Sex doll anyone? The bizarre Christmas purchase that people are snapping up to combat loneliness

Sex doll sales have spiked more than 112% this month, after news that it will be a lonely Christmas for many who will be separated from loved ones.

Forget the best-reviewed sex toys, adults are snapping up a make-believe companion for themselves to share the festive season safely with—according to new figures from the US and European sex doll retailer, Sex Doll Genie.

The family-run firm, set up by former aerospace engineer Amit Stevenson and his wife Janet, reported the triple-digit increase, as many around the world don't want to face a lonely festive period as a result of widespread restrictions. 

And with a sex doll, there's no arguing over what to watch on TV although they can be a pricy purchase costing on average a couple of thousand dollars or pounds!

Sex Doll Genie co-founder Amit Stevenson said, “The holidays are generally some of the loneliest times of the year for certain groups of people. That, combined with the COVID restrictions we have in place now, is creating a very concerning scenario where those who are vulnerable and feel alone are not able to use what could be their traditional coping mechanisms such as going to a café or taking a stroll to the park."

What is a sex doll?

Even great sex toys like app-controlled vibrators have their limits, especially when it comes to providing physical company. Sex dolls are a form of adult toys for aiding sexual gratification. They are also referred to as love dolls or blow-up dolls. A real-life sex doll can consist of a whole body, or just a head, pelvis, or other partial body parts. They come equipped with sexual stimulation accessories—artificial vagina, anus, mouth and penis. 

Many modern adult dolls and AI sex robots have vibrating and removable parts. Sex dolls exist in many ways, but they vary from sex robots with artificial intelligence, which are anthropomorphic constructs designed to show more complex interactions.

And what's even better is you don't have to worry about them getting tired out before Christmas Day sex.

Why is there a rise in sex doll sales?

COVID-19 related isolation and anxiety is pushing a record number of people to seek out and invest in a love doll as a form of therapy or companionship. 

Amit explained, “It’s clear that seasonal holiday loneliness is being felt to an even sharper degree this year, coming on the back of what could be many months of isolation thanks to coronavirus and national stay-at-home orders. We have found that a lot of new customers are turning to us and our dolls in order to prepare for this period and alleviate some of the anxiety around these dreaded few weeks by having “someone” accompany them through it.” 

Research suggests anxiety and depression levels have trebled in the USA since the beginning of the pandemic, while around two in five UK adults has previously experienced anxiety or depression during the festive period, according to YouGov data—something that will only be exacerbated by COVID-19 restrictions. 

The use of sex dolls as companionship figures is nothing new to Sex Doll Genie, in 2020 the company hit the headlines when aerospace engineer Amit called on SpaceX boss Elon Musk to send companion dolls to the International Space Station, with his astronauts, to study the impact of dolls on reducing feelings of isolation and loneliness.