• Popular awkward and large items that tend to be sent include: bikes, cement mixers,  ladders, boomerangs, mannequins, pogo sticks and a Star Wars Millennium Falcon
• 65% of people vote Christmas their favourite seasonal holiday
• West Midlands is the festive capital of the UK with 69% voting Christmas their favourite seasonal holiday
• A quarter (24%) of the UK send Christmas presents abroad
• Australia, New Zealand and USA are the most popular destinations to send Christmas presents abroad (27%), followed by France (13%) and Germany (11%)

According to a study commissioned by Parcelforce Worldwide, popular awkward and large gifts sent by carriers include a bike, an inflatable unicorn, a boomerang, a mannequin, sports equipment, a pogo stick and a Star Wars Millennium Falcon. The study showed that Parcelforce Worldwide was the most popular carrier to send awkward and large parcels with and customers will continue to benefit from full tracking and interactive delivery notification messaging when sending.

65% of people voted Christmas as their favourite seasonal holiday and West Midlands is the festive capital of the UK, according to the study. Younger shoppers tend to be more prepared with 45% of 18-24 year olds doing their Christmas shopping 1-2 months in advance.

When it comes to sending Christmas presents abroad, a quarter of people in the UK surveyed have sent gifts over the festive period to friends and family cross-border. Australia, New Zealand and USA are the most popular destinations to send Christmas presents abroad (27%), followed by France (13%) and Germany (11%).

Source: Royal Mail Group