Christmas shopping is well under way with just three weeks to go. Most people try to keep their gifts under wraps by hiding them around the house or even outside.
But where is the best place to hide them?
An AA Insurance poll of 17,053 people can reveal that the most common hiding place is a wardrobe with a third (33%) of people stashing presents in, under or on top of them.
A quarter (26%) hide them in a spare room, followed by putting them under the bed or in a chest of drawers (both 13%).
Table – Where does the UK hide their Christmas Presents, top 5 locations (All respondents)
The survey showed that men had a tendency to hide gifts outside of the house, with one in 10 (9%) keeping presents in their garage and 4% keeping gifts in the shed.
The poll is being used as a reminder for homeowners to check their home security and take any necessary steps ahead of Christmas to avoid theft.
As 7% of people keep presents in their cars, AA insurance advises not to keep high value gifts in cars as they may not be covered under the vehicle insurance policy.
Households tend to have multiple high-value items in their homes throughout December, and AA Home Insurance increases the contents cover for all customers throughout the month by 20% at no additional cost.
Janet Connor, managing director for AA insurance services says; “A Winter Wonderland can very quickly become the Christmas Blues if your gifts are stolen.
“While cars, sheds and garages may seem an ideal place to hide presents, it comes with a risk of thieves carrying out ‘smash and grab’ style thefts.
“Hiding presents in the home is by far the best option as it offers the most protection and has the added advantage of having numerous places to hide those perfect gifts.”