Over half (53%) of children aged 10-14 want a gadget or game for Christmas, a YouGov Children and Parents Omnibus poll shows.
Over a third (37%) said they want a gadget (i.e. phone, tablet or games console) above all other presents this year. A further 16% would prefer a computer game.
The research confirms there has been a move away from ‘traditional’ gifts. Only 3% said they would like a bike as a present for Christmas and just 7% said they want toys.
Furthermore, over half of those polled said they would write a ‘wish-list’ to Father Christmas or their parents, in preparation for the festive period as opposed to 37% who said they wouldn’t and 7% who said they didn’t know.
Interestingly, of those who said they would write a wish-list almost half (49%) have already started writing it (1st -7th November) while 22% said they would do it in November and 24% said December.
Gifts are the main thing that children like about Christmas. Almost half (47%) said presents were their favourite thing about the festive period, compared with a quarter
(25%) who said spending time with family. One in seven (15%) chose being off school while 6% like the food.
Notably, priorities appear to change even across a small age range. Over half (54%) of 10 year olds chose presents as their favourite aspect, compared with four in ten (41%) of 14 year olds. Similarly, just 9% of 10 year olds like not having to go to school, compared to almost a quarter (23%) of 14 year olds.