After over a year of restrictions and lockdowns, fun-loving Brits are desperate to celebrate, with nearly a third of people planning to recreate an event or occasion they missed out on due to the pandemic in the coming months.

The research, carried out by CEWE, Europe’s largest photo printing company, found this increased further amongst 18–34-year-olds, with 41% of people in this age group planning a celebration this summer. This is due to missing out on up to 15 occasions over the past 18 months, compared to the UK average of eight milestone celebrations missed.

It’s no surprise then that people are looking to make up for lost time by recreating their missed occasions, with milestone birthdays (62%) the most popular celebration set to be recreated.

The most popular events Brits are looking to recreate are:

Milestone birthday – mine or someone else’s (62%)
Holiday/vacation – (40%)
Someone else’s wedding (31%)
Meeting a family member or friend’s new baby (25%)
Housewarming party (17%)
Despite being keen to celebrate, many people are still looking to socialise in smaller groups than usual, with nearly a third (31%) of people stating they haven’t missed meeting up in big groups over the past year and almost a fifth (18%) opting for a small guestlist for their missed occasions – despite restrictions already being lifted to allow for 30 people outdoors.

However, the research does show that despite these reservations, people are excited to be able to celebrate again. A third (32%) of people say they can’t wait to meet up with friends and family to celebrate moments missed, with one in five (20%) looking forward to the opportunity to take new photos and capture those memories on camera once again.

Clare Moreton, photo expert at CEWE, commented: “From big birthday parties to meeting a new family member, we’ve all had occasions we’ve missed out on during the last year. It’s fantastic to see that our research shows people aren’t letting a delay put a stop to their celebrations, and are looking to recreate these special moments rather than cancel them completely.

“While the last year has allowed us time to stop and reflect on the memories we’ve made in the past, it’s great that we are now able to celebrate new occasions and create lasting memories that we can capture through photographs and treasure in the years to come.”

Vanessa, 25, a keen traveller from Liverpool, is swapping holidays in Australia for staycations at home this summer. She said: “My dad’s family is originally from Hong Kong and my mum is Australian so we travel abroad every year. Last summer was supposed to be the first time we were reunited with my mum’s family in Australia after six years but unfortunately, we weren’t able to go because of the restrictions.

“This year, my closest friends and I decided that even though we may not be able to travel abroad we want to take the opportunity to explore places closer to home. So far, I have managed to tick off a barn conversion staycation on a farm in The Peak District, a country getaway in The Lake District, a spa trip in Harrogate and a cottage not far from the beach in Wales. Being able to pack up, go on a road trip with my friends and arrive in a new place has felt extra special after all this time. I didn’t think it would have the same excitement as travelling to a new country and experiencing a new culture, but actually it turns out there’s plenty to discover right on our doorstep.”