British women are secretly expecting a Christmas proposal

All I want for Christmas…is a DIAMOND RING. Four in ten British women are secretly expecting a Christmas proposal …but don’t hide it in the turkey!

A survey of 2,000 Brits by jewellers, Beaverbrooks, revealed that almost half of the nation’s women are DESPERATE for their other half to pop the question on December 25, with one in five admitting they would be ‘very upset’ if they didn’t receive a marriage proposal on the day.

One in ten went as far as to say they would need to have a serious discussion about their future if they didn’t receive the diamond ring they were hoping for, and a dramatic 5 per cent would even consider ending their relationship.

And with an estimated 789,775 proposals due to take place this Christmas, it appears the pressure is really on for partners to get the proposal right – as 40 per cent of engaged women admitted to being disappointed with how their partner proposed.

Popping the question when drunk was revealed as the biggest festive blunder, with a staggering 63 per cent of women saying it would be the ultimate proposal no-go.

Proposing in front of the TV (44 per cent), getting down on one knee while cooking the Christmas dinner (43 per cent) and hiding the ring in the turkey (42 per cent) also featured prominently in the list of the worst seasonal proposal ideas.

The research also revealed the best scenarios for a Christmas proposal, with almost half of women (45 per cent) hoping their partner would ask the most romantic question of their life in front of a log fire.

And it’s not just the location that is important to the nation’s women, as 29 per cent admitted that their partner knowing exactly what type of engagement ring they wanted, was an important detail of a perfect proposal.

42 per cent thought their partner should have gauged what style of ring they would like based on previous conversations, while over half expect their partner to research their ring size beforehand AND get it right first time.

Lorna Haddon, head of diamonds and jewellery at Beaverbrooks, said: “The festive season is often billed as a time of love and romance, so it’s no surprise to hear many women are secretly hoping for a Four in 10 British women are secretly expecting a Christmas proposal Christmas Day proposal.

“Our research shows just how important it is for couples to get the details of a Christmas proposal right, from planning the dream location to choosing the perfect ring – it’s all about knowing exactly what your partner would want and making it special and memorable for all the right reasons.

“Choosing an engagement ring is an important part of any proposal – after all it’s a piece of jewellery that will be worn forever. With so many options to choose from it can be a nerve-wracking decision, which is why we’ve created our engagement ring quiz to help partners pick the perfect style this Christmas.”

Opening the ring as a Christmas present (31 per cent), proposing in the snow (28 per cent), and spelling out ‘will you marry me?’ in Christmas lights (19 per cent) were all sure-fire ways of getting a festive yes, according to the women surveyed.

And while an adventurous one in 20 hoped their partner would dress up as Santa and deliver the ring, a quarter of those polled are hoping for a more traditional gesture and would want their partner to get down on one knee.

Almost half of the women polled said they would be happy for their partner to choose a ring without them seeing it beforehand, but think that a man should fork out at LEAST £1,000 on the ring.

When it came to the perfect ring, the most important factors for women were the way it looks on their finger (44 per cent), followed by the fact that their partner chose it for them (37 per cent).

A quarter of women (25 per cent) look for a ring that is unique and different, while a functional one in 10 preferred something practical that suited their job.

The family-owned jeweller, which is celebrating its 100-year anniversary next year, has created an engagement ring quiz to help prospective proposers pick out the perfect engagement ring for their partner. Anyone completing the quiz before Wednesday 19 December will be in with a chance of winning £1,500 towards their chosen engagement ring.

Take the quiz here: www.beaverbrooks.co.uk/your-ultimate-diamond-ring-quiz