STRUGGLING parents would avoid celebrating Christmas if they could this year, owing to financial and mental-health pressures arising from the coronavirus pandemic, new research reveals today.

Action for Children charity asked more than 2,000 parents and children about their concerns ahead of Christmas.

Seventeen per cent of the parents said they would choose to “cancel” Christmas, while 57 per cent of children think that their parents are worried about making the celebration a happy time for the family.