MORE than half of UK teenagers feel that the build up to Christmas is overwhelming and find the festive season “too much”, according to a new poll released last Tuesday by the Children’s Society.
Two thousand teenagers, aged between 13 to 16, completed a national survey about the expectations of Christmas. Deadlines, social media and family expectations emerged as the biggest drivers of “festive strain”.
Nearly a third of those surveyed said that looming schoolwork and exams led to “festive strain”, whereas 28 per cent cited social media, particularly from the stream of “perfect gifts, parties and family moments filling their feeds”. One in five teenagers said looking happy “when they didn’t feel it” was the “hardest part”.
Twenty-one per cent cited “money worries/gift-giving pressure” as a cause of stress, with nine per cent citing “worries about food”.
The greatest division in opinion was on social media. Around a quarter of teenagers surveyed that said social media made them “feel worse” about Christmas, yet roughly the same number said it made them “feel better”. Some of the biggest social media triggers were “seeing other people’s gifts” (29 per cent), “holiday trips I can’t afford/ go on” (26 per cent), and “pressure to post my own Christmas online” (25 per cent).
The CEO of the Children’s Society, Mark Russell, said: “For many teenagers, Christmas isn’t sparkle and joy — it’s noise and pressure. They’re under constant expectation to keep up, all the while worrying about exams, friendships, or money.
“Right now, too many young people are feeling totally overwhelmed by the noise they face every day. Having someone to talk to before things become overwhelming can change everything.”
Asked what would help, 36 per cent of the teenagers surveyed said that they wanted “material gifts (e.g. clothes, gadgets, tech)” and 31 per cent said “fun experiences (e.g. trips, activities)”.
Yet 29 per cent said that they wanted “more time to rest and relax”, and 17 per cent wanted “less pressure to perform” and “to feel calmer”. Twelve per cent said that they wanted “to be more understood by the adults around them”.
“This Christmas, we’re asking people to help a child quiet the noise so they can have space and support when they need it,” Mr Russell said.
