Shoppers are spending more than 41 hours preparing for Christmas, a study reveals | The Sun
The average person estimates they spend more than 41 hours preparing for Christmas.
The poll of 2,000 adults who celebrate yuletide found they spend on average of three-and-a-half hours shopping for food.
And six hours and 42 minutes on the hunt in shops and online for the perfect presents for family and friends.
But once everything has been bought, it takes two hours and 41 minutes to wrap them all 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.
And of those buying a new tree, they will spend around 21 minutes mulling over their options for the perfect centrepiece for the living room.
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The research was commissioned by Samsung, which has partnered with Fearne Cotton to reveal her secrets on how she plans for Christmas and what she enjoys most.
She said: “Christmas tends 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.”
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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 found 54% said the perfect tree should be tastefully decorated.
While 35% want a Christmas tree which isn’t wilting by the time December 25 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.
But 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.
And over Christmas Eve and Boxing Day, more than three hours is spent 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, conducted via OnePoll, also found 41% rely heavily on their smartphones to get ready for the festive celebrations.
Fearne, a brand ambassador for Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip4, also spoke about using technology at Christmas.
She 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.”
With 28% using their device to do their shopping on-the-go, while 28% make a multitude of to-do lists on their phones to keep on top of their tasks.
And 16% 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.
“I 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.”
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Annika Bizon from 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."
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