The trees are up, the adverts are out – but how much of Britain is really ready for Christmas?

The trees are up, the adverts are out – but how much of Britain is really ready for Christmas?

With only a couple of weeks until the big day, who in the UK has their presents prepped, wrapped and ready – and which of us have yet to begin? Which cities are the most confident gift givers – and who among us will be donating our wares to the nearest charity shop come Boxing Day?

DCYPHER, the world’s most personalised foundation brand has all the answers, with a nationwide survey, seeking to solve the mystery of the Great British Gift Off…

DCYPHER’s award-winning custom foundations are mixed to your exact skin tone measurements, with the formula’s coverage, finish and skin needs tailored exactly to your preference via an online fitting service, activated via gifting through a unique code. DCYPHER is the perfect gift choice for the unprepared, the last minute gift giver or for the makeup lover you’ve never actually met before.

The Art of Gift Giving

When it comes to getting organised with our gift buying, ahead of the holiday season, we Brits start off with good intentions – but get stressed at the final hour. 29% of Britons say their approach to gift buying is disorganised**Figure 1, with over a fifth (23%) admitting their approach is somewhat hecticTable 1.

Good news if you’re due to receive a gift from someone in the North though – as it seems that Newcastle & Glasgow are the most organised cities in Britain when it comes to gift buyingFigure 2, so rest assured your Christmas present is probably bought, wrapped and under the tree. However, if you’re expecting a gift from Belfast or Sheffield – it’s more than likely that the present buying has yet to commence – so you may have a couple of weeks to get some last minute requests in!

If youth is on your side, you’re statistically one of the most disorganised** people in the countryTable 2 when it comes to gift buying – a third of Brits aged 16-24 admitted to leaving their Christmas shopping to the last minute (33%), whilst 65% of those of us aged 55+ are more than likely feeling smug and sorted – time to enjoy a celebratory Christmas tipple!

That said, many amongst us admit to finding it hard to buy good gifts, with over 38% of those surveyed admitting to struggles in the gift buying departmentTable 3. In fact, as a nation, more of us admitted to finding it difficult to source the perfect gift than not – with Belfast leading the way; over 50% of the city admitted they struggle to find a present that they’re happy to giveFigure 3, whilst comparatively Bristol appeared to be the most confident gift buyers, with 28% of Bristolians feeling confident in their purchasing skillsFigure 4.

The Unknown Recipient

Ever been in a situation where you’ve had to buy a present for someone you haven’t even met yet? You’re not alone – 42% of us Brits have had to buy a present for someone they don’t know in the past, with 18% of people revealing they’ll be purchasing a gift for an unknown recipient again this year,Table 4.
If you’re between the ages of 16-24, live in Greater London these numbers are even higher, with 55% of 16-24’s having gifted to people they don’t know in the past and 50% of those in Greater London . So what do you buy the person you know nothing about – without getting it wrong?

The Unwanted Gift

It appears that that is still a puzzle waiting to be solved, because in a nation of last minute gift buyers, lacking in confidence, and forced to buy presents for strangers, it’s no surprise that mistakes occur. So what happens when Christmas is over, the presents are unwrapped and we’re eyeing up our gifts?

Well, it turns out that as a nation – our gift giving nervousness is well placed. … over half of us (53%) admitted to buying someone the wrong gift at least once in our livesTable 5, whilst a whopping 71% of us claim to have been the recipient of a gift which was completely wrong,Table 6.

Bad luck for 16-24 year olds, and those living in Birmingham – it seems you’re the hardest to buy for. 82% of 16-24 year olds have received the wrong gift at least once, with 18% getting a terrible gift every year vs a national average of 71% and 10% respectively. Birmingham is the unluckiest city with 75% having received the wrong gift at least on one occasion. Those living in the North East are a brave bunch though – ranking as the most likely in the country to ask their gift giver to return their present back to the shop with 20% admitting to this vs a national average of 10% .

The most common response to an unwanted gift though? Charity of course! In a nation of keen thrifters it makes sense that 31% of those who receive unwanted gifts donate them to charityTable 7,

We’re also a nation of confident re-gifters, with 21% of us putting our unwanted gifts to good use by re-wrapping and giving it to someone elseTable 7. But this Christmas, try not to be like the 14% of Britons who have accidentally re-gifted their unwanted item to the person who bought it for themTable 8… yikes!

Leicester TV

Education Technology Day must be extended to prisons

Education Technology Day must be extended to prisons

Typically thought of as being an easy to clean area of the home, hard floors have risen in popularity in recent decades. Globally, hard floors are the most common floor type,2 and research released today by Dyson has uncovered poor cleaning habits that mean hard floors are likely to be harbouring an array of hidden nasties. This comes as 32% of Brits – equating to 21.6 million people in the UK – will use the same dirty mop head for six months or more before replacing it. What’s more, one in 20 also admit to keeping the same mop for a year or longer, and one in 10 think it is acceptable to use the same mop 100 times, spreading dirt around their floors every time they use it. Cross contamination is a primary issue for most common and traditional mopping methods with germs and bacteria further being unknowingly spread around homes as Brits use dirty water to clean floors.3 45% only change the water to new water between rooms, whereas 41% wait even longer until it looks dirty. This could mean that floors are being washed with dirty water, adding more dirt rather than taking it away. Surprisingly, almost one in 10 (9%) even admit to not changing the dirty water at all when mopping. Over a quarter (28%) admit to mopping their floors once a fortnight or less while over half (53%) admit they don’t regularly clean behind appliances and leave dirt to build up for as long as six months at a time. image002.jpg On how to achieve a perfect barefoot clean feel after mopping, Geli Lee, Dyson Engineer and Home Cleaning Expert offers their top tips for eliminating dirt around the home: 1. Create a cleaning schedule to stay on top of dirt build-up. In the last year, there has been a 15% global reduction in the number of people who maintain regular cleaning schedules. 47% of the British public admitted to only being motivated to clean when they spot visible dirt or dust.4 Regular floor cleaning with a wet hard floor cleaner like the Dyson WashG1™ removes more stubborn dirt than vacuuming alone. It is important to have a debris free surface, clear any clutter from the floor or other surfaces. Choose the right machine: Different vacuums are designed for different floor types and home sizes. Some machines will be engineered with hard floors in mind and will struggle on thick pile carpets, for example. Choosing the right machine for your home will make a big difference to the ease and speed with which you’re able to clean your home. Clean your floors ‘little and often’. Washing your floors frequently in areas that receive more foot fall will help to stop dirt building up and getting trodden into your floor. Using a dedicated wet floor cleaner on hard flooring such as the Dyson WashG1 is helpful for this, as the versatile format means it vacuums and washes the floor simultaneously. Cleaning schedules have also become less regimented. In recent years only 41% of people claim to have a regular cleaning schedule, and 60% admit to cleaning reactively; being motivated to clean only when there is visible dirt or dust5. It’s perhaps not surprising, that a fifth of people are still concerned their floors are dirty after they’ve mopped them (22%) and one in four6 feel extremely worried about indoor dust at home. Geli Lee, Dyson Engineer and Home Cleaning Expert reveals why it is important to change the way we mop: “Cleaning your hard floors properly and regularly is important for maintaining a healthy environment around your home. Without a proper cleaning routine, dirt may unknowingly build up and spread around your home. It is evident from our research that current mopping habits mean British households aren’t cleaning their floors as effectively as they should. “From ignoring problem areas where dust and debris build up, cross contamination with dirty water to not replacing mop heads or inconsistent cleaning, current mopping behaviours may be making floors dirtier as opposed to cleaner. Moving away from traditional methods, wet floor cleaners like the Dyson WashG1 simplify the floor cleaning experience and provide a modern efficient and hygienic solution” To help take the guesswork out of mopping, the brand new WashG1 is Dyson’s first dedicated wet floor cleaner that tackles wet and dry debris in one go. Engineered for hygienic cleaning and maintenance, the WashG1 is revolutionising wet floor cleaning, removing the need for multi-products and multi-steps to achieve a barefoot clean feel around the home. To put the product to the test, Dyson have cleaned one of London’s most iconic landmarks The Victoria and Albert Museum. From cleaning the grand marble floors housing the most prestigious exhibits, to cleaning up leftover food in the Gamble Room Cafe, the WashG1 had a dirt busting tour of the museum leaving it spotless. Images can be found here. The WashG1 introduces Dyson’s engineering expertise to cleaning hard floors. With a 1 litre clean-water tank to cover flooring up to 290m2, the Dyson WashG1 uses a combination of hydration, absorption, and extraction technologies to remove wet and dry spills and stains simultaneously. The Dyson WashG1 is available to purchase now from Dyson.co.uk, retailing at £599.99.

Typically thought of as being an easy to clean area of the home, hard floors have risen in popularity in recent decades. Globally, hard floors are the most common floor type,2 and research released today by Dyson has uncovered poor cleaning habits that mean hard floors are likely to be harbouring an array of hidden nasties. This comes as 32% of Brits – equating to 21.6 million people in the UK – will use the same dirty mop head for six months or more before replacing it. What’s more, one in 20 also admit to keeping the same mop for a year or longer, and one in 10 think it is acceptable to use the same mop 100 times, spreading dirt around their floors every time they use it. Cross contamination is a primary issue for most common and traditional mopping methods with germs and bacteria further being unknowingly spread around homes as Brits use dirty water to clean floors.3 45% only change the water to new water between rooms, whereas 41% wait even longer until it looks dirty. This could mean that floors are being washed with dirty water, adding more dirt rather than taking it away. Surprisingly, almost one in 10 (9%) even admit to not changing the dirty water at all when mopping. Over a quarter (28%) admit to mopping their floors once a fortnight or less while over half (53%) admit they don’t regularly clean behind appliances and leave dirt to build up for as long as six months at a time. image002.jpg On how to achieve a perfect barefoot clean feel after mopping, Geli Lee, Dyson Engineer and Home Cleaning Expert offers their top tips for eliminating dirt around the home: 1. Create a cleaning schedule to stay on top of dirt build-up. In the last year, there has been a 15% global reduction in the number of people who maintain regular cleaning schedules. 47% of the British public admitted to only being motivated to clean when they spot visible dirt or dust.4 Regular floor cleaning with a wet hard floor cleaner like the Dyson WashG1™ removes more stubborn dirt than vacuuming alone. It is important to have a debris free surface, clear any clutter from the floor or other surfaces. Choose the right machine: Different vacuums are designed for different floor types and home sizes. Some machines will be engineered with hard floors in mind and will struggle on thick pile carpets, for example. Choosing the right machine for your home will make a big difference to the ease and speed with which you’re able to clean your home. Clean your floors ‘little and often’. Washing your floors frequently in areas that receive more foot fall will help to stop dirt building up and getting trodden into your floor. Using a dedicated wet floor cleaner on hard flooring such as the Dyson WashG1 is helpful for this, as the versatile format means it vacuums and washes the floor simultaneously. Cleaning schedules have also become less regimented. In recent years only 41% of people claim to have a regular cleaning schedule, and 60% admit to cleaning reactively; being motivated to clean only when there is visible dirt or dust5. It’s perhaps not surprising, that a fifth of people are still concerned their floors are dirty after they’ve mopped them (22%) and one in four6 feel extremely worried about indoor dust at home. Geli Lee, Dyson Engineer and Home Cleaning Expert reveals why it is important to change the way we mop: “Cleaning your hard floors properly and regularly is important for maintaining a healthy environment around your home. Without a proper cleaning routine, dirt may unknowingly build up and spread around your home. It is evident from our research that current mopping habits mean British households aren’t cleaning their floors as effectively as they should. “From ignoring problem areas where dust and debris build up, cross contamination with dirty water to not replacing mop heads or inconsistent cleaning, current mopping behaviours may be making floors dirtier as opposed to cleaner. Moving away from traditional methods, wet floor cleaners like the Dyson WashG1 simplify the floor cleaning experience and provide a modern efficient and hygienic solution” To help take the guesswork out of mopping, the brand new WashG1 is Dyson’s first dedicated wet floor cleaner that tackles wet and dry debris in one go. Engineered for hygienic cleaning and maintenance, the WashG1 is revolutionising wet floor cleaning, removing the need for multi-products and multi-steps to achieve a barefoot clean feel around the home. To put the product to the test, Dyson have cleaned one of London’s most iconic landmarks The Victoria and Albert Museum. From cleaning the grand marble floors housing the most prestigious exhibits, to cleaning up leftover food in the Gamble Room Cafe, the WashG1 had a dirt busting tour of the museum leaving it spotless. Images can be found here. The WashG1 introduces Dyson’s engineering expertise to cleaning hard floors. With a 1 litre clean-water tank to cover flooring up to 290m2, the Dyson WashG1 uses a combination of hydration, absorption, and extraction technologies to remove wet and dry spills and stains simultaneously. The Dyson WashG1 is available to purchase now from Dyson.co.uk, retailing at £599.99.

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