1 in 5 people in Ireland have forgotten to buy a present for a family member before Christmas Day

Have you ever done this?

With just a few weeks left until Christmas, a recent survey has revealed that some people are not as prepared as others for Christmas Day. According to the Circle K study, over a fifth (23 per cent) have forgotten to buy a present for a family member and 41 per cent have panicked forgetting to buy something essential for Christmas Day. The study also found that when it comes to the last-minute Christmas dash, there is the inevitable forgotten item or two and for 43 per cent of those polled, the experience of forgetting batteries for a most prized gift is one familiar to them. Other essential items people have forgotten to buy on Christmas Day are spare gifts for unexpected visitors (31 per cent) and Christmas cards (18 per cent). Almost a quarter (24 per cent) have experienced Christmas Day panic due to a family member receiving the same present twice, and when visiting a loved one, 18% have left gifts at home by accident. Interestingly, while 19 per cent of those polled start their Christmas shopping three months early, a further quarter (25 per cent) wait until the week before Christmas to buy their gifts. Of those, three in ten (31 per cent) say they wait because they are a last-minute type of person, while 25 per cent admit that they struggle to come up with gift ideas. As it’s the busiest time of year for online shopping, delivery delays can happen, but unphased by this, 25 per cent say they are still likely to order a present online with no guarantee that it will arrive in time, a scenario that 28 per cent have experienced in the past. Speaking on the findings Joanne D’Arcy, Director of Market Development at Circle K Ireland said:

"Research shows that amidst all the festive excitement, sometimes forgetting something essential is inevitable. For those that forget, many Circle K stores will be open on Christmas Day, so stop by your local store for whatever you need!"