A study of 2,000 parents with youngsters aged six to 16 found 40 per cent believe Christmas magic is at its strongest when kids are buzzing with excitement and wake at the crack of dawn on Christmas morning.
A quarter (26 per cent) reckon the Christmas spirit hits its high when little ones meet Santa in his grotto. And the same number say anticipation is at fever pitch as they put out cookies and carrots on Christmas Eve – with 15 per cent admitting the excitement is tangible when their children flat-out refuse to go to bed on this day.
Nearly a fifth (17 per cent) believe festive imaginations are running wild as they open Christmas Eve boxes. While 12 per cent think youngsters are totally Christmas-obsessed when they’re tracking reindeer online.
But the joy is contagious, as 70 per cent of parents added their child’s wonder has reignited their own festive spark, with 42 per cent creating new family traditions to keep the buzz alive.
The research also revealed 63 per cent of parents said the year their child was most excited about Christmas was also the most emotional one for them.
A further 79 per cent added they often try to recreate the Christmas traditions they loved in their own childhoods. And as a result, 89 per cent still feel that unmistakable sense of magic every year.
Festive decorations, Christmas films, TV specials and music and seasonal foods were the top triggers for that magical feeling. These were followed by the joy of giving and receiving gifts, family traditions and gatherings and visiting Christmas events like markets or Santa’s grotto.
While 23 per cent reckon the excitement and belief in Father Christmas also sprinkles extra magic across the season. It also emerged for 80 per cent their child’s imaginative spirit helps them see Christmas through a fresh set of eyes.
Overall, 94 per cent think imagination is vital for creating a magical Christmas experience.
