TUI Enlists Chief Good List Officer to Help Finish Santa's Nice List

A new national study has revealed November is where the festive magic truly begins for little ones, with more than a third (35%) of children aged between three- and 11-years old taking time to carefully craft and submit their Christmas wish list. This also explains why over half of parents (55%) notice a switch in their behaviour in October, as kids across the nation set out to impress.

The research, conducted by TUI, revealed the heart-warming and often comical lengths children will go to, to firmly qualify for the jolly man’s ‘good list’ and achieve their Christmas dreams; including eating all their dinner (green bits as well) (59%), resisting the urge to argue with siblings (52%) and even offering to help with dinner (56%). 

With great commitment, however, comes great expectation, as the data uncovered that an experience or holidays top the Christmas wish list for most children (78%), with more than two fifths (45%) specifically dreaming of a trip to Lapland to see Father Christmas himself. Five- to six-year-olds were revealed as the most dedicated to writing their wish lists (34%) followed closely by three- to four-year-olds (32%). 

These findings come as the UK’s largest leisure and travel company launches the TUI Good List, to bring a little festive magic to the nation, enlisting reformed ‘good list’ candidate, 10-year-old Jackson as TUI’s chief good list officer. Famed for threatening to punch Santa’s beard off after his dad said he was on the naughty list, Jackson is back - this time with an apology to Santa. In a hilarious video, he humbly begs forgiveness and encourages other kids to make it onto the TUI Good List to be in with a chance of winning a trip to Lapland. It was created by Havas' earned media agency One Green Bean.

Phillip Iveson, commercial director of TUI UK and Ireland said, “For more than 15 years we've been creating incredible Christmas memories for families across the country with our Lapland packages. Last year alone we took nearly 40,000 Brits to Lapland to experience real Christmas magic, so we’re not surprised that it tops hundreds of Christmas wish lists. 

"When Jackson said he’d give us a hand to give one lucky family an experience of a lifetime, we jumped at the chance. At TUI we’re all about making lasting memories that stay with families for the rest of their lives, and what better place to do that in than the most magical place of all at Christmas time?”

The study of over 1,000 parents and their children discovered that six-year-olds experience the most festive magic, with nearly all of them (94%) writing Christmas lists, and almost half (45%) of parents claiming the most festive excitement happens between five- to six-years-old.

Those who want to meet the big man himself in Lapland with TUI next year can enter TUI’s Good List explaining why they’re deserving of the magical trip. TUI’s chief good list officer, Jackson, will work with Santa (and TUI) to review all applications and select his top ten best behaving kids, with a lucky winner selected at random. 

The lucky winner will travel to a TUI hotel in Lapland, with their family, in 2024 and will have the special opportunity to read their Christmas wish list to the big man, amongst other incredible experiences including snowmobile rides and a visit to the Snow Village. 

Visit here be in with a chance to win, with entries valid from 20^th November 2023 until 6^th December 2023 at 23:59. 

Parent’s top ten behaviours that confirms their little one’s place on the good list:

1. Being good at school (72%) 
2. Tidying your bedroom (67%)
3. Going to bed on time (66%) 
4. Doing all your homework (66%)
5. Eating all your dinner (59%)
6. Helping to make dinner (56%)
7. Helping with the vacuuming (45%)
8. Brushing your teeth (52%) 
9. Avoiding arguments with your siblings (52%) 
10. Putting down the iPad when asked (50%)