Sharks, combine-harvesters and a chainsaw – the crazy Christmas presents on children’s wish-lists

Thursday, December 22nd, 2011

Dangerous gifts are popular requests for Santa – no surprise then that 52% children still believe in him at the age of eight.

According to parenting website MadeForMums (www.madeformums.com) it seems some children are looking for more exotic gifts than X-boxes, Lego and fluffy toys in their Christmas stockings.

www.madeformums.com asked 1088 UK mums for their children’s most outrageous Christmas present requests. Among the numerous iPad, pony and baby brother/sister requests were some more interesting demands, including ‘plastic poo’, a microwave oven and trips to the moon.

One mum revealed that her 8-year-old daughter asked for world peace last year. “What was I meant to do with that?” asked the mum. “She was very disappointed in Santa!” Another mum was delighted when her 5-year-old asked for 30 packs of Blu-tack and admitted her daughter was as “pleased as punch” on Christmas Day.

Other unusual Christmas present requests in the MadeForMums survey include:

A chainsaw
A shadow
A crocodile
A tattoo
A real panda that does kung-fu
A designer handbag with flights to New York to buy it
An OAP mobility scooter to ride around on
A turtle and a piece of rope
Real ferrets
Sharks
A tiger
Camels
Jellyfish
Dragons
An octopus
A combine harvester
A Ferrari
A Japanese bullet train.
A camper van
A sausage.

While children may have vivid imaginations when it comes to presents, the survey found they also love to cling on to the magic of Santa Claus.

Mums revealed that just over half of their children (52%) still believe in Father Christmas at the age of eight. That figure drops to 38% by the age of nine, and by the age of 10 less than 20% still believe. The mean average age that children stop believing is 8.5 years.

”This is later than we’d expect,” says MadeForMums Editor Susie Boone. “Psychologists have shown that children understand the difference between reality and fantasy from around the age of seven, and by this age would be questioning the idea of an overweight man shimmying up and down every chimney in the world in one night. I love the fact that children cling on to the idea of Santa and suspend belief for as long as they feel they can.”

A scientific study by Prentice, Manosevitz and Hubbs (1978) found that children whose parents encourage the Santa myth were likely to believe for longer. So, in homes all over the country this Christmas Eve parents will be creating snowy footprints, creeping into rooms to fill stockings and leaving drinks and biscuits for Santa and his reindeer.

How do children finally learn the truth? The survey revealed just over 40% simply grew out of believing, while a third (32%) were told by friends. Only 8% of parents were brave enough to burst the Father Christmas bubble while most (83%) older siblings kindly play along with the myth and don’t reveal the truth to their younger siblings.

[ends]

Notes to Editors:

Use of any material from this press release must credit madeformums.com within the first three paragraphs.

MadeForMums is a parenting website from the makers of Practical Parenting & Pregnancy magazine and Junior Magazine, offering advice, local family listings, mums’ experiences and the UK’s most comprehensive professional reviews of baby products.

It is published by Immediate Media Co a new force in consumer media and publishing, combining businesses formerly known as BBC Magazines, Origin Publishing and Magicalia.

For further information please contact:

Susie Boone, Editor, MadeForMums – susie.boone@immediatemedia.co.uk,

Tel: 07817 098470

Sarah Williams-Robbins, Immediate Media Co press office.

Sarah.williams@immediatemedia.co.uk

Tel: 0208 433 3256