M&S survey reveals we are a nation of traditionalists and 'chuck it all in' decorators.

This week a You Gov survey commissioned by M&S into the festive habits of the British public has revealed that a massive 86% of us will be decorating our homes this Christmas.  It also revealed that, when it comes to decking the halls, we're a nation of traditionalists with 52% of people opting for traditional decorations.

The results showed that people in Scotland (57%) and East Anglia (58%) and those aged 55 and over (69%) were the most traditional. Interestingly, it also revealed that more men (54%) than women (50%) would choose more classic Christmas pieces.

"This year, we have noticed a demand for decorations with a glamorous vintage twist - glossy reds, deep velvets and a touch of sparkle form the key festive colour palette"

Sally Bendelow, Head of Home Design, M&S

The survey also revealed that many of us like to simply mix and match with 1 in 5 people (22%) preferring a 'chuck it all in' approach to festive dressing, buying decorations they like the look of and adding them to what they already have with no particular theme or style. Young professionals were found to be the most keen on eclectic decorating with 25% of people aged between 25 - 34 years old choosing a more varied style.

"I love decorating my home for Christmas - it brings out the child in me! I like to mix old favorites with new colorful pieces that catch my eye. This year I am planning on using lots of pinks and purples which are colours straight off the catwalk"

Hannah Sandling, Celebrity Interior Stylist

Britons were also found to be confident festive decorators, with 76% of people claiming they would not reconsider their decorations after seeing their friends or families attempts. People in Scotland (80%) were the most self-assured, while 24% of people aged 18 –24 admitted they might be tempted to change.

Christmas Eve was once the traditional date for dressing your tree but M&S predict next weekend (15th - 16th December) to be the most popular time for putting up decorations, allowing us to enjoy them for longer.  M&S has something for all kinds of decorator and with decorations available in store and online, it's easy to create your signature Christmas look.

For the traditionalist

Elegant Resin Droplets £5
Shanghai Bronze Flitter Smartie
Elegant Mini Baubles 27 Pack £2.50

For the eclectic

Sparkle Silver Spiral Bauble £2.50
Shanghai Bronze Sequin Bauble £2.50
Sparkle Baubles 27 Pack £2.50

0845 603 1603 / www.marksandspencer.com

For further information please contact:
Margaret Laws at Halpern 020 7351 2888 / margaret@halpern.co.uk
Yvadney Thompson 020 8718 6472 / yvadney.thompson@marks-and-spencer.com
All Images are available to download hi-res from our online image library www.mandslibrary.co.uk

Notes to editors:
The results are obtained from Omnibus online research conducted by You Gov for M&S during 28th – 30th November 2007 with a sample of 1958 adults. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all GB adults (aged 18+).

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