By Emma Elsworthy via SWNS
Women still do most of the Christmas jobs and are responsible for planning, shopping, cooking, wrapping presents – and cleaning, a study has revealed.
Researchers found eight in 10 women feel they shoulder the majority of the ‘mental burden’ of Christmas and also take on most of the planning and execution.
Nearly seven in 10 women (68 percent) are tasked with wrapping presents compared to just 32 percent of men, while 58 percent handle the greeting cards.
A quarter of women say their other half contributes nothing and that ‘all’ of the responsibility for Christmas falls on them.
Meanwhile, the only festive tasks to fall more on men’s shoulders were making sure the car is full of fuel and hanging outdoor Christmas lights.
The study was commissioned by research agency OnePoll, whose spokesperson said: “Christmas is a collective experience, and sharing the mental load ensures everyone feels valued and appreciated.
“It’s not about gender roles, it’s about recognizing the unique strengths each person brings to the table and collaborating to make the holiday season magical for all.
“These figures do seem to show there is still a fairly old-fashioned approach to Christmas across much of the UK.”
The study also found women are 20 percent more likely than men to set the dinner table for the meal on the 25th.
Twice as many women as men also say they’ll be the ones to ensure the family pet has something to ‘unwrap’.
Exactly a quarter of women polled even say that ‘all’ of the responsibility for this year’s Christmas festivities will fall on them.
Around a fifth (17 percent) of all adults polled have rowed with their other half about who was doing the most pre-Christmas prep.
And six in 10 (62 percent) believe women end up with most of the mental load for making sure the season runs smoothly.
In general, women are deemed simply ‘better’ at organizing things like festive décor and celebrations (57 percent).
But more than half (56 percent) of women polled believe having lots of tasks and admin to take care of in the run-up to the big day makes it harder to get into the festive spirit.
A quarter of men (24 percent) admit they usually just relax during the festive preparation process and don’t fight for jobs to do.
OnePoll’s spokesperson added: “The magic of Christmas lies in shared moments and shared efforts.
“When both men and women contribute to the preparations, it not only eases the workload but also strengthens the bonds within the family, making the holiday season truly special.”
TOP 20 CHRISTMAS CHORES – MORE OFTEN CARRIED OUT BY WOMEN:
Wrapping the presentsBuying the foodActually buying the presentsCleaning the houseWriting up the cardsCooking the foodDeciding what to buy everyonePutting up the Christmas treeDecorating the houseBudgeting for everythingTidying up in between eventsSetting out the Christmas dinner tableDeciding what to cook when hostingMaking sure there’s enough alcohol for everyoneBuying presents for petsRinging relativesSorting out my Christmas outfitsOrganizing the family calendar or eventsBuying food according to dietary requirementsMaking sure there’s enough seating for everyone
