UNICEF NZ (UN Children’s Fund)
Media Release
Monday 19 December, 2011

New Zealanders Reveal Christmas Shopping Secrets
Say No to Naff - www.inspiredgifts.org.nz

There’s only six days to go until Christmas but there’s no need to panic because a new nationwide survey by UNICEF NZ (UN Children’s Fund) and UMR Research* has revealed that Christmas shopping doesn’t need to be a headache after all.

The survey shows that:

• Most Kiwis (67%) actually want practical gifts for Christmas, women even more so than men (74% and 60% respectively).
• Buying vouchers is a smart move with 73% of women and 55% of men saying they don’t see it as a lazy gift.
• Half of us (50%) would be happy for someone to donate to charity on our behalf.
• Our biggest worry about Christmas shopping is finding the right gifts (30%) followed by the cost (28%) and overcrowded shops (20%).

The survey also reveals who causes us the most shopping problems. Women say they find it most difficult to purchase for partners (29%), followed by dad (18%) and other relatives like aunts and cousins (18%). More than a third of Kiwi men (38%) also struggle with buying gifts for partners, followed by other relatives (15%) and kids (12%).

Plus if you’re expecting to receive gifts from work colleagues or relatives like cousins and uncles then you might have cause to worry, because Kiwis believe that they are the worst offenders at giving bad gifts (38% and 17% respectively).

A third (34%) of New Zealanders received unwanted gifts last Christmas, with the majority (60%) confessing that these unloved presents are now languishing in cupboards around the country. There’s also a fair chance that some of your presents under the tree are re-gifted, with a quarter of respondents (25%), admitting to re-wrapping unwanted gifts for someone else. The only solace you might want to take from this is that most of us (82%) believe it’s the thought that counts!

Richard Boyd, Online Marketing Manager at UNICEF NZ, said, “We all know that buying Christmas gifts can be a nightmare, but this year we’re here to help you ‘Say No to Naff’ and ‘Yes’ to an Inspired Gift from UNICEF NZ.”

A UNICEF Inspired Gift has the potential to last a lifetime for children and their families in developing countries. All you need to do is choose an item to suit your budget, from polio vaccines to story books, and UNICEF guarantees it will be delivered straight to a child that needs it. Your loved one then get a personalised e-card letting them know about the thoughtful purchase made in their name.

Boyd added, “Buying an Inspired Gift takes the hassle out of Christmas shopping and means your present definitely won’t end up unloved. Inspired Gifts from UNICEF are a real way to make a tangible difference and we guarantee that each item will be delivered to children who need your help.”

UNICEF NZ Ambassador Jonah Lomu is also supporting the ‘Say No to Naff’ campaign, “We’ve all received (and probably given!) the odd dodgy Christmas gift in our time, so this year why not Say No to Naff and instead buy an Inspired Gift from UNICEF? You’ll be changing kids’ lives in over 60 countries all over the globe from Cameroon to Cambodia – that’s the kind of gift I think all of us would want to receive under the Christmas tree.”

Last year Kiwis purchased almost a million litres of clean water (through the provision of water purification tablets), 1000 story books, 13,000 polio and measles vaccinations and 50,000 school exercise books.

Follow in Jonah’s footsteps by going to www.inspiredgifts.org.nz
-ends-
Notes to editor

*Research conducted by UMR Research:

• Results are based upon questions asked in the UMR Research nationwide Online Omnibus survey.
• This is a survey of a nationally representative sample of 1000 New Zealanders 18 years of age and over conducted online.
• Detailed quotas and weighting are used to ensure that the sample is as representative as possible.
• Fieldwork was conducted from October 17th to 31st 2011.
• The margin of error for a sample size of n=1000 for a 50% figure at the ‘95% confidence level’ is 3.1%.

About UNICEF
UNICEF is on the ground in over 150 countries and territories to help children survive and thrive, from early childhood through adolescence.

The world’s largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS.

UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments.

Every $1 donated to us is worth at least $10 in the field thanks to the way we work in partnership with governments, local NGOs and other partners - www.unicef.org.nz

Karen Gray
Communications Manager

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