The Four Present Faces of Christmas Code Kingdoms

A new Christmas Gift Code of Conduct has been launched, revealing the faces pulled in response to unwanted 

With up to £700 million a year* spent on unwanted Christmas gifts – and the majority spent on 5-16 year olds – well-meaning parents, Godparents, aunts and uncles are likely to experience the four present faces of Christmas before the year is out.

To help recognise and interpret these, Code Kingdoms has introduced a new Christmas Gift Code of Conduct. Made by kids, to help adults, it reveals the different present faces kids make upon receipt of a gift that misses the mark, whether out of embarrassment, shock or disappointment. Present faces include ‘The Face Palm of Failure’ and ‘The Wide Eyed WTF?’, reserved for gifts that have missed the mark.

“There are hours of candid videos online revealing the brutally honest reactions from kids when they receive a gift they don’t want, or are confused by. You may have even suffered such a reaction to one of your own gifts before,” said Dr Rachel Andrew, Clinical Psychologist and Founder of Time Psychology Ltd. “The interests of the younger generation are also changing, making it even more difficult to know what to get them. For parents and kids alike, gifts that enhance skills in STEM – such as coding – are becoming increasingly popular.

Kids are taught to appreciate the gifts they receive, but it can be a challenge to show that appreciation when the gift is so far off the mark,” continued Dr Rachel Andrew. “With this new Christmas Gift Code of Conduct, kids can be appreciative, while subtly letting their relatives know that it’s not quite right. Although getting a negative reaction from a gift can be difficult, ultimately that feedback is helpful, making it more likely they will get it right next time.”

Bad Christmas presents can be grouped into several categories in the Christmas Gift Code of Conduct, including:

Disappointing – Represented by ‘The Swallowed Smile’

Uber disappointing – Represented by ‘The Face Palm of Failure’

Embarrassing – Represented by ‘The Fly Catcher’Inappropriate – Represented by ‘The Wide Eyed WTF?’

“The kind of gifts that kids want are changing, and more than ever before we’re finding that they’re interested in reading books or taking up music, and taking an active interest in technology-focused gifts that enable learning,” said Ross Targett, Co-Founder and CEO, Code Kingdoms.

“Using the fun of gaming, we want to inspire the next generation of coders and show them that coding with games like Minecraft and Roblox can be incredibly rewarding, empowering kids to create their own games and projects. We believe that with Code Kingdoms, you’ll get a real smile this Christmas, not a fake one,” concludes Targett.

Code Kingdoms has also created the following tips for adults to help avoid unwanted present faces:

1. Think outside the box: Be brave and choose a gift that you might not be familiar with, but the kid is. Let them to take the lead and teach you a new skill, and give them the opportunity to be the expert
2. Make a list of their interests: Whether it’s a fantasy book, a science activity set, or related to games they like such as Minecraft or Roblox, as long as it’s aligned to their interests, it should be a hit
3. Think about how long they will use it for: Is what you’re buying going to hold their attention for longer than 30 minutes? If it isn’t, find something that will
4. Consider their future: Educational gifts are becoming more popular, so if you know a kid that is interested in music, an instrument might work, or if they love games and computers, a coding-related gift would be ideal
5. Get something you can use together: Kids value time spent with people they care about over the cost of a gift, so choose something that offers this too

To find out more about Code Kingdoms, please visit: https://codekingdoms.com/