How are you celebrating Christmas?
Large numbers of Britons will choose to spend this Christmas online rather than with friends and family, according to a survey conducted by Hasbro.
The survey found that this Christmas day nearly two thirds of (60 per cent) of Brits online will log on to check personal or work email, or their social media profile. This comes despite 48 per cent indicating that the number one reason they look forward to the holiday season is spending time with family and friends.
Our message this Christmas is whether its round the dining table or playing games in front of a fire, make sure you make the most of ‘real’ face time this year
Further evidence of Britain’s inability to disconnect from email and social media was highlighted by the finding that less than one third (29 per cent) of British consumers online first associate the term “face time” with interaction face-to-face, instead being more likely to connect it with some form of technology.
According to the results, 34 per cent of respondents thought “face time” referred to a smartphone application or video conferencing platform. Among the younger generation the technology association was stronger still, with over half (51 per cent) of all 18-24 year olds first linking the phrase to a mobile app. By comparison the older generation was most likely to make the connection with face-to-face contact.
Foye Pascoe, UK Country Manager for Hasbro, said: “We’re a nation of gadget enthusiasts and in many ways that’s something to be proud of. However, while technology, and the impact it has on our lives is great, we need to remember that there is a life outside of pixels."
Regionally, Londoners were the least likely to associate “face time” with real life contact, with only a quarter defining the phrase as “speaking to someone face-to-face”, compared to 43 per cent of Welsh respondents and 42 per cent of Scots.
Foye added: “We have teamed up with Zynga to offer the best of both worlds, and will bring Zynga’s hugely popular digital game brands like Words With Friends and Draw Something to life with a new line of games.
"Our message this Christmas is whether its round the dining table or playing games in front of a fire, make sure you make the most of ‘real’ face time this year.”
How will your family celebrate Christmas? Tell us in the comments below or tweet us @FemaleFirst_UK
Tagged in Christmas Parenting Family Gadgets Technology Parenting News