NEWS FROM BUYAGIFT

I wish it could be Christmas Everyday…well it is for Paul

Fast cars, spa days and skydiving are not the usual festive activities associated with the man in the red suit over Christmas, but it seems these are all in a days work for Paul Rogers, Buyagift.com's very own St. Nick. Paul, aged 25 from Oxfordshire has the dream job of road testing the gifts and experiences offered by the online gift and experience website in the lead up to the festive season.

In his role as Buyagit.com's very-own Father Christmas, Paul is tasked with testing the festiveness of thousands of gifts and experiences to ensure they ooze the Christmas spirit and are suitable for Buyagift.com customers to purchase for their loved ones at Christmas.

Over the course of 365 days Paul indulges in 124 afternoon teas, 87 hours of high speed driving, 17 riverboat cruises and this year he even managed four bungee jumps and a skydive – all in name of researching the perfect present packages for the nation.

When things get a little too adrenaline-pumped for Paul, he swaps bungee jumping and skydiving with pamper sessions and weekend breaks as he also gets to trial the spa retreats and holiday homes available on the gifting site. What's more Paul has ploughed his way through 112 mince pies, 18 bottles of champagne and 14 different types of fiery chilli's as he munches his way through the various food gifts and experiences Buyagift.com has to offer.

Paul was appointed as Buyagift.com Santa due to his love for all things Christmas. So committed is Paul to being an expert at his job, he listens to Christmas songs on repeat and wears a festive themed tie all year round.

Paul commented; “I absolutely love my job and really can’t imagine doing anything else now. I work hard all year round to ensure Buyagift.com's Christmas gifts and experiences are a festive hit. From Ford Mustangs and Ferrari driving experiences to unforgettable meals at some of the UK's top gourmet restaurants no one day 'at the office' is the same. My job allows me to travel the length and breadth of the country indulging in spa breaks and weekends away, though I'm not sure my Mrs is best pleased that there is not a plus one policy!"

Dan Mountain, Founder and CEO of Buyagift.com added, “We’re thrilled to work with Paul to ensure we meet our commitment of offering the best gifts and experiences to our customers. Paul's 'hard' work ensures our customers' Christmas gift-buying experience is quick, easy and stress-free, allowing them to enjoy what really matters at this time of year; family, friends and festive fun."

Paul's top ten Buyagift.com gift recommendations this Christmas include:

1.     Ferrari driving experience at Silverstone - £79

2.     Segway rally racing - £44

3.     The Making of Harry Potter Studio Tour with Afternoon Tea - £55

4.     View from the Shard and lunch for two - £100

5.     2 for 1 Airkix Indoor Skydiving for kids -  £39

6.     Merry Christmas Basket - £29

7.     Sparkling Spa Day for Two - £99

8.     Pet Pamper Pack - £19

9.     Deluxe Country House Escape for Two - £199

10.  Snow Zorbing - £35

Buyagift, The UK's leading online gift and experience retailer offers a massive range of stunning gits for all ages and interests, so you can make sure that 2013 is a festive season that they'll remember for years to come.

NEWS FROM BUYAGIFT.COM

British Families Feel The Squeeze Of Summer Holidays

The Summer Holiday Costs Parents £9.5 Billion*, Says Buyagift.com Study

AS children break up for the school summer holidays tomorrow (Thursday), new research released by Buyagift.com shows Britain's parents spend a staggering £9.5 billion on entertaining their kids during the six-week break.

A study by the leading online gifting and experience website found most parents spend £1,232 on keeping their children entertained during the summer holiday.

Research by Buyagift.com of 1,000 parents found that by the time kids go back to school the average family will have spent; £472 on childcare, £388 on day trips in the UK and £372 on food and drink.

The survey found more parents than ever are shunning expensive, stressful family holidays in favour of UK day trips, with over a third of British parents deciding not to go on holiday at all this year.

Half of parents say they are put off by the cost, with research showing they spend £853 on entertaining the kids on a one week holiday - more than double the amount spent across the six-week break on one-day trips and activities. Almost one in five (17%) parents say the stress of going away puts them off while the same number say it's too difficult booking time off work, or co-ordinating work schedules with their other half.

The overwhelming majority of parents (89%) say they find day trips to the coast or theme parks the least stressful summer holiday family activity – more enjoyable than going abroad or staying at home cooped up with the kids. Almost one third of parents (29%) say holidays abroad too stressful while almost a quarter (24%) say staying at home all day drives them round the bend.

More than half of parents (53%) acknowledge they prefer day trips because they are cheaper, one in 10 (13%) say they are less stressful and almost a quarter of mums and dads (23%) think days out mean kids get to experience a wider variety of activities.

Dan Moutain, Buyagift.com CEO, said: "The summer holidays are an exciting time for children, but it's no surprise that they can instill an element of dread in parents as kids demand to be kept entertained throughout the course of the six weeks.  As well as being more cost-effective, activities and day trips provide more value and variety than the annual summer holiday and can be worked around parents' work schedules for minimal disruption.  At Buyagift.com we have a range of days out available from as little as £6.30, meaning there's something for everyone - no matter their budget - to enjoy throughout the long summer break."

For more information on gifts available on Buyagift.com please contact buyagift@frankpr.it 

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*£9.5 billion figure is based upon £1,232 (average spend of families over the six week holiday) x 7.7 million (number of families with dependent children based on the 2012 figures from Office for National Statistics)