Wrapping weirdly shaped presents (20%), putting on weight (20%) and spending time with the in-laws (16%) are some of the top reasons Brits are likely to suffer a Christmas crisis according to new research released today. Financial worries top the list, with nearly a quarter (24%) of us stating this as the most stressful aspect of Christmas at home, followed by not having any time for yourself (22%).
Furthermore, the research, commissioned by Google, reveals that in order to secure a bit of ‘me’ time at home, Brits will go out of their way to avoid their family, including sneaking away into a bedroom (45%) or going to the pub (8%). In fact over a third (35%) of us admit we’d even hide in a bathroom or loo just to get a bit of peace and quiet.
It seems one of the top things we need help dealing with is having to entertain the in-laws over the festive period. Nearly a fifth (18%) of us admit we would prefer to stay in bed and do nothing, 11% of us would rather go to work, and a brave 10% would even prefer to swim naked with sharks!
The survey conducted to find out how people will be using Google’s recently launched Home Hub to ease the stresses of hosting Christmas at home, also reveals that nearly two thirds (65%) of us find Christmas at home stressful.
Laurian Clemence of Google, says: “Google Home Hub was made for times like Christmas. Having family round over the festive season can be overwhelming, and this device is designed to fit in with your life by being your personal little helper when you really need it; from using recipes for sprouts while managing not to burn the turkey, to videos for wrapping oddly shaped gifts, to setting timers, entertaining the family and controlling the heating. As it’s powered by the Google Assistant, it works with a simple voice command – meaning that you can juggle all the different elements of Christmas at the same time, easily and seamlessly.”
| Top Ten Reasons for a Festive Freak-Out | ||
| 1 | Finances | 24% |
| 2 | Not having any time for yourself | 22% |
| 3 | Cooking the Christmas dinner | 22% |
| 4 | Wrapping weirdly shaped presents | 20% |
| 5 | Putting on weight | 20% |
| 6 | Spending time with the in-laws | 16% |
| 7 | Pretending to like a present that you really don’t | 14% |
| 8 | Buying presents for people you rarely see | 11% |
| 9 | Decorating the house | 10% |
| 10 | Untangling the Christmas lights | 10% |
Just missing out on the top ten stresses was having to find things for the kids to do (7%) and running out of alcohol (5%) as well as having to play games with the family (10%).
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