Irish people spend up to 6 hours watching television on Christmas Day – Virgin Media
73% of Irish people say sitting down with the family to watch television is a major part of Christmas
18th December: 70% of Irish people will spend up to six hours watching television on Christmas day new research carried out by Virgin Media has revealed. 12% of people will watch more than 6 hours of television on Christmas day, with 91% of people choosing to watch Christmas content on television.
The research, which was carried out by iReach on behalf of Virgin Media survived over 1,000 Irish people over the age of 18 on their viewing habits around the Christmas and New Year period.
Unsurprisingly, the research carried out by Virgin Media also revealed we’re a nation of sentimental traditionalists with 73% of respondents saying that sitting down with the family is a major part of Irish Christmas tradition. When it came to finding out what kind of content people were watching the result was a bit more split, 17% of us will tune into a soap or drama over the Christmas period which bodes well for soap addicts as Virgin Media One will have hour-long specials of both Coronation Street and Emmerdale on Christmas Day.
When we looked at what other type of content people were watching, a whopping 49% of us will sit down to watch a movie over the festive season, with hundreds of family favourites to choose from on Virgin Media’s On Demand platform and plenty available across Virgin Media Television this Christmas.
When asked what their favourite Christmas movie was, 42% chose ‘Home Alone’ as their Christmas classic, with one in four of us choosing ‘Miracle on 34th Street’ – both available to rent on Virgin Media On Demand if you’re looking for your fix this Christmas.
Paul Higgins, Director of Consumer at Virgin Media said “It’s comforting to know that in the age of smart phones and other devices, sitting down with our families in front of a television to watch a movie is still one our nation’s favourite tradition at Christmas time. Whether people are watching movies, soap, news or sports, television plays a key role in the Irish household over the festive period which is why Virgin Media customers will be spoiled for choice over this coming festive period not only with the amazing choice available on Virgin Media Television, but with the hundreds of boxsets and movies available through Virgin Media On Demand.”
Other information which the research revealed includes:
- 16% of Irish people will watch over 6 movies during the festive period, with 78% watching between 1-6 movies. Only 6% of those who will sit down to watch television over the festive season won’t watch a movie.
- When it comes to what other devices people are watching their content on over the Christmas period, 23% will watch content on a smartphone or tablet and 21% will watch it on a desktop or laptop.
ENDS
Further Information
Anna-Maria Barry, Virgin Media
T: (086) 227 2072
E: annamaria.barry@virginmedia.ie
Movies to Rent via Virgin Media On Demand
Christmas Theme Movies
Home Alone
Home Alone 2
Home Alone 3
A Doggone Christmas
A Christmas Carol (Disney)
The Holiday
Love Actually
Miracle on 34th Street (1947)
Miracle on 34th Street
Jingle All The Way
Jingle All the Way 2
Deck the Halls
A Merry Friggin Christmas (cert 15)
My Christmas Pony
Northpole: Open for Christmas
Santa’s Boot Camp
Wizard’s Christmas
Wizard’s Christmas, The Return
Krampus
The Star
Cbeebies: The Snow Queen
New Movies
Jurassic World Fallen Kingdom
Incredibles 2
Mamma Mia Here We Go Again
Book Club
Solo A Star Wars Story (end date 23/12)
Deadpool 2
Dublin Old School
Darkest Minds
Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation
Mission: Impossible Fall Out
Realms
The Equalizer 2
BlackkKlansmann
Death Race 4: Beyond Anarchy
New Releases (Christmas Week)
Black 47 (26/12)
Kin 26/12
The Happy Time Murders (26/12)
Blockbusters
Avatar
Titanic
Daddy’s Home
Bridget Jones’ Baby
Catch Me If You Can
Independence Day
Independence Day Resurgence
Slumdog Millionaire
There’s Something About Mary
Kingdom of Heaven
XMen Franchise
Fantastic Four Franchise
King Kong
Deadpool 1 & 2
Family Movies Non Christmas Themed
Incredibles 1 & 2
Toy Story 1-3
Secret Life of Pets
Ice age Franchise
Pirates of the Caribbean: Black Pearl
Despicable Me 1 & 2
Paddington 1 & 2
Hunger Games Franchise
Beethoven
Harry & The Hendersons
Back to the Future
Chronicles of Narnia Lion the Witch & The Wardrobe Wreck it Ralph
NOTES TO EDITOR:
Movies on Virgin Media One
Movie |
Time & Date |
MARIAN KEYES’ WATERMELON
|
SATURDAY 22nd DEC, 9PM |
A DATE FOR MAD MARY
|
SUNDAY 23rd DEC, 9PM
|
THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR
|
MONDAY 24th DEC, 10.30AM
|
YOGI BEAR
|
MONDAY 24th DEC, 4.15PM
|
ONE CHRISTMAS EVE
|
MONDAY 24th DEC, 11PM
|
NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM
|
TUESDAY 25th DEC, 10.30AM |
THE WIZARD OF OZ |
TUESDAY 25th DEC, 4.05PM |
BRIDGET JONES’ DIARY
|
TUESDAY 25th DEC, 9.15PM |
CASPER
|
WEDNESDAY 26th DEC, 10.30AM
|
BABE |
WEDNESDAY 26th DEC, 3.30PM
|
THE COMMITMENTS |
WEDNESDAY 26th DEC, 9PM
|
LOCK UP
|
FRIDAY 28th DEC , 10PM
|
HALF LIGHT
|
SATURDAY 29th DEC,9PM
|
CIRCLE OF FRIENDS
|
SUNDAY 30th DEC, PM
|
50 FIRST DATES
|
MONDAY 31st DEC, 9.30PM
|
DIARY OF A WIMPY KID: RODERICK RULES
|
TUESDAY 01st JAN, 10.30AM |
IRISH TV MOVIE PREMIERE: LIVE.DIE.REPEAT: EDGE OF TOMORROW
|
TUESDAY 01st JAN, 10PM |
PAUL BLART: MALL COP
|
FRIDAY 04th JAN, 10PM
|
Movies on Virgin Media Two
Movie |
Time & Date |
CHICKEN RUN
|
SATURDAY 22nd DEC, 5PM
|
RUSH HOUR 2
|
SATURDAY 22nd DEC, 10PM
|
PASSENGER 57
|
SUNDAY 23rd DEC, 10PM
|
THE CASSANDRA CROSSING
|
MONDAY 24th DEC, 10AM
|
A DOG NAMED CHRISTMAS
|
MONDAY 24th DEC, 12.30PM
|
SCOOBY-DOO 2: MONSTERS UNLEASHED
|
MONDAY 24th DEC, 6PM
|
MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: ROUGE NATION
|
MONDAY 24th DEC, 9PM
|
THE EAGLE HAS LANDED
|
TUESDAY 25th DEC, 12PM
|
IRISH TV MOVIE PREMIERE ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS: ROAD CHIP
|
TUESDAY 25th DEC, 6PM
|
MOVIE THREE KINGS
|
TUESDAY 25th DEC, 9PM
|
THE THIEF OF BAGDAD
|
WEDNESDAY 26th DEC, 12PM
|
LETHAL WEAPON 3
|
WEDNESDAY 26th DEC, 10PM
|
TRAINING DAY |
THURSDAY 27th DEC, 9PM
|
KUNG FU PANDA
|
FRIDAY 28th DEC, 6PM
|
INTO THE BLUE |
SATURDAY 29th DEC, 5.30PM
|
PASSANGER 57 |
SATURDAY 29th DEC, 11PM
|
SCOOBY-DOO 2: UNLEASHED
|
SUNDAY 30th DEC, 1PM
|
MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: ROGUE NATION |
SUNDAY 30th DEC, 11PM
|
ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS |
MONDAY 31st DEC, 2PM
|
JUST HENRY |
TUESDAY 01st JAN, 11.30AM |
HUSBAND FOR HIRE |
TUESDAY 01st JAN, 11.30AM |