New research reveals Britain is a nation of anxious gift-givers, with festive shoppers feeling both anxious and pressured to buy the ‘perfect presents’ for loved-ones this Christmas, spending almost £150 on their closest family members. Yet for nearly two thirds (61%) say the joy of gifting has gone due to the pressure they feel to get the perfect present.
However, whilst people are desperately worrying about what to get their loved-ones, they should be reassured that the age-old adage ‘it’s the thought that counts’ remains true, with 47% of Brits stating that a thoughtful gift was the best kind of gift to receive.
The study of 2,000 British adults by Gumtree looked at the gifting behaviour of people in the UK found that shoppers are planning to spend the most on their partners (£147) and children (£145), gifting three and four presents respectively, followed by other family members.
For those worried about what to get their loved-ones this Christmas, Gumtree have identified what people would really like to help take the stress out of festive shopping. The study revealed Brits are hoping to receive five presents (on average) this Christmas, with one in three (33%) admitting they worry when they feel people have spent more than they could afford, and feel overwhelmed when they receive more presents than they were expecting.
Presents on Brits’ wish lists this Christmas include money and vouchers (39%), clothing, footwear and accessories (27%) and beauty and fragrance (22%). Festive chocolates, cooking sauces and chutneys are also high on the list (16%), followed by DVDs, computer games and books (14%) and alcohol (14%). Other more unusual gifts include limited-edition and one-off items (5%) as well as antique and vintage items (3%).
Surprisingly, research has shown gifts which reflect the personality and interests of the giver (giver-centric gifts) tend to be more appreciated than recipient-centric gifts, where we often second guess what the recipient might like.
Some of the guess-work can be removed by just asking what the recipient might like. Studies show that, while gift-givers assume people will like requested and unrequested gifts equally, recipients in fact show a clear preference for gifts they have asked for directly.
Giving money in place of a Christmas gift is a bad idea as it fails to convey intimacy between the giver and the recipient. Giving gift vouchers may be a good idea instead, as highlighted by the findings of Gumtree’s study.
All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from Opinium. Total sample size was 2,092 UK adults aged 16+. Fieldwork was undertaken between the 10th until 14th November 2017.
For more information on Gumtree visit www.gumtree.com and follow @Gumtree to join the conversation.
Gumtree is the UK’s #1 classifieds website, used by 1 in 3 adults every month. With over 2 million ads on the site, it’s the perfect place to buy or sell second-hand goods and cars. You can also find ads for a wide range of jobs, properties to rent and buy, professional services, community events and more. 16.4 million people in the UK visited Gumtree.com between June 2016 – May 2017 (source: comScore UK), with 4.1m visiting Motors, 1.6m visiting Jobs, 2.1m visiting Property and 1m visiting Services. Current figures show the Gumtree smartphone app has been downloaded over 13 million times.