The nation's unexpected Christmas surprises revealed by Capital One UK

LONDON, Dec. 16, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- As Christmas approaches, family and friends across the nation are preparing for the big day: envisioning tasty food and happy memories spent with the closest people to them, but has something ever happened you didn't quite expect during the festive season?

Discovering these unpredictable moments, Capital One UK surveyed 2,000 Brits to uncover unexpected surprises at Christmas time as part of its newly launched 'No Nasty Surprises' campaign, which brings to life that when it comes to credit, you should always know what you're getting upfront.

The UK's most unexpected Christmas surprises

Key Findings

Nearly 1 in 4 (24%) of Brits have received a Christmas present they didn't want or like
41% would give an unwanted gift to charity
1 in 5 Brits who ate at a restaurant for Christmas said they were disappointed with their dinner
40% of Brits would be surprised if their guests snooped in their room at Christmas

Nearly 1 In 4 Brits have received an unexpected or surprising Christmas present

The survey revealed that 1 in 4 (24%) Brits received a Christmas present they didn't expect last year.

The majority of Brits (41%) said they would donate a gift they didn't like to charity. For other Brits who received a Christmas present they didn't like or want, 34% would keep it, and nearly one-third (32%) would regift it to someone else.

Brits reveal some of their weirdest Christmas gifts

A bin bag holder
A bottle of water
A paper towel
Used egg cup
Loo roll dispenser
Chicken Nuggets
Pickled herring
Toilet paper
Singing fish
Two left feet slippers
Expired body lotion
Merch for a rival football team

Brits reveal what they would do with an unwanted gift

Give it to charity - 41%
Keep it - 34%
Regift it to someone else - 32%
Give it away - 22%
Put it away to never be used/seen - 18%
Sell it online - 16%

20% of Brits who ate at a restaurant for Christmas were disappointed with their dinner

Whilst eating out at Christmas can bring high expectations of good food and stress free planning, sometimes that's not always the reality. Nearly 50% of Brits said they'd eaten out at a pub, restaurant or hotel for Christmas dinner in the past, but 1 in 5 surveyed claimed that it did not meet their expectations.

The top eight reasons why dining out on Christmas Day didn't live up to Brits expectations

Prefer home-cooked Christmas dinner - 60%
Not good value for money - 57%
The food wasn't good quality for the cost - 53%
Didn't feel Christmassy - 42%
Slow service - 29%
Being around other people - 20%
Small portions - 17%
Food was cold -13%

The cost of everything and washing up ranked the least favourite aspects of Christmas Day

There's nothing more disappointing than finishing a Christmas dinner with family or friends and seeing the mounds of washing up piling up on the sink. This ranks as one of the least favourite things about Christmas Day, with 27% of Brits agreeing. Also making it onto the list are the cost of things, the pressure on the day and that it passes too quickly.

Brits share the top ten most surprising parts about Christmas Day

The cost of everything - 30%
Washing up - 27%
The pressure of the day - 22%
Over too quickly - 21%
Lack of relaxation - 19%
Nonstop cooking - 17%
Disagreements - 13%
The weather - 13%
Seeing family members you don't like - 11%
Nonstop hosting - 10%

Brits reveal their most memorable and unexpected Christmas Day moments

Aside from the common Christmas Day occurrences that may not be favourable, there can also be experiences you never saw coming.

According to Capital One UK's survey, Brits have experienced a wide range of unexpected events on Christmas Day, from the joy of a new addition to the family to awkwardly receiving a regift from someone they had previously given it to.

According to the nation, here are some of the most unforeseen surprises that have occurred on Christmas Day:

Turned up to my parents for Christmas dinner only to find they were not there and actually at another family member's house instead!
A best friend flew over from the USA and surprised me
A power cut meant we had no power until late on Christmas evening so no Christmas dinner or lights on our tree
A tornado hit our house on Christmas Day in 1990. We even made the front page of the newspaper!
A last-minute trip to the vet after our dog got into the Christmas pudding
A long-lost cousin from Germany turned up at our front door without any notice
My car was stolen off the drive during Christmas Dinner
Dropped the raw turkey as it was heading towards the oven
Went into labour and welcomed our baby boy on Christmas Day
A mirror hung above our fireplace miraculously fell off and smashed all over the floor (no one was hurt in the process)

Considering critiquing someone else's culinary skills? 2 in 5 would be surprised if their guests did

When inviting friends or family over for Christmas, you hope that everything goes the way you expected, but the actions of other guests may come as a surprise.

When surveyed, the top things hosts wouldn't expect their guests to do when visiting their house on Christmas Day is commenting negatively on cooking (42%) followed by snooping in other rooms (40%).

If guests are visiting friends or family members' houses this Christmas, 35% of hosts wouldn't expect them to use their phone at the dinner table (35%) or drink too much (34%).

Brits reveal the top 10 things they would not expect a house guest to do at Christmas

Commenting negatively on your cooking - 42%
Snooping in other rooms - 40%
Use their phone at the dinner table - 35%
Being untidy - 34%
Drink too much - 34%
Not offering to help clean up - 30%
Try to enforce their Christmas traditions on you - 29%
Bring up controversial topics at the table - 29%
Be fussy about food or drinks - 27%
Arriving too late - 25%

Katie King, Head of Marketing at Capital One UK, comments "As part of our 'No Nasty Surprises' campaign we're uncovering the moments Brits least expect to face over the Christmas period - from a disappointing Christmas Dinner, to untidy house guests and unexpected gifts.

"Whilst we can't promise a Christmas without any surprises, we can give certainty when applying for a Capital One credit card. Capital One UK is committed to helping our customers succeed with credit, empowering them to make good financial decisions by offering transparency upfront. Whether it's being clear on the APR they'll get before they apply, or providing an eligibility check for our credit cards in only 60 seconds with our Quickcheck service, these small, thoughtful actions are at the heart of how we do business."

An evolved and fresh take on the highly successful One Good Thing Capital One UK brand platform, first launched in August 2022, the new campaign offers another humorous play on a traditionally serious subject, communicating the brand's intention to change the world of credit for the better, one small good thing at a time.

Methodology:

This research of 2,000 UK adults was commissioned by Capital One and conducted by OnePoll between 18th November 2024 and 20th November 2024.

About Capital One UK:

Capital One UK issued its first credit card in 1996 and has since grown to become a top ten credit provider in the UK, employing more than 1,500 UK-based associates across two offices in Nottingham and London.

Capital One was founded to help its customers succeed with credit and to offer great products to customers who otherwise have limited choices. It has pioneered industry-leading tools like its QuickCheck eligibility checker and CreditWise, a free credit score monitor.

Capital One UK offers a diverse portfolio of products including its own Classic Card and Balance Transfer Card, as well as collaborating with a number of known and loved partner brands to provide credit options to their customers.

Capital One UK is a subsidiary company of Capital One Financial Corporation, a diversified financial services company established in 1994. Today, it is one of the top ten largest banks in the United States, a Fortune 100 company and founder-led by CEO Richard Fairbank.

Capital One UK's Registered Office: Trent House, Station Street, Nottingham, NG2 3HX

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