Family rows are part of Christmas fare

One in five people expects a family bust-up this Christmas, according to a survey released today.

The poll found that 22 per cent of those asked expected a family argument during the festive period although the majority, at 77 per cent, expected harmony around the Christmas tree.

It also found that 13 per cent of respondents had stopped speaking to an immediate family member during the past 12 months. The survey reported that 97 per cent of people said their families made them feel happy, while 60 per cent said their jobs made them happy.

However, Christmas turned out to be the favourite time for only two out of five respondents to the poll.

BBC Radio 5 live carried out the survey of 1,006 UK adults as part of the station's Family Week.