The average Brit spends 41 hours and 37 minutes preparing for Christmas on jobs such as food and gift shopping, decorating the home and selecting the perfect tree. Jobs such as cleaning ahead of Christmas Day takes an average of four hours and 12 minutes whilst food shopping takes three hours and 28 minutes.
The new report of 2,000 UK adults from Samsung revealed it takes an average of six hours and 42 minutes to shop for gifts for loved ones but just two hours and 41 minutes to wrap everything up. When it comes to decorating, just over two-and-a-half hours are set aside to get the home looking its festive best – and the Christmas tree alone takes nearly 40 minutes to prepare.
For those buying a new tree, they will spend around 21 minutes mulling over their options for the perfect centrepiece for the living room. The research was commissioned by Samsung, which has partnered with Fearne Cotton to reveal how she plans her Christmas and what she enjoys the most.
Fearne said: “Christmas trends to really kickstart for me, once I’ve had my first mulled wine, that’s when I really feel it’s happening, it’s on… it’s the taste of Christmas. My favourite Christmas thing is to watch a Christmas film with the kids, that’s a blissful moment. We watched a Boy Called Christmas last year and just loved every second of getting really cosy under a blanket.”
When discussing the prep for Christmas dinner, Fearne added: "My husband is a really good cook, so he tends to do all of the meat, the turkey and all that jazz and then we share the veg and I do the pud.”
The study also highlighted Brits opinion on the best Christmas tree with 54% of the belief that being tastefully decorated is the key sign it is a good tree. While 35% want a Christmas tree which isn’t wilting by the time the 25th December rolls around, and 30% want to ensure theirs is wide and bushy.
When it comes to getting in the festive mood, decorating the tree is the top task to feel Christmassy, followed by wrapping and shopping for gifts. More than four in 10 (41%) also start to feel festive when they are making plans to catch up with friends and family throughout December.
When it comes to welcoming people over the festive season, the average adult will spend as long as four hours and 12 minutes tidying the house. After the festivities and between the Christmas Eve and Boxing Day period, Brits spend over three hours in the kitchen cleaning up. Although 48% recognise their family makes more mess over the festive season, with 41% admitting they would rather be hosted than host at Christmas.
The research also found 41% rely heavily on their smartphones to get ready for the festive celebrations. The brand partnership sees Fearne promoting the latest device in Samsung’s foldables range, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4.
When asked about using technology at Christmas Fearne said: “The most obvious, brilliant thing we can use tech for is connections with other humans whether its chatting to someone on the other side of the planet or texting one of your best mates. I think it’s integral that if you feel lonely at Christmas that you do reach out and talk to other people that you know are there for you and want to have a friendly chat and make you laugh or just sit there and listen to you.”
28% use their device to do their shopping on-the-go, while 28% also make a multitude of to-do lists on their phones to keep on top of their tasks. Music is also planned with technology as 16% claim they rely on their smartphone to make the ultimate Christmas playlist.
Fearne added: "I love Christmas songs. I don’t even get bored of them; I listen to the same ones every year. U think Mariah Carey, all though totally obvious and a cliché, is still the best, but I’m no stranger to a Rat Pack Christmas album – whole album listening to Frank crooning away with Dean, yes please”
Annika Bizon, Marketing and Omnichannel Director at Samsung said: "As Fearne mentions, one of the best things we utilise our technology for is maintaining those all-important connections with loved ones. Whether you’re contacting someone on the other side of the world or wanting to message your friends on Christmas Day, the power of technology enables us to do that seamlessly. “
CHRISTMAS PREP AND CLEANING BY NUMBERS
· Overall Christmas prep 41hrs 37mins
· Food shopping 3hrs 28mins
· Present shopping 6hrs 42mins
· Wrapping presents 2hrs 41mins
· Decorating the home 2hrs 35mins
· Decorating the tree 39mins
· Buying a new tree 21mins
· Cleaning ahead of Christmas Day 4hrs 12mins
· Cleaning kitchen Xmas eve - Boxing Day 3hrs 13mins
