Bad Santa: Kids Concerned about St Nick Coming Down the Chimney this Christmas

Surprising new research from security experts ADT and parenting site Channel Mum reveals that Santa won’t get a warm welcome this Christmas by almost one in five (18 per cent) UK kids. Stranger danger has been instilled in Britain’s youth, even at Christmas, with a quarter (24 per cent) of kids concerned about Santa even entering the house.

But Father Christmas isn’t the only cause for concern when it comes to present safety, as almost two-thirds (65 per cent) of kids see their siblings as a threat to their treasured gifts and 35 per cent think their parents will pinch their presents.

Consequently, over half (58 per cent) of UK kids are obsessed with protecting their gifts and more than a third (37 per cent) build fortresses or even booby trap their precious possessions.

Two thirds (63 per cent) of their protective contraptions cost absolutely nothing (a welcome relief for parents shelling out at Christmas!), using toilet rolls and cardboard boxes (34 per cent), followed by pillow barricades and Lego fortresses (31 per cent).

More inventive traps include using Action Man figures and even stuffed guard dogs on patrol (24 per cent) – although inventive little minds admit to using everything from itching powder to bogey smothered surprises to deter present pilferers.

So ADT has extended a helping hand to the nation’s kids this Christmas to ensure their presents are safe from St Nick and siblings alike by creating the Present Patrol. A group of six of the best mini gift guards in the UK has developed five of the finest at-home security solutions for every present, no matter how big or small.

The Ultimate Tickle Bomb, The Mad Marble Medley and Spidey Intruder Sensors are just three of the ingenious inventions devised to keep presents safe until December 25th. And all use everyday items or toys – so no security fix costs more than a Secret Santa gift.

But it’s not all me, me, me this Yuletide - whilst 35 per cent of kids keep their own presents safe, 30 per cent actually focus their security strategies on protecting gifts they wish to give.

Lee Jasper, from ADT who worked with the Present Patrol to learn some new security strategies commented: “The Present Patrol combines our heritage in security with the unbridled imagination of kids – as demonstrated by The Water Balloon Drench Defence system and the Present Distract and Deter strategy. Nothing is off-limits for kids – and we believe we can learn a thing or two from these skilled security savants – and potentially some new recruits when they’re older for our product innovation team!”

Siobhan Freegard, founder of ChannelMum.com said: “Anyone doubting the creativity and ingenuity of modern kids hasn’t seen the lengths they go to protect their Christmas presents. From teddy guards to itching powder traps, there is no chance of gifts getting ‘St Nicked’ this Christmas.”

For more information, or to watch the Present Patrol in action and find some ingenious creative security solutions visit www.adt.co.uk/presentpatrol.