Housewares Business-to-business magazine for housewares retailers and their suppliers
According to a new survey from B&Q, home is where the heart is this Christmas.
The home improvement retailer has revealed ‘the nation’s new Christmas wish list’, with spending quality time with family and friends at home dominating the first three slots. The usual suspect of the ‘latest new gadget’ is knocked into fourth place.
The number one spot in the 2013 Christmas wish list is ‘a relaxing day at home with friends and family (70%), followed by: quality food/drinks and time at home with friends and family (50%), socialising with friends and neighbours at home (26%), a latest new gadget eg tablet (14%), new clothes/beauty products/books (13%) and stocking fillers (9%).
The home is such a focus this Christmas, that a quarter of Brits are looking to invest time and money on decorating it or the festive period. The key motivation is to impress neighbours and guests. Just fewer than three in 10 people admit they buy Christmas decorations to make the house look great for visitors, and the same amount invest in soft furnishings in preparation for the onslaught of guests.
84% will have their Christmas tree in the living room with a quarter admitting that this is because it’s at the front of the house, and so is the first room that visitors will see. 28% will spend more money on outdoor Christmas lighting than last year, with a quarter admitting this is to impress neighbours, guests and passers-by.
Says Jenny Bigent, B&Q stylist: ‘Just over a quarter of Brits are planning on entertaining friends, family and neighbours more this year than last. This explains the real focus on getting the home ready for the onslaught of guests.” In fact Brits are admitting to spending more money on getting the home ready and entertaining visitors this year (43%) than they are on Christmas gifts (38%).’
B&Q’s survey also reveals how Brits are planning on spending Christmas. They are most looking forward to dinner around the table with friends and family (76%), followed by opening presents with friends and family (48%).
By far the most irritating part of Christmas day is watching the same films and shows on TV (43%) followed by tidying up the house after the onslaught of guests (24%). And it looks like it’s not all going to be fun and games, with over a quarter (26%) of Brits admitting that there will be an argument with friends at family at some point on December 25. More than four in five claim the arguing will start only one to two hours into the day!
