As UK families prepare to welcome loved-ones into their homes on Christmas Day, two-fifths (41%) of Generation Rent (25-34 years olds) are yet to host their first Christmas, and don’t think they’ll be in a position to until they’re at least thirty-seven years old, according to new research* from home insurer Aviva.
With record number of young adults living at home**, many are putting off playing host until they move in with a partner (15%), have a family of their own (15%) or have their own place (14%). Whereas over two-thirds (70%) of the previous generation (aged 55+) had hosted their own festivities before the age of thirty-five.
Parents attempt to keep alive the magic of Christmas for their children long after they’ve become adults, with:
almost a third (29%) of todays 30-40 year olds expecting a Christmas stocking
a fifth (20%) of all adults still getting a selection box
and one in ten (13%) receiving presents labelled ‘from Santa’
Over half (52%) of all those who have hosted Christmas before said their first time was more stressful than expected, with the main problem being the lack of fridge space (25%) followed by the need for extra plates (21%), seating (19%), cutlery (16%), glassware (13%) and baking trays (13%).
With most people (80%) hosting their first Christmas with a partner, Christmas-clashes are commonplace. The customary festive fisticuffs are over how to cook Christmas dinner (10%), the other half not doing their fair share (9%) and who does the washing up (8%).
Party-planning expert, Polly Betton, said: “Hosting Christmas for the first time is a real milestone moment. It marks the transition into ‘proper’ grown up. The pressure to make it perfect can make it a pretty stressful experience. The key to a great day is preparation and planning; write a list, work out your timings and have most of it ready the day before – giving yourself more time to spend with the family, which is of course what makes Christmas truly magical.”
While most are planning to spend an average £436 on Christmas this year and the majority of that spent buying presents (£199), most say spending quality time with the family is what makes for a magical festive period (62%), followed by giving presents (55%) and eating Christmas dinner (52%).
Heather Smith, home insurance expert at Aviva, said: “Christmas is traditionally the worst day of the year, on average, for fire claims***. A combination of chaotic cooking, perfection-pressure, candles and tree lights can be devastating. If you’re hosting for the first time this year, a dry turkey is probably the least disastrous thing that can happen.”
Polly Betton’s Top Tips for hosting your first Christmas can be found here, on our website, www.aviva.co.uk.
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Karen Butcher: H+K Strategies: 0207 413 3181: Karen.Butcher@hkstrategies.com
Notes to editors:
*Aviva commissioned polling with OnePoll of 2,000 GB adults who celebrate Christmas online between 19 and 20 November 2014.
** 20-34 year olds: Office for National Statistics – Young adults living with parents, 2013 http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/family-demography/young-adults-living-with-parents/2013/index.html
*** 120% increase on the average day according to Aviva claims data, 01 January 2003 to 31 December 2013
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