We’re delighted to announce the results of this year's quiz, revealing what our members really think about Christmas and what they're looking forward to in 2020.
It's that time of year again: the lights are up, the kids are excited, and you're preparing for all the chaos the Christmas season usually brings. Police officers know better than anyone what a busy time of year it can be.
Here at Metfriendly, we like to celebrate Christmas by inviting our members to take part in an annual quiz. This year, we asked you about everything from who gives the best gifts at Christmas to what would make your year in 2020.
A big festive thank you to the nearly 600 people who took part - the results certainly make for interesting reading. Enjoy!
Greatest gift-givers revealed
It's a controversial question: who gives the best gifts? According to the participants in our quiz, spouses and partners are definitely the best gift-givers, with 54% of the vote. Or maybe some of you just said that to keep the other half happy?
Work colleagues were rock bottom on just 0.9%. Perhaps some of you need to up your Secret Santa game!
More than a third of you (36%) said you'd be happiest to receive a new gadget for Christmas, followed by some perfume or aftershave (23%). Smelling good on the beat is obviously important to quite a few of you, although we'd be interested to know how long that fresh scent lasts for when you're on the job.
A post-work drink or two will definitely be in order for anyone who's on duty this Christmas, and 12% of you were hoping for something boozy from Santa. One in five people (20%) said they were hoping for something different, with one particularly optimistic respondent crossing their fingers for a winning lottery ticket. Someone's got to win it hey?!
When it comes to buying gifts, 26% of you said work colleagues are the toughest to buy for, agreeing with the statement: "Secret Santa is the bane of my life!"
Dreaming of a white Christmas
Will we get some of the white stuff this Christmas? Who knows, but a whopping 74% of you festive lot said you'd be delighted if it does snow over the festive season. Just 9% said you couldn't care less about the weather, 8% said it will never happen, and only 4% would be miserable and wishing they were in the Caribbean if the snow starts falling on December 25th.
On the subject of things that make you happy, 62% of you said you got the most joy from your family in 2019 and 17% got the greatest satisfaction from making a difference on the job.
We also thought we'd ask you about your favourite dog breeds, since we're so proud to be supporting new charity the London Retired Police Dogs Trust. German shepherds emerged as the favourite, with 45% of the vote, closely followed by spaniels (34%). As shocking as it might sound though, 15% of you prefer cats!
Reflecting and looking ahead
When we asked you about your finances in 2019, 40% of you said your top savings goal was boosting your rainy day fund. Saving for a mortgage deposit, retirement and your children's future were pretty much tied with about 20% of the vote each.
Brexit was a big deal this year, but exactly 50% of you said it didn't have much of an impact on your financial plans. About a fifth (19%) of you felt it was best to stick with your current money arrangements, while 14% thought twice about buying or selling a house. Here's hoping 'the B word' doesn't take over our lives quite as much next year as it did in 2019.
Looking ahead to 2020, it seems that a lot of you will be going into the year on a health kick, clearly feeling the pain when it comes to chasing criminals on foot. Good luck with your new year's resolutions - we all know they never last!
Nevertheless, more than half (54%) of you said you wanted to get more exercise and 38% wanted to eat healthier. Being better with money was the top priority for 29% of you, followed by kicking one of your bad habits (13%). Again, best of luck with that one!
Going travelling seems to be one of the biggest motivations for better money management, with 43% of you saying that taking a break from the mean streets of London and going on the holiday of a lifetime would make your year in 2020. A fifth (20%) of you are hoping for a promotion and 16% aspire to buying your first home next year.
All things considered, 2019 has been another eventful and unpredictable year. Whatever 2020 brings, everyone here at Metfriendly wishes you a Merry Christmas and a safe, Happy New Year.
If you would like to talk to us over the Christmas period about starting a savings plan, please note our opening hours. If you apply for a product before the end of 2019, you'll be automatically entered into our prize draw to win £500.
