Britain's Poles and Anglicans look forward to Christmas. But traditions and attitudes differ in the two religious communities.

Polish-born Londoner Alicja Borkowska told George Matlock's London Bridge on Anglo-Polish Radio ORLA.fm that she has difficulty finding all the ingredients she needs to make a Polish Christmas for her young family. Although she lives in a part of east London where Polish stores are less abundant than in other parts of the capital, Alicja faced thousands of other Polish households competing to buy the ingredients that make a Polish Christmas.

Bronek Korwin-Kamienski, who runs a Polish delicatessan and catering business in west London, said that the economic crisis was not hurting sales.

"Although some customers are trying to be cautious about what they buy, we have noticed that if anything, we are now seeing customers whom we don't see all year coming to the shop to buy Christmas ingredients," said Korwin-Kamienski.

Borkowska said that, unlike in Poland where the Christmas tree is dressed on December 24, this year she was decorating her tree several days earlier, in the same way as most Anglicans install their trees at home.

For Polish Roman Catholics, Christmas Eve's Wigilia is the main event, and 12 courses of non-meat dishes are served. Children will later unpack their gifts under the Christmas tree. In contrast, for Anglicans the presents are only placed under the tree by Santa Claus on Christmas Eve and childen open their presents on Christmas morning, December 25, before an abundant meal is served, which includes turkey, Brussels sprouts, cranberry sauce and Christmas Pudding, sometimes called Plum pudding.

"But there is one similarity between the two traditions: the concept of a meal for the whole family to share as well as remembering the borth of Lord Jesus Christ.

But as times change, so certain traditions are vanishing, rather than converging with other Christian denominations.

"In the past, before supermarkets existed, the food we laid on the table was more seasonal. And the beetroot soup was made months in advance and then served on Christmas Eve," said Korwin-Kamienski. "Now things are more instant, sometimes out of a packet."

Liz Walker, born in Nottingham to Polish parents, said she was brought up with Polish Christmas traditions - and not the English traditions.

"But one thing which I worry about is that Polish customs are under threat from the American and British cultures. It's too commercial. In particular, I am concerned that Christmas is being portrayed as stressful and a time of family conflict. This comes about because people are being socially-pressured to showcase the perfect Christmas. The perfect food. The perfect presents. People get worried about achieving this. But people forget what Christmas is really about - remembering the birth of baby Jesus and being together with the family," Walker said.

"People forget that Christmas tradtions were only re-introduced in Britain in the 1820s. So we have a lot to protect I feel," she added.