A survey of 2,000 adults over the age of 25 who celebrate Christmas has revealed that shoppers typically embark on four shopping trips each year, excluding any online purchases.
On each outing, Brits are found to spend an average of £164.50 on nine gifts – seven for others and two for themselves.
The study, commissioned by experiential spirits store, The Bar At Home, discovered that men usually begin their Christmas shopping in December, while a vast majority of women start in November or earlier.
A quarter of those surveyed admitted they attempt to start their shopping earlier each year but often fail. Interestingly, 29% of men confessed to buying some gifts on December 24th, compared to 21% of women.
Peter Singh, spokesperson for The Bar At Home, commented: “Christmas shopping is no walk in the park. Every year it seems to creep up on us sooner than expected and we’re all familiar with the stress of buying last minute gifts”.
When it comes to gift buying, two thirds consider themselves as thoughtful gift givers, while a fifth would describe themselves as indecisive.
However, the research found that 42% say their shopping trips are successful, despite finding it challenging to buy for others. Furthermore, 49% actually say visiting a store rather than shopping online is part of the festive experience.
According to the study, a quarter agreed that you can find better and more unique presents in store because you might stumble across something you weren’t initially looking for.
Although nearly half of Brits opt to go shopping solo, 22% coax their partners into joining them by offering to pay for lunch or buying them a gift while they were out for the day.
Given over a third view Christmas shopping as an all-day event it’s no wonder they want some company. Some will even take a day trip to visit big cities such as London, Manchester and Birmingham to do their shopping.
Peter Singh commented: “We know going to the shops can feel like a big commitment, from the commute to queues and other shoppers, but it becomes part of the festive experience. Plan ahead and make it into a daytrip, throw in lunch and a drinks break and perhaps an activity like the cinema at the end of the day to reward yourself.”