December 25, 2012

While most children look for toys and gadgets on Christmas day, some are looking for something a little longer lasting. A survey by a major shopping mall in the UK shows the tenth most popular Christmas gift for children is a dad.

The survey of children aged three to 12 years showed trendy toys, blockbuster games, electronic devices and even pets – were all left behind by one steady request, that of a father.   

While some have put a new baby brother or sister at the top of their Christmas list, a request for a "mum" has only reached number 23 on the list, The Telegraph reported.

Of the top 50 Christmas requests, some 17 reportedly related to pets and animals, with some children asking Santa for a donkey or an elephant. 

While smart phones and tablet computers remained permanent fixtures of the wish list, some kids immodestly asked for the moon and a time machine. 

One child raised eyebrows when he asked Santa for Desperate Housewives actress Eva Longoria.

Teens tempted in 2 directions

When it comes to teenagers, it is the latest electronic gadgets that define their holiday requests.

Tablets, laptops and cell-phones rule the day. 

Also, more than 80 per cent of teens in UK said decorations “are a must”, according to Research Now and K&A BrandResearch that surveyed teenagers between 12-17 years of age. 

However, a major concern with teenagers this holiday season is underage drinking. 

A growing number of disturbances have been reported in the time leading up to Christmas. 

Over the last couple of years there has been an increase in the number of alcohol-related injuries in the UK, putting a strain on hospitals and police this time a year, reports Sara Firth from Newcastle.  

On the weekend before Christmas, residents of Newcastle have a day nicknamed black-eye Friday, reference to a number of fights that break out there due to obsessive drinking. 

Drink Aware has rolled out a campaign warning people about how much they drink over the holiday period and cautioning them to be responsible. 

The main problem however is that the young people are “preloading” on alcohol before going out, and arriving at parties already under the influence of alcohol. 

You can also view the video of Sara Firth’s full report here.

http://rt.com/art-and-culture/news/dad-christmas-wish-list-793/print/