Christmas by the numbers: 34 hours untangling lights, 36 hours cleaning up pine needles over a lifetime

LONDON — 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 a 34 hours untangling lights. For those with real trees, an additional 36 hours are spent picking up or vacuuming pine needles over a 63-year period. 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.

This article was first published December 25, 2022.