Christmas has a way of revealing people’s true colours. Mention Christmas in any British home and you’ll quickly discover there’s usually one poor soul powering the whole operation while everyone else coasts along with a glass of fizz and a vague sense of entitlement.
New research from Coca-Cola shows that around eight in ten people in the UK agree: in every family or friendship group, there’s usually one person who makes the festive season feel magical. But when you crunch the numbers, fewer than four in ten of us actually qualify as full-time “makers”. The rest are happy partakers, drifting in for the roast potatoes and disappearing when the washing-up begins.
These Christmas makers aren’t casually “helping out”; they’re effectively running mission control. The study reveals that a sizeable chunk of them take charge of the entire festive food shop, many shoulder the whole Christmas lunch on their own, a solid share make sure the turkey is ordered, nearly half remember who hates sprouts and who refuses bread sauce, and plenty wouldn’t dream of sitting down without crackers on the table.
Then there are the bonuses on their unofficial job description. Makers are the ones who keep family traditions alive, always know where the tape and scissors are hiding, can locate the decorations in a heartbeat, somehow stay calm while everyone else is flapping, still bother to make a Christmas pudding, and end up wedged into the worst seat for the family movie—because everyone else got there first.
Small wonder that three-quarters of the country say Christmas would be “rubbish” without that one person quietly holding it all together.
Mums, siblings, and the quiet grafters of Christmas
When you look at who’s actually grafting, mums top the table by a distance, with older siblings also stepping into the organiser role, and dads coming in further down the list. The emotional load, as usual, is not exactly evenly distributed.
And yet, even though most people agree that makers are the glue holding family and friendship groups together during the holidays, nearly one in five admit they don’t always bother to say thank you or show any real appreciation. It’s not always malice—just classic British avoidance. Some assume their loved ones already know they’re valued, others think the maker “doesn’t want a fuss”, a fair few struggle to find the right words, and plenty simply get swept up in the festive chaos.
Meanwhile, the makers themselves aren’t exactly thriving on silent gratitude. Well over half say they can feel taken for granted, and nearly half joke they’re ready to down tools altogether because their efforts go unnoticed. And when you consider what they actually put in, you can’t really blame them.
According to the study, these unsung “stars of Christmas” start gearing up around seven weeks before the big day. By the time everyone’s pulling crackers, they’ve already clocked roughly 20 hours thinking about, planning and buying presents, another stretch of time doing the food shop and prepping in the kitchen, more hours hanging decorations, and a decent chunk of evenings writing cards while everyone else is scrolling their phones.
Backing the makers: Coca-Cola, Sam Thompson and a festive thank you
This year, Coca-Cola has decided to step in on behalf of the nation’s exhausted elves. The brand is championing the people who make Christmas happen, starting with a stunt at Spitalfields where TV personality Sam Thompson turned up dressed as Santa. On the day, he invited passers-by to nominate their own Christmas makers, then surprised them with personalised thank-you messages.
If you didn’t catch it in person, you can still join in by commenting on Sam’s Instagram post. Every single maker nominated contributes to Coca-Cola’s festive donation to food charity FareShare—so a simple shout-out does more than just ease your guilty conscience.
Charlotte Butt, Senior Marketing Manager at Coca-Cola Great Britain and Ireland, says: “We believe in spreading joy and recognising those who make special moments happen. We want to inspire the nation to give those unsung heroes the heartfelt thank you they truly deserve. Every maker nominated for a shout-out, will support Coca-Cola’s donation to FareShare this Christmas.”
Sam Thompson adds: “Last year I spent Christmas Day volunteering, and it was really special. There are so many ‘makers’ of Christmas – from all walks of life, creating magic for families across the UK during the festive season. I am so excited to help make Christmas that little bit better for the makers with Coca-Cola … and of course I love dressing up as Santa, so I’m buzzing about that too.”
TOP SIGNS IT IS YOU THAT MAKES CHRISTMAS HAPPEN…
Rank
Sign
% of Brits
1
You time the Christmas lunch to perfection
48%
2
You know what everyone likes and cater accordingly
45%
3
You plan and do the Christmas food shop
41%
4
You NEVER forget the crackers
38%
5
You prefer giving presents than receiving them
38%
6
You’re happy if everyone else is
37%
7
You cook the Christmas lunch
37%
8
You’re calm under pressure
34%
9
You book the turkey
32%
10
You keep the family traditions alive
32%
11
You have a specific way of decorating the tree/house
31%
12
You know exactly where the Christmas decorations are
30%
13
You send all the Christmas cards
28%
14
You have a seating plan, so everyone is happy
27%
15
Your fridge is perfectly stocked with everyone’s favourite drinks
27%
16
You’d give up the last pig in blanket/roast potato for someone else
26%
17
You have tape and scissors when people need them
25%
18
You’re always tidying up the wrapping paper
24%
19
You made a Christmas playlist with people’s favourite songs
23%
20
You organise and buy the family presents for siblings and partners
22%
21
You make Christmas pudding from scratch
20%
22
You’re first up in the morning and last to bed
20%
23
You started your shopping in September
16%
24
You have a box of bows and ribbons on hand
14%
25
You’re happy to sit in the worst seat during the movie
13%
So if you’re the one who turns up, tucks in and nods off during the King’s speech, maybe this is the year you do more than mumble “cheers” over the roast potatoes. A proper thank you, an extra gift, or even a public shout-out could go a long way.
Because if the makers ever actually did go on strike, Christmas wouldn’t just be a bit flat—it would fall apart faster than a cheap cracker hat.
Dining and Cooking