THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR REVEALED: SPOILER ALERT, IT’S NOT CHRISTMAS

• New research from holiday expert, On the Beach, has revealed over half of Brits (53%)  believe the most wonderful time of the year is in fact their summer holiday
• Guaranteed good weather, spending time with family and not having to cook or clean were voted as the highlights of our beach-side breaks
• Festive fatigue: Almost two-thirds of Brits are set to experience the Christmas ‘slump’ on December 25th at precisely 3.30pm – and half would be prepared to book their summer holiday on Christmas Day to help counteract it 

New research from On the Beach has revealed that Christmas isn’t actually the most wonderful time of the year… shh, don’t tell Santa. 

When asked to choose between summer holidays and the festive season, more than half (53%) said that beach breaks were best.

The findings also reveal 3:30pm to be the exact moment we officially hit the ‘Christmas slump’, with the nation admitting they feel ‘Christmassed out’ by mid-afternoon on the big day itself. 

On the Beach found the top five contributors to festive fatigue were: pigging out on too many pigs in blankets and festive food (58%), the pressures of hosting (30%), overdoing it on the booze (29%), waking up too early (28%), and feeling hungover from Christmas Eve (10%).

To help get over the slump, almost half (47%) of those surveyed confessed they would sneak off and book a holiday on Christmas Day itself if it meant getting a good deal. 

In a poll of Brits’ favourite moments of the whole year, summer holidays took the top spot, with almost half (44%) placing their week or two in the sun in pole position, followed by Christmas (31%), birthdays (9%), and weddings (1.7%). 

When quizzed about what makes summer holidays truly the most wonderful time of year, true to form, Brits put guaranteed good weather at the top of their list:

1. Guaranteed good weather (42%)
2. Spending quality time with the family (39%)
3. Not having to cook and clean for myself (35%)
4. All-inclusive food & drink (26%)
5. Getting a tan (22%)

A fifth (21%) also admitted that the present they most want to receive this Christmas is a holiday on the beach, ahead of classic gifts such as laptops and tablets (15%), jewellery (18%), games consoles (14%) and perfume (12%). 

A stronger snack game also contributed to summer holidays beating Christmas to pole position. Despite 29% saying they prefer tucking into the turkey and other tasty festive treats, almost half of us (43%) look forward to summer holiday indulgences like Sangria, Fanta Limon and Lays crisps, more than mulled wine and Christmas pudding. 

When it comes to the Christmas slump, once it sets in, it’s inevitable that family squabbles also ramp up – with the top reasons for family feuds at Christmas being revealed as arguing over which Christmas special to watch (24%), who has to clean the dishes, which board game to play (19%), and when to open the chocolates (15%).

Zoe Harris, Chief Customer Officer at On the Beach, said: “Christmas is a special time and one that this year in particular we’re especially looking forward to after the past 18 months. But we also know that it can be a bit of a marathon, so it’s no surprise that people start to feel ‘over it’ by the afternoon, it can be hard work!

“On the flipside, we know that our annual trips away are the ULTIMATE relaxation. They’re a time that we look forward to and plan for like no other, and – with nobody fighting you for the remote, and never having to think about the washing up – we absolutely agree that summer holidays are, actually, the most wonderful time of the year.” 

For more information about On the Beach’s offers for summer 2022, head to www.onthebeach.co.uk