The average Yorkshire couple will have six squabbles or arguments over Christmas, a new study has revealed.

Four in ten people in the region confessed they usually have to bite their lip at the Christmas table, as stress overload in the run up to December 25th threatens to boil over when the big day rolls round.

The study of 2,000 people across the UK carried out by York-based mutual healthcare provider Benenden Health found the factors most likely to cause friction at the holidays are deciding who cooks the dinner, how much to spend on the kids and where to spend Christmas Day.

Beyond the bickering and pressure to put on the perfect day, there lies a more serious warning – 45 per cent of those surveyed in the Yorkshire region said Christmas causes them genuine stress. More than a third also said the festive holidays sometimes lead them to feel depressed.

Paul Keenan, head of communications at Benenden Health which commissioned the study, said: “Stress can often mount over the Christmas period as many of us struggle to cope with our seemingly never-ending to-do lists. Financial worries can also become a major source of anxiety over the festive period - but it's crucial that we try not to let issues build up without talking about them.

“All this stress can sometimes have a serious effect on our health and also on relationships with our loved ones – causing arguments and tension, which in turn leads to more stress. It's a vicious cycle which we need to try to break by seeking help if stressful situations become too much for us to cope with and being open about the things which are worrying us.”

The study saw a third of people say the effort, money and stress that goes into Christmas wasn't worth it.