Millions of cash-strapped Brits are planning to slash Christmas present spending this year by giving Secret Santa gifts to family members instead of buying for everyone. Secret Santa - where people draw lots to anonymously buy a gift for one member of a group - is common among work colleagues.
More than a third of families (36%) have taken part in Secret Santa gifting with their families in the past. But as the cost-of-living crisis bites harder and the country faces a lengthy recession, more than half of all adults (55%) say they are considering a family Secret Santa, and two in three (67%) would feel better about their finances if they only had to buy for one person.
The research, conducted by flexible pop-up space operator Sook, found that when it comes to spending on the immediate family, the average figure was £51.70. This was a lot higher between 18 to 24-year-olds who planned on spending an average of £79.84; and for those in the 55+ age group, it was significantly lower at £27.90.
It also revealed that Secret Santa gifts can range from the most thoughtful to some of the worst.
Brits deem the best unknown presents to be a gift card (36%), chocolate (35%) and cash (34%). On the other hand, the worst gifts include pillows with faces on them (21%). And while it might seem funny to buy a joke toy or something that pokes fun at the receiver, a comical gift won’t be well received by more than one in five (21%) people.
John Hoyle, Founder and CEO of Sook said: “The majority of adults in the UK will be keeping a close eye on their finances this Christmas, as many struggle to work out how they’ll afford to buy gifts for family members.
“Secret Santa can help solve this problem - by buying only one gift for an individual family member, you can save money and instead focus on purchasing something thoughtful for the person you’ve been matched with.
“Given the current economic situation, it seems like a great trend to get involved with ahead of Christmas. We like the idea so much that we will host a Secret Santa Christmas market at our Hammersmith space in December.”
Sook will host a Secret Santa Christmas Market in partnership with Hammersmith BID in Sook Livat Hammersmith between December 4 and December 9.
