The top family Christmas activities revealed
For many families a visit to Santa’s grotto is a big part of the magic of Christmas – and this year is no exception. Most parents of children aged 12 or under are planning to take their kids to see Father Christmas – making it by far the most popular Christmas themed activity.
But, a trip to see the big man doesn’t come cheap. Parents said that, on average, they spent around £11 per child on a visit to Santa, but a good number had spent considerably more. Nearly a quarter (24%) of those surveyed said they had paid between £11 and £20, while 12% had spent over £20 per child.
The new survey, commissioned by Gocompare.com, questioned parents on their plans for Christmas themed trips and entertainment. On average, parents said that they expected to pay-out £44.55 per child on a range of Christmassy activities, which in addition to seeing Santa, include watching the switching on of Christmas lights, a trip to the Panto or cinema and visiting a ‘Winter Wonderland’ type of attraction:
Top family Christmas activities %
A visit to Santa 60
Watch the switch on of Christmas lights 22
A trip to the Pantomime 22
A trip to the cinema to watch a Christmas movie 18
A visit to a ‘Winter Wonderland’ type of attraction 18
A traditional carol concert 15
Winter sports activities (ice skating, skiing, tobogganing, sledging) 13
A Christingle church service 13
A religious service 12
A trip on the Santa Express train 8
A visit to a Christmas market abroad 4
A trip to London to watch a West End show 4
A trip to see Santa in Lapland 3
Commenting on the research, Claire Peate, customer insight manager from Gocompare.com, said, “Christmas is traditionally a time of year when families get together to spend time with each other but, as our survey shows, it is also peak time for businesses to sell us Christmas experiences – from Winter Wonderlands and festive ice-skating rinks to visiting Santa ‘at home’ in Lapland.
“While as parents, we all want to our children to have a magical Christmas, the cost of Christmas presents, treats and activities can quickly mount up. As a result, it might be wise to consider agreeing a budget for Christmas treats so that spending doesn’t get out of control.”