Mums do most of Christmas

Mums are responsible for 24 jobs over the Christmas period while dads get away with doing just five, a survey has revealed.

The survey, commissioned by Battery Station, found that mums take on everything from sorting gift lists and buying presents to decorating the tree and preparing Christmas dinner.

Wrapping presents, writing cards, buying in the festive food and drink and tidying up new toys on Christmas Day also fall into most mums’ lap.

But in comparison, dads are only in charge of curving the turkey, pouring drinks for dinner guests, taking the rubbish out, setting up the children’s’ new toys and taking them out to ride new bikes.

Even the traditional ‘dad’ jobs of washing up after the Christmas dinner and picking out the Christmas tree are now more likely to be carried out by mums.

The study of 2,000 parents found that almost one in 10 men admitted they do nothing at all and leave the entire Christmas preparation and organisation to their other half.

Among the jobs mums take care of in the run-up to Christmas were sitting down with the children to help write their Christmas wish list, as well as writing and delivering all of the family Christmas cards.

Deciding what to get and then buying the presents for their children, relatives and even their children’s friends, wrapping the gifts and delivering them are also left to mum.

Mums are also responsible for making sure the school nativity costumes are ready, putting up the Christmas decorations, cleaning the house ready for Christmas visitors and doing the big Christmas food and drink shop.

Even on Christmas Day, mums take care of cooking and preparing the dinner and wash and tidy up afterwards.

While mum is busy running around, Dad simply carves the turkey and keeps everyone’s drinks topped up before taking the rubbish outside at the end of the day.

They are also responsible for getting the children’s presents out of boxes and setting them up, as well as taking the kids out to play with new bikes.

The study also found that 45% of couples have argued about the allocation of Christmas chores. Almost six in ten of those have rowed about one party not doing their fair share, while 46% have also had crossed words after one of them forgot to do or get something.

Six in ten women also said they wish their other half did more to help out around Christmas, with 55% of men admitting they should try to do more.

It also emerged that many men and women look after the same jobs each year, with 41% saying they always leave the same tasks to partner, while they take care of their own jobs.

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