This Christmas women in Wales will be responsible for 15 jobs, while men in the region will get away with doing just eight, a study has found.

From buying, wrapping and delivering the presents to making sure the inside of the home is looking its best in time for festive visitors, women are far busier in the run-up to Christmas than their male partners.

The poll also found women in Wales are most likely to buy Christmas presents for their children, relatives and their children’s friends, whereas in comparison men are more likely to decorate the outside areas of the house and garden and be responsible for the serious job of carving the turkey.

Jenny Questier from cleaning experts Jeyes, which commissioned the research, said: “Christmas is a stressful time for some. There are a lot of jobs which need doing before you can really sit back and relax.

“We found women tend to take on the lion’s share when it comes to the preparations, but that’s not to say men are simply sitting back and doing nothing.

“Men are still traditionally the ones who cut the turkey and they are also pulling their weight when it comes to decorating and cleaning outside the house.

“Everyone wants their home – inside and out – to look its best for any friends or family you have coming around so this can’t be overlooked in the build-up to Christmas.”

As a result of the pre-visit cleaning spree, half say they dread the thought of unexpected guests.

The study also found women are most likely to write thank you cards, clean the house after Christmas Day, tidy away all of the new toys, whereas men are more than happy to get rid of the Christmas tree after the festive season, clear away the wrapping paper after presents have been opened and wash up after dinner.

It also emerged the average Brit will have two occasions where they entertain guests over the Christmas period, cleaning and tidying their home for an average of two hours beforehand each time.

Jobs most likely to be done by women in Wales:

Buying Christmas presents for the children

Buying Christmas presents for children’s friends

Buying Christmas presents for relatives

Wrapping Christmas presents

Buying Christmas cards

Writing Christmas cards

Sending/delivering Christmas cards

Sending/delivering Christmas presents

Making sure the children have their school nativity costume

Picking out/buying the Christmas tree

Decorating the Christmas tree

Decorating inside the house

Doing the big Christmas food and drink shop

Buying the turkey

Cleaning the house to prepare for festive visitors

Cleaning and preparing outside areas for festive visitors

Making drinks and handing out nibbles to guests

Arranging family visits

Cleaning the house ahead of Christmas day

Peeling the vegetables

Preparing the turkey

Cooking the turkey/vegetables

Washing up after Christmas dinner

Clearing away the wrapping paper etc after presents have been opened

Getting the children’s toys out of the boxes and set up to play

Tidying away all the new toys

Tidying the outside areas after Christmas Day

Tidying/cleaning inside the house after Christmas Day

Writing thank-you cards

Jobs most likely to be done by men in Wales:

Decorating the outside areas of the house and the garden

Carving the turkey

Cleaning and preparing outside areas for festive visitors

Peeling the vegetables

Putting the rubbish outside

Getting the children’s toys out of the boxes and set up to play

Tidying the outside areas after Christmas Day

Getting rid of the Christmas tree and stand/pot after the festive season