Busy Brits bond over Christmas
68% of Brits are too busy throughout the year to spend quality time at home with family and loved ones, according to ‘The Great British Spirit’ survey of 1,500 members of the public by Greenall’s Original London Dry Gin. The survey reveals our habits over the Christmas period.
More than half of 18 to 65 year olds said that Christmas Day, over and above Christmas Eve and Boxing Day, is their favourite time to be at home to savour British traditions like eating turkey and unwrapping presents.
Brits love being at home on 25 December with 84% saying being surrounded by family is important to them, beating bank holidays, birthdays and cosy Sunday lunches. In fact 8 out of 10 (78%) Brits consider home as the place they feel most relaxed and happy.
Over a third of us (39%) say the best bit about the Christmas period is spending time with loved ones rather than having a few days off work. With the nation’s love of home cooking, 29% look forward to having a full plate of food and a drink in their hand at home on Christmas Day. 18-25 year olds were the only age group to vote festive food and drink over being with family.
After one of the most exciting years in recent British history, reassuringly 71% will try to buy British brands this Christmas; brands that represent authenticity whilst communicating our history and heritage, from Mr. Kipling mince pies to Greenall’s Gin.
Bah humbug! Nearly 1 in 10 (7%) say their favourite part of Christmas is when it’s all over, with men making up more than half the vote.
“This survey shows how Christmas gives us a sense of ‘The Great British Spirit’, where we can spend time with family, and share good, honest British food and drink whilst being able to relax at home” says Sinead O’Frighil, Global Brands Development Manager at Greenall’s Gin.
Driving Home for Christmas
Despite UK drivers spending more time in traffic than our continental neighbours, Brits will on average spend only 1.5 hours to reach family during the Christmas period whilst more than a third will travel less than half an hour.
When it comes to going the extra mile, the North East is the most willing to go further to reach loved ones – 18% would travel for more than 10 hours if needed, compared to just 8% of those from the East Midlands. Women are more likely to travel for more than 10 hours to reach their Christmas destination; with only 11% of men admitting they would make the effort.
The Great British Spirit
“The survey proves that despite increasing demands on our time and growing digital distractions, Brits see Christmas as a period to embrace traditional quality time at home with family where they can relax and recharge” says Tim Pitts, Managing Partner at consumer trends specialists, trendwatching.com.
‘The Great British Spirit’ survey was commissioned by established British brand, Greenall’s Gin, as part of a research series. Greenall’s Gin is a traditional London Dry Gin with a proud British heritage and over 250 years of distilling expertise using the original family recipe that dates back to 1761.