RESEARCH from Australia’s biggest telco shows most Bendigonians will start Christmas day by sending a text message to loved ones.

Rather than calling friends or family for a chat on the phone, or even opening their presents, one in three central Victorian Telstra customers will start the day with an SMS.

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“As with last year, text messaging is by far the most popular way to share Christmas cheer – we’re predicting more than 99 million text messages to be sent across Australia, almost four million more than last year’s Christmas period,” Telstra Country Wide general manager for Central Victoria and Sunraysia Bill Pratt said.

Mr Pratt said using social network sites like Facebook and Twitter to spread Christmas cheer would also prove popular; particularly given 46 per cent of Australian mobile phone owners now have an internet enabled smart phone – 31 per cent more than last year.

A quick straw poll on the streets of Bendigo yesterday showed a clear generation gap when it came to sharing the love at Christmas time.

Generation Y showed an obvious preference for texting and Facebook messaging, while the older crowd were keen to stick with the traditional phone call at Christmas.

Jim Robertson, 70, said he preferred phone calls and sending Christmas cards.

“Text messaging is so impersonal,” he said.

The reaction was mirrored by Telstra’s own research which showed 55 per cent of people aged 55 years and over preferred a phone call to connect with family and friends at Christmas time, compared to 15 per cent of 18 to 24-year-olds.

The study also showed Generation Y is the most phone-obsessed on Christmas morning, with 43 per cent of 18 to 24-year-olds admitting checking their mobile phone is the first thing they will do.