Who Really Runs Christmas? Three UK rewards the Chief Christmas Officers
- The UK’s self-claimed ‘Christmas Chief Officers’ are most likely to be 40 years old, female and from Blackpool, Leicester or Dudley
- Three-in-five (60%) Brits claim to be the Chief Christmas Officers in their household
- Over half (51%) of Gen X and Boomers would be delighted to pass on the hosting baton
- Scarlett Moffatt has teamed up with Three UK to reward the UK’s ‘Chief Christmas Officers’ at its ‘Give A Little S’More’ pop-up, offering free s’mores and hot drinks – to celebrate the perks and rewards customers get all year round with the Three+ app
2nd December 2025: Three UK has enlisted the help of television favourite, Scarlett Moffatt, to reward the unsung heroes of Christmas; the people who make the magic happen while juggling the festive chaos. Three is celebrating the ‘Chief Christmas Officers’ with a festive pop-up event designed to reward loved ones this season and offer a well-deserved seasonal timeout – thanks to the mobile network’s Three+ rewards app.
New research from Three shows more than two-thirds of adults (67%) say they shoulder the majority of the Christmas chores in their household, with the majority (87%) handling up to 40 festive tasks in the run up to the big day. In recognition of this hard work, people can tuck into a s’more and decadent hot chocolate for a moment of relaxation, thanks to Three.
In fact, bringing Christmas to life is such a colossal task that three out of five (60%) Brits would appoint themselves the ‘Chief Christmas Officer’ of their household – juggling everything from the gift buying and home decorating to managing the cooking and hosting parties. And this varies across the country too, with the self-claimed merry-markers most likely to come from Blackpool (77%), Leicester (76%) or Dudley (75%).
Although a third of men (35%) admit that it’s their spouse who usually takes on the majority of the tasks in the house, the figure might actually be a lot higher as three-quarters (77%) of women believe they are the ones who carry the Christmas load, which undoubtedly causes a few ‘crackers’ exchanged over the dinner table.
When it comes to different generations, Gen X dominates the festive frontline, taking charge of the traditional tasks like preparing the Christmas Dinner (50%), putting up the tree (59%) and cleaning the house (51%), the younger generation is stepping up with over half taking on tasks of wrapping the presents (57%), writing the cards (45%) and a third even doing the big food shop for their families (33%).
Younger Brits (Gen Zs and Millennials) are also 1.4 times more likely than older generations to insist that Christmas tasks are done their way, from the timing of cooking the turkey, wrapping presents, to decorating the Christmas tree. And this is much to the relief of the older groups, as half of Boomers and Gen-Xs (51%) say they look forward to passing on the baton of hosting duties. Yet there may be a little wait, as the average Brit only expects to host their first family Christmas Day at the age of 40.
Whether it’s done their way or not, more than three quarters (77%) say that they take their Christmas prep to such lengths because they want to make the season as special as possible for their loved ones.
Nearly a third (29%) said cooking is the most stressful aspect of Christmas, followed by family and friend dynamics (21%) and the sheer responsibility of all the additional festive tasks (19%). One in seven (15%) say they don’t find the festive period stressful at all – presumably because they have a Chief Christmas Officer in their family making sure all the jobs get done!
Whilst, 71% say that they are proud of the role they take in making Christmas magical, many (62%) believe their work doesn’t get enough recognition, and over half (55%) wish they could step back to enjoy a hot drink or festive downtime. Almost two-thirds (63%) would welcome perks or treats, while others say even a little recognition would make them feel appreciated (62%).
To raise a festive glass to the UK’s ‘Chief Christmas Officers’, Three is launching its ‘Give A Little S’more’ free pop-up experience on London’s Southbank on 2nd to 3rd December; a cosy retreat where friends and family can be rewarded by toasting marshmallows over open firepits, build s’mores, and sip a delicious hot chocolate.
Scarlett Moffatt said: “I absolutely love Christmas! With endless lists on my phone, in my bag, and on the fridge, I feel like a proper Chief Christmas Officer, keeping everything running smoothly. But it’s so worth it on the day, just to see everyone’s faces. So, if you’re like me and you could do with a little break from Christmas planning, and a little more pampering for yourself, Three’s got you covered. The ‘Give A Little S’more’ pop-up is a perfect excuse to relax, rewind and feel rewarded.”
A spokesperson for Three said: “Every household has a Chief Christmas Officer, and at Three we recognise just how much time and effort go into creating the magic. So, our ‘Give A Little S’more’ event goes a little way to show our appreciation and reward those people with a moment to enjoy the festivities. And with Three+ app, customers can enjoy more rewards all year round, from coffees and cinema tickets to foodie deals and discounts – helping them to save more and enjoy more, on our network.”
Three customers can also enjoy more perks and rewards this December on the Three+ rewards app, including:
- Free bag of chocolate coins at TGJones (previously WHSmith, 1st – 7th December)
- Free cinema ticket at Cineworld (8th – 14th December)
- Free barista-made drink at Caffè Nero (15th – 21st December)
- £10 off at Iceland when they spend £70, 50% off Moonpig cards, 60% off letters from Santa, 25% off annual membership at English Heritage and 18% off the first 5 Bloom & Wild orders (all available until 31st December)
- Plus, weekly perks, including £1 barista-made drinks, £3 weekend cinema tickets
Three’s ‘Give A Little S’more’ pop-up experience is open Tuesday 2nd December (3pm – 9pm) and Wednesday 3rd December (12pm – 6pm), at The Queen’s Walk, London, SE1 8XX. With free entry and complimentary food & drink, pre-booking is recommended – although walk-ins will be available and subject to availability.
To book a spot at Three’s ‘Give A Little S’more’ visit http://bit.ly/4ahQL99
For more information about Three and the Three+ rewards app visit www.three.co.uk/threeplus
ENDS
Notes to Editors
What: A festive pop-up with gooey s’mores and hot chocolate, to reward loved ones this Christmas thanks to the Three+ rewards app
When: Tuesday 2nd December 3pm – 9pm, Wednesday 3rd December 12pm – 6pm
Where: Fire & Fromage, The Queen’s Walk, London, SE1 8XX
Cost: Free entry, but pre-booking is recommended
Nearest stations: Waterloo and Waterloo East
About the research
3Gem Research and Insights conducted the survey between 18th and 21st November 2025, involving 2,000 UK adults aged 18 years old and above.
About Three UK:
Three launched in 2003 as the UK’s first 3G only network. Today, Three’s network covers 99% of the UK population, carries 36% of the UK’s mobile data traffic (Enders Analysis, Q2 2025) and has been recognised as the UK’s Fastest 5G Network (Ookla Speedtest Awards, Q1-Q2 2025).
Three UK is a proud partner of Samaritans, using its network and technology to connect one million people to emotional support.
Three UK is one of the brands of recently merged VodafoneThree, which is the UK’s largest mobile provider. VodafoneThree is investing £11bn in building the UK’s best network, delivering reliable, quality connectivity to all communities – from big cities to small towns, and everywhere in between – reaching 99.95% population coverage by 2034.
As a result of the merger, Vodafone and Three customers get more coverage, faster speeds and fewer not spots. Devices automatically connect to the best coverage available – whether that’s on the Vodafone or Three network – effectively giving them access to two networks at no extra cost.
