NEW research has revealed what the Irish living abroad miss most about home at Christmas.
A survey of more than 400 Irish people now living outside of their homeland, revealed what the majority misses the most is the opportunity to head to their local pub for a festive catch up with friends and family.
The research has been undertaken by the team behind The Paddy Box – who send boxes full of Irish treats to more than 30,000 ex-pats located across the globe each year.
The firm asked 411 people which Irish traditions they miss most when spending Christmas away from home.
A whopping 63 per cent of respondents said festive drinks in their local pub and the chance to reconnect with friends at Christmas time was what they missed most.
Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve was the next most popular answer, with heading to the horse-racing on St. Stephen’s Day, enjoying a pantomime and a Christmas Day Swim following close behind.
The research was undertaken by The Paddy Box who ship 30,000 care packages to Irish ex-pats around the world each yearWhen asked what they missed most the morning after festive drinks - the top hangover cure was - unsurprisingly - the hot chicken fillet roll.
Some 29 per cent of people surveyed said they missed this iconic Irish snack, although a close second on the list was the breakfast roll (23 per cent), which Irish comedian Patt Short once sang so passionately about.
Tayto crisps also proved a popular hangover cure with 18 per cent craving the famous Irish crisps brand, the day after a night in the pub.
Staying on the subject of food, when asked what Chirstmas treat from home they missed most, 38 per cent said they missed a Christmas morning, full Irish fry-up, complete with real Irish sausages.
A tin of Cadbury Roses on Christmas Day came second, with 15 per cent saying they missed the mix of the classic tin of choccies.
When it came to what they missed about being with their fellow Irish people at home at Christmas, their sense of humour came out on top.
A huge 67 per cent said they missed the unapologetic banter of the Irish that simply can’t be replicated abroad.
When asked how they make their new home feel more like being at home in Ireland at Christmas, streaming the Late Late Toy Show live was the top response, while others chose to play The Pogues’ Fairytale of New York on repeat to get that nostalgic feeling of home.
The ever-popular Christmas Paddy Box is now available once again - bursting with festive treatsSpeaking about the findings, Founder of The Paddy Box, Mark Loftus said: “We ship to over 30,000 Irish people living abroad every year, so we hear daily what people are missing most and our care boxes are tailored to this.
“Our survey findings demonstrate what a unique country Ireland is when it comes to our tastes, activities, and personality traits and this becomes even more apparent at Christmas time. It’s hard to sum-up what being Irish is in words but living abroad really drives our uniqueness home.”
If you have friends or family living abroad and not coming home this Christmas – The Paddy Box gift is the perfect care package to show that you are thinking of them.
Their ever popular annual Christmas Paddy Box is now available to order, and is bursting with the Irish treats we all love – including quintessentially Irish staples like Tayto crisps, Barry’s Tea and Cadbury chocolate.
It's the perfect gift for a homesick friend or family member at Christmas – and it arrives beautifully wrapped.
All you have yo to is order it.
The Christmas Box is priced at €59.95 and is available here.
Delivery charges start at €3.00 up to €18.00 depending on the country, for further information click here.
