Parents declare Christmas ‘is not what it was’ – and say the 80s had been higher

A recent poll of 2,000 over-35s revealed that four in 10 reckon the 80s were the golden age of Christmas.

For those who grew up in the iconic decade, a quarter their kids could experience the festive season just as they did in their youth.

According to the survey, almost half of parents feel Christmases now aren’t like how they used to be. With parents keen to resurrect the ‘magic’ of Christmas with traditions from their own childhood.

Two thirds are pining for the classic Christmas anthems like Last Christmas by Wham! and Fairytale of New York by the Pogues to dominate the charts again. Meanwhile, four in 10 miss the days when the whole family would huddle around a single telly to watch their favourite shows.

In a bid to cater to this surge in nostalgia, Booking.com is set to recreate the enchantment of an 80s Christmas with the unveiling of the exclusive ‘Home of Christmas Past’, a one-off 1980s-themed homestay in London.

This unique London pad, available for rent via the Booking.com app or website from Tuesday 10 December, promises a nostalgic journey back in time.

The property is adorned with tinsel, retro baubles, and iconic 80s toys scattered beneath the tree. Guests can kick back with classic 80s flicks on VHS, jam to festive hits on a Walkman, and tuck into a buffet of nostalgic nosh like Viennetta and vol-au-vents.

Booking.com, who conducted the study, found that London is the most sought-after destination in Europe for the Christmas season.

Ryan Pearson, a representative for the online travel giant, noted: “Nostalgia is a big trend, not only in entertainment, fashion and home decor, but also travel.”

“We see people booking trips to places they loved when they were younger, both at Christmas and during warmer months. For many of the people we polled, memories of a simpler time is what’s driving a lot of this sentiment.”

Interestingly, 21% said the recent TV hit Rivals has rekindled their love for all things 1980. Respondents fondly recalled indulging in trifle (33%), Viennetta (27%) and cocktail sausages on sticks (25%).

As for festive telly favourites, 43% chose Only Fools and Horses, while 35% went for Morecambe & Wise and 32% picked Top of the Pops.

The Home of Christmas Past will be up for grabs on a first-come-first-served basis for up to four guests. They can check in for two nights on December 13 for a mere £19.80.