. I hate my job.
What’s the best present you’ve given to someone else, who was it, and why?
I gave my sister a hand painted calendar. Every page had a different picture of a family member taken on that specific month; it literally took me a year to make.
I really wanted to show my sister that I could be just as emotionally invested in something as her! A few months later I spotted it in my sister’s basement covered in cat piss.
If you could invite any YouTuber round for Christmas dinner, who would it be and why?
I’d invite Jamal Edwards from SBTV, force him to dress up in a kinky Santa outfit while I sang seductive Christmas carols and flirted like a beast.
Jonti Picking
Mr. Weebl himself performing Amazing Horse at Summer in the City 2014
What’s your perfect Christmas and do you have any unique traditions?
Not having to work for a few days and spending some time with my kids putting toys together. Best bit to be honest. I love it when they get some Lego.
We don’t really have many traditions yet as they’re still young and there’s been a lot of poo to clean up generally so far. Is cleaning up someone else’s festive droppings unique?
We once had to throw out an entire sofa thanks to some particularly Christmassy projectile pooping. So yeah… Getting rid of soft furnishings.
What would you like to find under your Christmas tree this year?
A fair playing field for online animators from YouTube? If not then a bottle of a drink called Mumblings of an Old Man. I just really like the name.
What’s the best present you’ve given to someone else, who was it, and why?
I don’t know. I nearly proposed to my wife at Christmas but I could tell that’s what she wanted so I delayed it to New Years Eve because that’s just the kind of guy I am. A gigantic troll. I don’t know why she said yes to be honest…
If you could invite any YouTuber round for Christmas dinner, who would it be and why?
If I have to pick one then it would have to be someone fun. Also I don’t want them to talk about work stuff.
Let’s say Hazel Hayes. She’s good in weird social situations and knows her way around a potato so she can help out cooking. I bet she’s good a Cards Against Humanity too. I would not make her deal with any poop.
Grace and Amelia Mandeville
Amelia and Grace moved to their new channel at the end of last year
What’s your perfect Christmas and do you have any unique traditions?
G: I think our idea of a perfect Christmas, is playing games with the whole of the family, relaxing, having a few drinks and eating lots of food.
A: What I love about Christmas with our family is the fact that everyone is happy, and I suppose our Christmas tradition is going out on christmas eve to a restaurant (usually Pizza Express).
What would you like to find under your Christmas tree this year?
G: To be honest I haven’t thought about it, though I expect to have hair slides, deodorant and hairbands in our stocking- it’s usually a christmas stocking standard for me and Amelia from my mum. Though we laugh about it every year, I now ironically get disappointed if I don’t get them.
A: Don’t laugh, but I really want Billy Elliot Live on DVD, though our DVD player is broken and I don’t have a laptop… I just love Billy Elliot so much!
What’s the best present you’ve given to someone else, who was it, and why?
G: Probably the best present I bought was for Amelia last year, her obsession for Billy Elliot started around October so I decided to buy her tickets to see it in the West End for Christmas (yes her obsession has now lasted an entire year).
I think it was probably the best one i’ve bought because it was a complete and utter surprise for Amelia, she definitely was not expecting it!
A: Erm… because I worked for John Lewis last year I took full advantage of the discount and decided to buy my mum some fancy makeup, Chanel all round (every girl needs some Chanel, right?)
If you could invite any YouTuber round for Christmas dinner, who would it be and why?
G&A: We have to answer this one together because we both feel that Louise [Pentland] would be awesome to have round for Christmas dinner, especially if she brought Darcy, charades would absolutely be played!
Brad Smith
Brad (left) with former WOTO member Liam Jackson at MCM Comic Con’s VidFest in May
What’s your perfect Christmas and do you have any unique traditions?
My perfect Christmas is to not actually have Christmas. I don’t celebrate it personally, but my family does so I usually go and do ‘the Christmas thing’ for them.
This year will be the first year that I don’t go home for Christmas Day I figure if I want to spend time with my family I will just do it whenever I like!
Instead I’m going on a trip to Brighton so I guess my unique Christmas tradition is to not celebrate Christmas!? Haha! Bah humbug!
What would you like to find under your Christmas tree this year?
I’m in dire need of a new laptop or computer of any kind. I think mine’s on it’s last legs so something that can edit my videos would be good or we might see the end of WOTO…
What’s the best present you’ve given to someone else, who was it, and why?
I pretty much only buy my mum a Christmas present since I don’t really do Christmas. She only ever wants fairly boring things like perfume or a bathroom products.
Although this one time I did buy my brother a komodo dragon for Christmas, he named him ‘Killer’ which is ironic really. I don’t have a brother anymore.
If you could invite any YouTuber round for Christmas dinner, who would it be and why?
SORTED Food. So they would cook the dinner for me. There is no way I could cook an edible Christmas dinner for another YouTuber and the shame would haunt me forever.
I would probably even struggle with the turkey sandwiches on Boxing Day. Plus those guys look like a good time!
Quinn Humphreys
Quinn sharing his experience at Summer in the City 2014
What’s your perfect Christmas and do you have any unique traditions?
I guess spending time with my family at home with my granny in the corner moaning about how much my parents have been spending on us. That’s a good christmas to me.
What would you like to find under your Christmas tree this year?
Ideally I’d like to find Nathan Li, but more realistically speaking, I’m hoping for a new laptop in order to help me study music production at college next year.
What’s the best present you’ve given to someone else, who was it, and why?
I once shared two onesies with my friend Charlie, we both donned Ray-Bans and walked around our village. It was magical.
If you could invite any YouTuber round for Christmas dinner, who would it be and why?
I’d invite Ray Roberts because he has an astounding dress sense and knows how to party. We’d probably play Twister and end up on the Wii at some point. It would be great.
Lindsay Atkin
Lindsay at the TenEighty cover shoot which accompanied our interview with her
What’s your perfect Christmas and do you have any unique traditions?
Being with my family. I love to cook a huge meal, roast and all the trimmings with my veggie alternative, too. If the weather’s fine we may go for a walk.
What would you like to find under your Christmas tree this year?
A bobble hat, because mine’s gone a bit floppy! I’m not too bothered about my presents; being together with the family’s what’s important to me.
What’s the best present you’ve given to someone else, who was it, and why?
This is really hard as I’ve never thought of myself as very good at thinking of clever presents. As a primary school teacher I’m always so busy during the run-up to Christmas that I always feel my choices are a bit rushed.
Memorable presents include when I was a little girl, saving up my pocket money and buying my mum bath cubes from our village chemist. I don’t think they even make those these days. They were pretty awful but I meant well, obviously!
If you could invite any YouTuber round for Christmas dinner, who would it be and why?
Everyone from TenEighty – would love to cook for you all!
Jack Dean
What’s your perfect Christmas and do you have any unique traditions?
Christmas does turn me into a bit of a softy, I hate to admit. My idea of a perfect Christmas would be exactly what you’d expect from the cheesy movies.
Warm fires, lots of food, dead cats, family, and a shit load of snow. As traditional as it gets.
What would you like to find under your Christmas tree this year?
I’m assuming Laura Whitemore will have only just returned home from filming in Australia for I’m A Celebrity…, so I guess Rosie Huntington will do. Lovely stuff.
But if Rosie’s busy too, I’ll take any fairly attractive blonde lady who is fond of below average guys with braces.
What’s the best present you’ve given to someone else, who was it, and why?
I’d caught the last train home on Christmas Eve last year, and on my walk home in the cold, I bought a hot-chocolate & a scratch-card from a local garage. I won £50 on it.
I decided I’d give it to a homeless bloke who regular chatted to me on my lunch break. I can only hope he bought a decent present from himself. He could of bought drugs though… So maybe drugs?
If you could invite any YouTuber round for Christmas dinner, who would it be and why?
I tend to nod and agree to a lot of the opinions Jack Howard shares in his vlogs, so I reckon I could probably nod and agree with those same opinions over a turkey leg.
Pete Bucknall
Pete (far left) with Gary C at Summer in the City 2014
What’s your perfect Christmas and do you have any unique traditions?
Surprisingly, a quiet one! Just me, mum, Nan and the Dog. Regarding traditions: I think the dog gets more cards and presents than I do!
What would you like to find under your Christmas tree this year?
If Santa could fit a baby grand piano under the tree somehow… that’d be fabulous!
What’s the best present you’ve given to someone else, who was it, and why?
I gave my best friend my electric scooter when I was younger because he wouldn’t stop going on about how much he desperately wanted one. How good a friend am I?!
If you could invite any YouTuber round for Christmas dinner, who would it be and why?
I feel like the Epic Meal Time guys would definitely be the best choice for cooking! In terms of company, I reckon Louis [Cole] would have some awesome travel stories.
Laura Bubble
Laura (far right) featured on the Comedy Panel at Summer in the City 2014
What’s your perfect Christmas and do you have any unique traditions?
My perfect Christmas definitely involves spending time with all my family and eating lots!
However lazy it sounds, my usual Christmas traditions is watching lots of Christmas films on TV and I always meet up with some friends for drinks and secret santa every year.
What would you like to find under your Christmas tree this year?
The new Pokemon game!
What’s the best present you’ve given to someone else, who was it, and why?
I try to personalise my gifts so last year I gave my older brother a photo of digital art I’d made, summing up his life in quotes and pictures. I also personalise everyone’s Christmas cards with photos and a different joke on each.
If you could invite any YouTuber round for Christmas dinner, who would it be and why?
Natalie Tran because not only is she hilarious but I could finally get the chance to meet my favourite YouTuber!
Jamie Pine
What’s your perfect Christmas and do you have any unique traditions?
Christmas for me is all about spending time with the people you care about, I’m not religious at all; you won’t find me in church this year, but I think it’s a great time to relax, be happy and appreciate life.
What would you like to find under your Christmas tree this year?
What I would like and what I will get are two very different things. However I am at a point in my life where the physical value of a gift doesn’t matter to me, if someone put a pair of socks in a massive box and wrapped it up I’d find it hilarious. The laughter matters more.
What’s the best present you’ve given to someone else, who was it, and why?
I got my dad socks three years running.
If you could invite any YouTuber round for Christmas dinner, who would it be and why?
Tyler Oakley! I mean who wouldn’t want to hear that laugh over dinner. Although my boyfriend would most likely kill me if I didn’t invite Connor Franta.
Ania Mags
Ania was featured in one of May’s Weekly Round-Ups
What’s your perfect Christmas and do you have any unique traditions?
My perfect Christmas is one where I don’t win a bottle opener in a Christmas cracker.
What would you like to find under your Christmas tree this year?
A million subscribers.
What’s the best present you’ve given to someone else, who was it, and why?
I gave my parents tickets to a gin tasting course which was probably the best Christmas present I’ve ever given as it wasn’t handmade.
If you could invite any YouTuber round for Christmas dinner, who would it be and why?
Probably The Janoskians so I could see if they’d all fit inside a turkey and survive.
Doug Armstrong
Doug picked up a silver play-button at Summer in the City 2014 for surpassing 100K subscribers
What’s your perfect Christmas and do you have any unique traditions?
Food, food, presents, food. Pretty much it for me, Just all about the many big meals and desserts *_*
What would you like to find under your Christmas tree this year?
My family stopped doing big presents as I grew up, so I don’t really expect much, if I really want something I work hard, save up and buy it. That said I do really want a digital piano right now.
What’s the best present you’ve given to someone else, who was it, and why?
I got my grandparents both a ‘From You to Me‘ book a few years ago whereby they fill in details and stories from their life and leave them behind when they pass. Unfortunately I may be reading them sooner than I’d hoped, but I’m so glad I thought of it a few years ago.
If you could invite any YouTuber round for Christmas dinner, who would it be and why?
Casey Neistat, we’d eat And drinks lots, And have geeky conversations about filmmaking. He’s such an interesting guy and tells such engaging stories that I could never get bored.
Dodie Clark
Dodie (left) came top of our 5 of the Best: YouTuber Whispers list which featured Hannah Witton
What’s your perfect Christmas and do you have any unique traditions?
My idea of a perfect christmas is to be surrounded by my friends, christmas trees, cinnamon smells and music. (And free wine!)
What would you like to find under your Christmas tree this year?
Is it really lame to say a new lens? It is really lame. OK.
I’m a sucker for stationary; thick notebooks, calendars, coloured pens. I’M STILL BEING LAME. I’d like a outdoor play set with slides and monkey bars. Not sure if that would fit under the tree.
What’s the best present you’ve given to someone else, who was it, and why?
I like to like memory books for friends I’m really close to. Me and my best friend Alice used to have a competition of who could give the best present.
One year I made her an ‘Alice and Dodie movie’ by editing all of the footage I had taken over the years. Yes, I was using a camera before I joined YouTube!
If you could invite any YouTuber round for Christmas dinner, who would it be and why?
Oh my goodness! I’d invite Olan Rogers. And his cat. I’d ask him to read me and my friends stories.
Luke Cutforth
Luke appearing on one of the main stage panels at Summer in the City 2014
What’s your perfect Christmas and do you have any unique traditions?
I love Christmas at my Granny’s house in Scotland. She lives way up in the north in this tiny village. I have two uncles up there, an auntie, my gran, her dog and my little baby cousin. It’s where I’m going this year and it’s always lovely.
My mum always insists on reading me and my sister The Night Before Christmas every year. It’s awkward and horrific but still, a tradition!
What would you like to find under your Christmas tree this year?
I honestly have no idea. The weird thing about growing up is you start to be in control of your money and end up just buying things when you want them! What I’d love to find to be honest is something that I really wanted but totally forgot I wanted. That would be great.
What’s the best present you’ve given to someone else, who was it, and why?
This year was finally the first year I’ve known something my dad really really wants for Christmas. He wants an iPad so I decided that, while its a lot, I owe my parents everything for how they brought me up so that’s what I’m getting him. I know he wants one which makes it so exciting.
If you could invite any YouTuber round for Christmas dinner, who would it be and why?
To be honest, soppy as hell but Emma [Blackery], my girlfriend. I’ve never spent Christmas with anyone but my family but I know I’ll miss her while I’m away. We would just have a nice time like we always do, and relax (we don’t get to relax much!).
Don’t we spoil you for Christmas here at TenEighty?
But we’ve got MORE. All these YouTubers will be back next week to talk about their favourite moments from 2014 and to tell us how the New Year is shaping up for them, so make sure you join us then. Until then, Merry Christmas from everyone at TenEighty!
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