MILLIONS of children have been left in fear as they fret about how Santa will find them, a new survey has found.
The study of 1,000 parents exclusively asked those with children between the ages of four to 12 who celebrate on December 25.
A third of kids will be staying away from home this Christmas meaning they have been left puzzled over whether they will wake up to festive joy and wrapped presents at the end of their bed in the morning.
The latest study has revealed that while 65 per cent of children will be in their own beds, 32 per cent will find themselves on holiday or staying with family.
And of those that are staying elsewhere, 67 per cent worry Saint Nick won’t make an appearance at the new destination.
As a result, 26 per cent have even delayed their travel plans to keep the holiday magic intact for their kids.
The research was commissioned by MSC Cruises, which has introduced a special sleigh landing pad on the deck of MSC Preziosa.
Designed to ensure Santa and his reindeer can make safe deliveries at sea, the festive pad reassures children travelling over the holidays that their gifts will arrive on time.
The festive ‘Sleigh Pad’ features colourful markings inspired by a helipad, with a sleigh-shaped design and individual hoof ‘ports’ for each of Santa’s nine reindeer.
Antonio Paradiso, managing director of the cruise line, said: “Santa always does his best to find families, but a cruise ship out at sea can be a moving object, so we thought he’d appreciate the extra help.
“Kids ask some very valid questions, so we’re pleased to show them exactly how Santa will find us at sea.”
To ease their children’s worries while traveling, 49 per cent mention Santa’s “magic map,” his love of adventure (43 per cent), or leave a note on the chimney with their new address (38 per cent).
When families do decide to travel over Christmas, their top priorities are finding destinations with family-friendly activities (61 per cent), a festive atmosphere (56 per cent), and plenty of dining options (24 per cent).
Managing kids’ excitement (38 per cent) and maintaining cherished traditions (32 per cent) are among the biggest considerations during this time.
Over half of parents (54 per cent) keep one to Saint Nick-related traditions alive, with 74 per cent believing it’s important their children continue to believe in Father Christmas.
The research carried out through OnePoll also found families would most enjoy festive shows (57 per cent), a winter wonderland experience (51 per cent), and carol singing (50 per cent) during their festive holidays.
Antonio Paradiso from MSC Cruises, which runs Christmas workshops and features Father Christmas’ grotto and carolling aboard its ships, added: “Our research highlights that being away from home on Christmas Day often leads to tricky questions from kids, prompting parents to get creative with their answers.
“Hopefully our sleigh pad will give kids heading away on a cruise with their families this Christmas some much-needed reassurance that he’ll still visit.
“Across our fleet, we work hard to create special, memorable experiences for families, and making Christmas as magical as possible is high on our agenda.
“’Santa’s Sleigh Stop’ is part of the festive fun that kids – and their families – can look forward to on board.”
