A third of Scots expect a Zoom Christmas after warnings of a 'digital Christmas' from clinical director

A third of Scots will embrace a 'digital christmas'

According to a recent survey verified by YouGov, 1 in 3 Scottish households will turn to video technology to wish loved ones outside their bubble a happy Christmas.

Out of those who participated in the survey carried out by Park Christmas Savings, over half (55%) said fears around spreading the virus was the deciding factor in opting for a Zoom calls instead of face-to-face visits.

This news comes after Scotland’s national clinical director Jason Leitch told BBC’s Good Morning Scotland that the prospect of extended family coming together for Christmas this year was “fiction” and that Scots must prepare for a “digital Christmas.”

Speaking earlier this morning, Mr Leitch said: “We are not going to be in large groupings with multiple families coming round – that is fiction for this year.

“But, I'm hopeful that if we can get the numbers down to a certain level, we may be able to get some form of normality.

He added: “People should get their digital Christmas ready.”

The new poll carried out online, reflects a sample size of 2037 adults, of which 1907 celebrate Christmas.

It also revealed that almost one in three (31%) of those likely to have a Zoom Christmas considered avoiding family drama, annoying in-laws or being stuck with friends and relatives a ‘huge bonus’ of having to remain in a Covid bubble this year. Only 5% of Scots feel a Zoom Christmas will save them money but almost one in four feel it will be much more convenient.

The research found that lower income households are the least inclined to choose a festive video call to connect with loved ones, with only a quarter revealing would embrace technology, compared to wealthier adults – more than a third (34%) plan on having a Zoom festive season.

Sebastian Dubois, product manager at Park Christmas Savings said: “Our poll shows that this year Scottish households are adapting to a whole new way of experiencing Christmas. With a tough winter ahead, it is vital families and friends stay connected and embrace technology to make this happen safely."

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