Personal touch – what Brits really want this Christmas

Whether it’s a jar of jam or chutney, a book, or something crafty, research published today reveals 9 out of 10 Brits (88%) say the most important part of a gift is the time and effort that goes into it, as opposed to the cost.

To help festive shoppers, Ordnance Survey has the ideal personalised gift - an OS Custom Made map. The bespoke map is the perfect stocking filler for both outdoor enthusiasts and anyone who wants to capture a memory of that special location.

Corinne Sweet, Author and Psychologist, said: “Nothing stays in the memory and mind more than important experiences and beautiful images – especially when they celebrate our hobbies. Something personalised means ‘I know you and want to make you smile’ and a custom-made map reflects good times in your life.”

With OS Custom Made you can centre your map anywhere in Great Britain, add your own titles, upload a personalised image, choose its scale and have it printed on the same quality paper as Ordnance Survey’s much loved map ranges.

Nick Giles, Managing Director of Ordnance Survey Leisure, added: “Why not choose a location relevant to an interest or hobby of who you’re giving the gift to, and then add a humorous photo of them doing it and an amusing title to sum it up? It could be their favourite fishing spot, bike ride, walk, run, horse ride or country getaway. It looks like a customised map will be a very popular Christmas present and we hope that the recipients will be delighted when they open their very own map on Christmas morning!”

Ordnance Survey Custom Made maps are available as either an OS Landranger map with a pink cover at 1:50 000 scale or OS Explorer map with an orange cover at 1:25 000 scale, and select your preference between a folded or a flat map (ideal for framing) for £16.99.

To order an OS Custom Made maps visit www.os.uk. You can design and order your map in just a few minutes. The last ordering date before Christmas is Wednesday 20 December.

Additional survey findings:

• The average amount Brits spend on a Christmas gift for loved ones is £46.45.
• Around a third of Brits (32%) say they would prefer a personal gift as opposed to an expensive one (10%).
• Around three quarters of Brits (72%) say social media and online shopping has made Christmas shopping easier, but there is still a fifth (18%) of people who think there is now too much choice.
• Women are more thoughtful when it comes to gifts – most men (22%) spend 1-2 hours thinking of ideas, whereas women (27%) take more than a week to decide on the perfect present.
• There are a few items to steer clear of this year, with the study revealing we’re sick of finding toiletries (30%), socks/underwear (29%) and even chocolate (28%) in our Christmas stockings.