A new survey of 2,000 Americans reveals that Christmas dinner preparations often begin surprisingly early, with the average person starting at 9:36 a.m. The cooking process typically takes just over three hours, with the ideal serving time being 3:45 p.m. Leftovers, however, are usually consumed within three days before people tire of them.
Despite 44% of respondents finding Christmas dinner the most stressful food-related event of any holiday, 16% consider preparing the meal the best part of the festive season. The study, commissioned by St Pierre Bakery and conducted by Talker Research, also found that 38% of people feel most creative with their cooking during this time, while 54% admit to feeling anxious about preparing food for any national holiday.
Despite the stress, Christmas is the most popular holiday (49%), valued for family time (35%), gift-giving (28%), and decorating the Christmas tree (23%). A St Pierre spokesperson noted the early start to meal prep and emphasized the importance of upholding seasonal food traditions.
Thanksgiving ranked second in holiday popularity (20%), followed by New Year’s (7%), Halloween (6%), and Independence Day (4%). Christmas also leads as the favorite holiday for decorating (64%), with Halloween in second place (19%). Christmas decorations stay up the longest (61%), and 46% of respondents feel most experimental with decorations, costumes, and parties during December.
Santa Claus is the most beloved holiday character, followed by The Grinch (12%), Santa’s Elves (8%), and Michael Myers (6%). The spokesperson concluded that food and festivities are powerful unifying forces, creating cherished memories and shared experiences.
Christmas might be a time for vacations, but it sure does require plenty of work. It turns out families are dedicating a staggering amount of time to Christmas preparations over their lifetimes, with new research revealing the extent of their yuletide commitments. A survey of 2,000 British festivity enthusiasts reveals that holiday preparations consume almost five years of their lives.
The poll, commissioned by British DIY retailer B&Q, paints a detailed picture of the time investment behind the perfect Christmas celebration. The most substantial chunk of time goes to planning Christmas dinner, consuming nearly two-and-a-half years of preparation over a lifetime. In addition to meal planning, hosts spend a remarkable 164 weeks cleaning and tidying before welcoming holiday guests.
The decorating process itself presents its own time demands. People spend more than two days adorning their Christmas trees, and 34 hours untangling lights. For those with real trees, an additional 36 hours are spent picking up or vacuuming pine needles over 63 years. Interestingly, almost one-and-a-half days are devoted to redecorating trees when family members’ efforts don’t meet expectations, though 22 percent of respondents confidently rate their own decorating skills as “amazing.”
“Christmas time is a special and rewarding time for all those involved, and provides the perfect excuse to host loved ones in the home for festive fun,” says Mairi Devlin, a B&Q spokesperson. “There’s nothing more important than quality time with friends and family and creating new traditions, such as buying a real tree each year and adding new decorations as each year passes.”
The research also highlights the stress associated with holiday preparations, with 60 percent of respondents finding the season stressful and 45 percent wishing for ways to make it less so. The cost-of-living crisis has amplified these concerns, with 41 percent expecting this Christmas to be more stressful than last year.
Common challenges include cooking everything simultaneously (28 percent) and fitting all the food in the oven (22 percent). When it comes to post-holiday cleanup, 54 percent describe their decoration packing technique as “neat and tidy,” while 16 percent admit to a more haphazard approach.
Despite these challenges, the British public maintains their enthusiasm for the season. The survey revealed that spending time with family and friends (44 percent), enjoying festive food and drink (41 percent), and giving presents (34 percent) rank as the nation’s favorite aspects of Christmas. Additionally, 17 percent specifically enjoy decorating their homes, and 15 percent take pleasure in hosting loved ones.
The study, conducted by 72Point in 2022, also identified areas where people seek holiday hacks, with 27 percent wanting tips for wrapping unusually shaped presents and 14 percent seeking solutions for untangling tree lights. An average of 41 hours is spent dealing with “unexpected” challenges, such as appliance failures and last-minute guests, further highlighting the complexities of holiday hosting.
Tips for a smooth sailing Christmas:
1. Create a table extender with large pieces of MDF to fit everyone on the table for Christmas dinner
2. Make sure your front door is spotless before hanging the Christmas wreath to avoid drawing attention to any scuff marks
3. Use a pencil to help tease out the knots in the Christmas lights
4. Bleed your radiators to make sure the heating works efficiently before guests arrive
5. Set up a dedicated workstation to wrap your presents and allow enough elbow room to unroll the paper easily
6. Always hang your Christmas tree lights first before the decorations
7. Label your Christmas tree ornaments so they are easily identifiable for when you get them out next year and store everything in reusable bags
8. As soon as you have bought your tree, take it out of its netting to allow air to circulate and for the branches to settle
9. Before moving it inside the house, keep your Christmas tree in a cool place, such as a shed or garage
10. Feed your tree some water before decorating and every day after that.
Counterfeit alcohol is a growing global crisis, with fake spirits comprising up to 40% of the market in some areas and costing the EU billions annually. Experts at Heriot-Watt University warn that this isn't just a problem in developing countries; it's happening everywhere. Recent deaths from toxic bootleg alcohol in Turkey, Laos, and Fiji highlight the danger.
Researcher Michael Bryan recounts his personal experience of being drugged via tainted spirits, emphasizing the ease with which this can occur. A study found that one-third of rare Scotch whiskies tested were fake, and recent discoveries of counterfeit vodka in the UK, contaminated with harmful chemicals, further illustrate the problem.
Heriot-Watt researchers are developing a database of authentic spirits' "chemical fingerprints" using advanced techniques like near-infrared and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. This aims to create a quick, non-invasive method for verifying a spirit's authenticity, replacing expensive and cumbersome testing equipment.
Until this technology is widely available, consumers should follow the Food Standards Agency’s “4 Ps”:
- Product: Be cautious of unfamiliar brands.
- Price: Be wary of suspiciously low prices.
- Package: Check for proper sealing and authentic labels.
- Place: Buy only from reputable retailers.
Experts advise against buying alcohol from unofficial sources, such as “under the counter” or from individuals. If a drink tastes, smells or is priced suspiciously, consumers should be cautious, check for recalls online, or return the item to the store.
Professor Annie Hill emphasizes the ongoing research to raise awareness and develop accessible methods for detecting illicit spirits. The key takeaway is vigilance: if a bottle's price is too good to be true, or if something seems off about the taste or smell, it's best to err on the side of caution, as the consequences can be life-threatening.