What parents do to make the holidays memorable

Two out of three parents have pulled a night out in the spirit of holiday magic.

That’s according to a new survey of 2,000 parents of school-aged children that examined the lengths parents will go to to make the holidays memorable for their children, and found that 66% have stayed up all night in an effort to done everything for the holidays.

And the late nights don’t stop there—the average parent estimates they’ll stay up past midnight five times this holiday season trying to get all the preparations done.

Conducted by Talker Research on behalf of HP, the results also indicated that preparation may be even more intense this year than in years past.

That’s because over three-quarters (77%) of parents feel pressure to make the holidays better than last year.

Some extreme lengths participants said they’ve gone to to make the holidays stand out for their children include having someone climb on the roof to recreate the sounds of Santa’s boots, covering their floors with baby dust to show the footprints of Santa and tying the fishing line for him. their elf doll to make it fly.

When it comes to inspiration, Facebook is the biggest source of pressure for parents to create holiday magic (37%), followed by TV (34%) and other family members (30%).

And it’s not easy with excitable youngsters constantly wondering what’s next. Almost half of parents (43%) said they struggled to keep their children entertained during the holidays with 50% admitting they tend to run out of ideas.

The survey results revealed that 13-year-olds are the hardest to entertain.

Christmas Eve was found to be the most difficult day of the winter to entertain their children, followed by Christmas Day itself.

“The holidays can feel overwhelming, but enjoying the little moments with your loved ones is what the winter season is all about,” said Brittany Jepsen of The House That Lars Built, who worked with HP to create free printables for Holiday Activity holidays. “From decorating your home to listening to your favorite holiday playlist together, finding ways to spend time together helps build the memories that really matter.”

Eighty-six percent consider holiday activities to be some of the most quality time they spend with family all year. The same number also said it’s more important during the holidays to spend family time without the distraction of smartphones and tablets.

To get this family time — and to keep their kids entertained — a third of parents (32%) print out paper crafts or decorations, and 42% print out last-minute holiday decorations.

When they’re not trying to keep the kids busy, parents are dodging some tough questions about old St. Nick.

The most common questions children ask are: Is Santa real? What if we don’t have a fireplace? And how does Santa deliver presents to all the children in one night?

TOP 15 QUESTIONS CHILDREN ASK DURING HOLIDAYS

• Is Santa real?
• What if we don’t have a fireplace?
• How does Santa deliver presents to all the children in one night?
• How does Santa fit in the fireplace?
• How does Santa know if I’ve been bad or good?
• What if I’m bad? Will I still receive gifts?

• How does Santa’s reindeer fly?
• Why can’t I see Santa?
• What do reindeer eat?
• Can Santa’s sleigh really fly?
• Why do some children not believe in Santa?
• How many elves does Santa have?
• Do elves really exist?
• How do reindeer reach the North Pole?
• Can reindeer talk?

Survey methodology:

Talker Research surveyed 2,000 parents of school-age children (3-18 years old); the survey was commissioned by HP and administered and conducted online by Talker Research between November 12 and November 18, 2024.