Relatives Often Overstay Their Welcome During Holidays, Survey Says
Deck the halls with desperation. More than half of Americans say their relatives overstay their welcome during the holidays, a new survey shows.
The survey, commissioned by HomeAway Inc., found that 22 percent of people want to show visiting family members the door after just one day or less. Another 29 percent want to give the boot to relatives after a few days of a holiday stay.
The survey indicated that men (11 percent) are more likely than women (3 percent) to kick relatives to the curb as soon as they arrive, while women (41 percent) are more likely than men (32 percent) to believe that relatives never overstay their welcome.
The HomeAway survey showed the most annoying habits of house guests during the holidays are:
• Leaving their belongings scattered around (31 percent).
• Failing to help with cooking and cleaning (26 percent).
• Wanting to be entertained constantly (21 percent).
• Rummaging through cabinets and drawers (2 percent).
• Dominating the TV remote control (2 percent).
“It appears that hosting extended family in your own home or apartment can be stressful and exhausting for many people," Brian Sharples, CEO of HomeAway, said in a statement. “The results of this survey came as a bit of a surprise. For the record, my wife and I love having our extended family stay as long as they wish.”
Asked whether they could find separate accommodations for one visiting relative, 27 percent of respondents selected a sibling to send away. Twenty percent chose the much-maligned mother-in-law.
As for travelers who've bunked with relatives during the holidays, the worst sleeping arrangements they’ve encountered are:
• Sleeping on a sofa or futon (28 percent).
• Sleeping on the floor (21 percent).
• Sleeping on a roll-away bed (14 percent).
HomeAway, based in Austin, Texas, specializes in online vacation rentals.
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