Irish to top spending league this Christmas

Irish people will be the biggest spenders in Europe this Christmas, according to a survey released yesterday.

The survey, by accountancy firm Deloitte, estimates that households here will spend on average €1,399.

This is more than Britain (€1,057), Spain (€904) and the US (€1,299). And it is double the European average of €662 for Christmas spending.

More than half of the spending, €824, will go on gifts. Households will spend more on socialising, €264, than on food, €251.

Children here will also benefit from the increased spend, with an average of €121 going on each child, twice the European average.

The gifts desired most by children under 12 are dolls (24 per cent), consoles (22 per cent), traditional toys, including toy vehicles and figures (15 per cent), video games (10 per cent) and outdoor games (8 per cent).

The top 10 gifts for the average adult here are DVDs/CDs/videos, clothes, books, gift vouchers, jewellery, cosmetics, travel, electronic material, flat-screen TVs and mobile phones.

The figures, based on a survey of 405 Irish people, show a 10 per cent increase in spending on last year.

Shoppers here will also buy more over the internet this year, mainly to avoid crowded stores. The most common presents bought on the web will be DVDs/ CDs/videos, books, video games, computer software and clothes.

However, despite all of the spending, only 5 per cent of those surveyed say they enjoy shopping for Christmas. They complain of crowded shopping centres, lack of product availability and shortage of gift ideas.

The survey also shows a considerable discrepancy between what women want for Christmas and what men are prepared to buy them.

Though 40 per cent of women say they would love a holiday as a gift, only 7 per cent of men are considering putting one under the tree.

While 65 per cent of women would like jewellery, only 42 per cent of men say they will be buying it and although 76 per cent of women want clothes, only half of the men surveyed are planning to purchase them.

However, men do understand the book-reading women in their lives, with 60 per cent considering them as gifts and 60 per cent of women hoping to receive them. The sexes also think along similar lines when it comes to DVDs/CDs/videos, gift vouchers and cosmetics. Almost half of those surveyed say they would be happy to receive a gift voucher.

Cormac Hughes, consulting partner at Deloitte, said Ireland's high rate of spending was linked to confidence in the economy, job security and political stability.

"Just over 80 per cent of Irish people are satisfied that the economy is stable or improving, whereas in Germany, France, Spain and Portugal, high numbers of the consumers surveyed are pessimistic," he said.

"In addition, a majority of Irish households are optimistic about their financial position, with 50 per cent expecting their position to improve next year."