Nearly Half of Parents Say Christmas Magic Is Slipping - British Gas Responds With a UK-Wide Same Day Santa Service

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Christmas may be the season of sparkle, but new research from British Gas shows parents are feeling the heat. Kids are asking tougher questions than ever, with 85% of children now wanting to know how Santa gets into modern homes, with one in four worried about having no chimney at all, and 33% convinced that alarms and security systems could stop him in his tracks.

Parents are working hard to keep the festive spirit alive, with two thirds saying their stress peaks at Christmas and almost all feeling pressure - 98% to maintain Santa’s magic and 82% to deliver a flawless festive season. From magic keys and snowy boot prints to carefully staged scenes, 79% of parents say they create special setups to help Santa get in, while 73% have even turned to tech to keep the belief alive.

This year, British Gas is stepping in with extra festive support by launching its Same Day Santa Service, inspired by the way its engineers already criss-cross the country helping families when they need it most. With engineers routinely dispatched on same-day callouts to fix heating and hot water breakdowns for customers who get in touch before 11am, the company decided it was the perfect moment to add a little extra joy to their journeys.

The research shows just how vital this support is, with 24% of families experiencing heating failures over Christmas, 10% left without hot water, and nearly a fifth facing electrical problems at the worst possible moment. A huge 99% say reliable home services are imperative at Christmas time. Throughout the season, British Gas engineers will continue to be available for same-day callouts for anyone who contacts the team before 11am, helping to protect celebrations across the country and keep the comfort of Christmas intact.

And now, as the engineers work to keep homes warm and working, Santas will be joining them on their festive rounds, hitching a ride in the British Gas vans and popping up on doorsteps along the engineers’ routes to deliver magical surprise visits.

Parents simply drop a line to the British Gas team, and a selection of families will be visited by the British Gas Santa Squad, a group of Santas travelling around the UK to deliver joy, reassurance and festive cheer. Each Santa will arrive with a Santa Gift Box and a Santa Kit to help parents recreate magical moments indoors.

Hannah Folley, a British Gas engineer said: "Christmas should feel magical, not stressful. Parents are under huge pressure, from keeping homes running to keeping the excitement alive for their children. The Same Day Santa Service is our way of spreading a little extra joy, while our engineers remain on standby to keep homes warm, safe and working throughout the holidays."

Santa, who has been closely following the situation from the North Pole, added: "Lots of children are worried about chimneys, alarms and locked doors these days, but nothing stops Santa. With a little help from my friends at British Gas, I’ll be popping up on doorsteps across the UK to keep the Christmas magic shining bright."

From Santa Squad surprises to rapid response engineers, British Gas is helping families across the country keep Christmas warm, wonderful and full of belief.

For more info, visit British Gas Same Day Service.