Live abroad? Then you can expect a video call this Christmas Email and text messaging are also favoured methods of communication during the festive period, with 41 per cent of families sending a text message to loved ones abroad and 24 per cent sending emails. Simon Groves, chief marketing officer of Tesco Mobile, which carried out the survey, said: "More than ever we're seeing families draw upon new technologies to keep in touch. Whether it's Facetime over the figgy pudding or Skyping with your stocking, it is great to know that families can keep in touch this Christmas whether they're around the corner or on the other side of the world. According to a survey of over 3,000 expats released last year by HSBC Expat, Britons who live abroad are heavy users of modern communication tools such as video calling, email and social media networks including Twitter and Facebook. More than four in five expats (84 per cent) said they relied on Skype, while seven in 10 (69 per cent) said they used Facebook. Respondents said that the technology allowed them to keep in touch more easily and more cheaply than traditional methods such as post or landline phone. Helen Russell, a British journalist who recently moved to Denmark, is one of many expats planning to video call family back home on Christmas Day. She said: "My husband and I are celebrating our first Christmas in snowy Denmark so we'll be Skyping the family in London to show off our Danish cooking skills and give them a virtual tour of our new home. In return, we'll get to see the full glory of my family's Christmas jumper collection and feel a little closer to the people we'll be missing most.