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 34^th 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