Brits will spend the equivalent of two full days getting ready for Christmas Day
The average Brit will spend the equivalent of two full days getting ready for Christmas Day, a study has found.
Shopping for gifts and food, decorating the home and even deciding what to wear to festive parties will see a total of 49 hours taken up with plans for the big day.
Just over eight hours is spent shopping and wrapping presents while another 3 hours and 23 minutes is taken up with deciding what to wear to Christmas parties.
Almost four hours will go on writing and sending Christmas cards while five hours and 36 minutes will go on the Christmas dinner.
It also emerged a quarter of Brits start thinking about Christmas as early as the first week in October, in order to get everything done on time.
A spokesperson for Next, which commissioned the research, said: “For many, planning for Christmas is something they approach like a military operation.
“But while you may not think it takes up a lot of your time with the little tasks here and there, it really does add up over the weeks leading up to Christmas.
“It seems we’re a nation of planners, who won’t be satisfied until there’s a completed to-do list come the end of Christmas Eve, which is why our online Christmas shop comes complete with gift guides and search inspiration to make your shopping that bit easier.
“Even if we’re not the best planners in day-to-day life, when the festive season rolls around even the most disorganised person ups their game to make sure the big day goes smoothly.”
The study, of 2,000 adults, found one in eight Brits will buy their first gift by September 1st, while the majority will get their turkey ordered by December 10th at the latest.
And a third of Brits have their Christmas tree and decorations up by December 1st
But while a third of Brits would describe themselves as organised in their normal life, 77 per cent admit to making an effort to be more prepared around Christmas.
It also emerged that on average, Brits find planning Christmas exactly 28 per cent ‘stressful’ – with the remaining 72 per cent deemed generally enjoyable.
Although more than half admit to feeling ‘overwhelmed’ by how much they need to do for a magical Christmas.
Even with all the planning in the world, it’s inevitable that something will fall through the cracks with 31 per cent of Brits admitting they will forget to send Christmas cards.
Four in 10 won’t remember to pick up batteries to power new toys, and a fifth will settle down to wrap some presents – only to find they’ve forgotten to buy the wrapping paper.
One in 20 have even, at some point, forgotten to put their turkey in the oven on Christmas morning – leading to agonising delays for the main meal.
As a result, four in 10 of those polled, via OnePoll.com, have had to hunt around to find an open shop on Christmas Day itself to rectify the fact they’ve forgotten some vital element.
HOW LONG IT TAKES TO PLAN CHRISTMAS:
The Christmas Dinner, including shopping and cook times – 5hrs 36mins
Where to travel and how long to stay at each place – 3hrs 32mins
What to wear to the Christmas party – 3hrs 23mins
Your Christmas decorations – 4hrs 02mins
Hosting a Christmas party – 4hrs 41mins
What time to take as annual leave from work – 3hrs 44mins
How to keep the kids entertained during their school break – 5hrs 07mins
Your outfit for the big day itself – 3hrs 20mins
Buying and wrapping presents – 8hrs 01mins
Sending Christmas cards – 3hrs 58mins
General festive budgeting – 4hrs 38mins