- Over 1 in 3 Brits are most conscious of their guests having a good time and being in the festive mood
- 1 in 6 think they will be judged by guests if they don’t pick a good bottle of wine
- 1 in 5 men feel pressure to impress in-laws and compete with friends and family, compared with 14% of women
- Research reveals top 10 cities where residents feel most under pressure to have a perfect Christmas
Cheshunt, England, 2014-12-4 — /EPR Retail News/ — From preparing the festive feast to buying presents and decorating the tree, today research by Tesco reveals one in seven (14%) Brits feel more under pressure than ever before to have a perfect Christmas. Residents in Aberystwyth, Wales (33%) are worrying the most, however people in Edinburgh (4%) are the most fuss-free about perfection.
In-laws and parents are piling on the stress, with one in 10 people feeling the need to impress them. This is on Brummies’ minds the most (21%) and Glaswegians’ the least (3%).
Almost one in 10 people admit they’re in competition with friends and family to prepare a cracking Christmas, Londoners being the most competitive (13%), and one in six shoppers believe their guests will be keeping a beady eye on whether they’re offering a good bottle of wine or not.
Men are feeling these concerns the most this year, with one in five agreeing the heat is on to impress and compete with friends and family, compared with just 14% of women, while almost one in five (18%) feel under the spotlight to choose the right tipple. And the biggest stress for men this year? Almost one in three (31%) men feel most under pressure to buy the perfect gifts for loved ones.
The top five things people feel most under pressure to do perfectly this year are:
1. Buying the right presents (33%)
2. Making sure everyone has a great time (20%)
3. Preparing the Christmas meal (18%)
4. Making sure friends and family are in the Christmas spirit (16%)
5. Decorating the tree (8%)
To lift these pressures, Tesco has launched its Every Little Helps Make Christmas campaign, enlisting renowned experts John Whaite, Linda Barker, Arona Khan and Laura Jewell to offer quick and easy tips to help people have an amazing Christmas this year.
To help customers with their food preparations, Great British Bake Off winner, John Whaite, is revealing delicious recipes to surprise even the pickiest of guests. Interior designer, Linda Barker, is showing how to make your Christmas decorations stand out, while international gift wrapping specialist, Arona Khan, is demonstrating how to wrap even the most awkward of gifts. Laura Jewell, one of just 319 Masters of Wine in the world, is giving insider tips on how to choose wines that won’t break the bank over the festive period.
Workshops hosted by the panel of experts can be found on the Tesco YouTube channel, to make sure customers up and down the country benefit from the experts’ hints and tips.
Sharry Cramond, Proposition and Brand Director at Tesco comments “Christmas is a wonderful time of year, but we all know that it comes with some challenges. Our research shows that customers are feeling the pressure, whether that’s wrapping gifts or finding a delicious wine for Christmas day. Our experts are sharing fantastic insider tips on how to have a really amazing Christmas, with less of the stress. We’re with our customers every step of the way this Christmas!”
Watch the festive workshops on YouTube.com/Tesco and join the conversation with #MakeChristmas.
ENDS
Top 10 cities where residents feel most under pressure to have a perfect Christmas more than ever before:
1. Aberystwyth (33%)
2. Liverpool (25%)
3. Swansea (21%)
4. Newcastle (20%)
5. Glasgow and Portsmouth (18%) (Joint 5th)
7. Plymouth, Aberdeen and Birmingham (16%) (Joint 7th)
10. London, Manchester and Bristol (14%) (Joint 10th)
Top tips
Customers can expect to receive top tips from the experts including:
Advice on gift presentation from wrapping expert, Arona Khan,
“If you’re looking for an original low cost way to spruce up your gift, how about recycling offcuts of gift wrap to create the perfect finishing touch? Take a triangle of paper and pleat. Repeat if necessary with a second offcut of paper and secure in place using double sided tape. This flat decoration is ideal for presents that have to be posted or packed.”
How to dress up your door, from interiors expert, Linda Barker,
“Decorating for Christmas shouldn’t just be about the inside of your house – make sure you set the scene before guests even ring the doorbell. Hang a bunch of mistletoe or holly from the doorknocker, tie with a big gold ribbon and twist a few battery operated lights into it for an added festive feel. It’s a quick way to get your guests in the Christmas spirit from the start!”
A delicious twist on Brussels sprouts from GBBO champion, John Whaite,
“Rather than boil your sprouts into a mush, fry them so they stay crunchy. I remove the outer leaves, slice each sprout in half and fry in a little oil until gently charred. I then throw in some sweet red grapes, a drizzle of pomegranate molasses, chopped pecans and sea salt – inspired by a dish I had last year in New York.”
Nifty time-saving tips from wine expert Laura Jewell,
“Forgotten to chill the wine? Don’t panic. Half fill your sink with cold water and top up with ice – this is the fastest way to chill wine and works much quicker than putting it in the freezer, as many people presume.”
The survey of 2000 people was conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Tesco between 12/11/14 and 14/11/14.
For more information
Visit www.tescoplc.com/christmas for further information.
For more information contact rosiew@splendidcomms.com
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