Research from home furnishing store Dunelm Mill shows there’s nothing like peer pressure as Brits rank their friends above their own in-laws and parents as the people they are under the greatest pressure to impress with their Christmas hosting skills.
Parenting on Female First
The survey of over 2,000 adults in Great Britain, conducted by YouGov on behalf of Britain’s largest homewares retailer, found that 60 per cent of British adults who have guests visiting this festive season feel under pressure to impress with their hosting skills, the equivalent of over 17 million people.
When those who are hosting at home this Christmas were asked who they were under greatest pressure to impress the results broke down as follows:
1. Friends
2. Mother
3. Mother-in-law
4. Brother/sister in law
5. Children
6. Sister
7. Husband/wife/partner
8. Father
9. Father-in-law
10. Brother
The tyrannical Mother in law stereotype is dispelled by the fact that people are far more worried about impressing their own mothers rather than their partner’s. Interestingly men feel the pressure of their mother’s critical eye more than women with 15 per cent of men being most worried about their mother visiting this Christmas compared to 12 per cent of women.
The myth of a modern Britain could be wrong, as couples who co-habit, but who aren’t married, feel the most pressure to appease their parents, with a fifth most worried about their own mothers views of their home when they come to visit, and 17 per cent worried about their partner’s mums, this festive season.
Getting the hosting right is a delicate balancing act when your friends and family descent for the festivities and of the 2,000 people surveyed the 10 most common Christmas complaints were:
1. House is too cold
2. Home is too cluttered
3. Christmas tree is not big enough
4. Christmas decorations are too extravagant
5. Christmas decorations are not extravagant enough
6. Home is too noisy
7. Christmas decorations are not traditional enough
Carole Brown, Director of Marketing for Dunelm Mill said: “Getting the home ready for Christmas is part of the fun of the festive season, and of course we all want to make sure that our home is welcoming for friends and family. While our research has shown that we all feel pressure to impress, at this time of year it’s really all about having fun with loved ones.
“Everybody has their own style and whether your favourite colour scheme is red and gold, blue and silver or something else you can make your home a welcoming place for all guests this Christmas. All it takes is a few creative and simple touches that can give your home an inimitable festive feel.”
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