Bah, humbug or sanity prevailing?
Conor Pope
Are we starting to see some sense? Earlier this month, an annual survey from Deloitte confirmed that Ireland had surrendered its place at the top of Europe’s Christmas spending chart to Luxembourg and reported that we will spend an average of 22 per cent less on Christmas this year.
The cost of an Irish Christmas will fall to an average of €1,110 per household. Presents are likely to take the biggest hit and according to the survey households will spend €660 on gifts down 30 per cent on last year. Christmas food will set households back an average of €265, just six per cent less than last year, while households will spend €185 on socialising – down nearly 22 per cent on last year. Three quarters of people polled had less to spend while 61 per cent will do up a budget for their Christmas shopping this year, many of them for the very first time.
“There can be little doubt that Christmas in Ireland has finally become a victim of the recession. It’s clear that a strong feeling of anxiety prevails, and is sharply constraining the propensity to consume,” Susan Birrell of Deloitte said. Irish consumers are likely to be extremely prudent in their spending this year – which is not likely to be welcome news to Ireland’s retailers.”
What about you? Are you planning to spend less this Christmas?
5:22 pm
who cares about the retailers? the best thing that Irish people could do it tear up their credit cards. Saturday night live did the best sketch ever with Steve Martin on buying stuff you can afford.
Comment by LiamAs a parent I can say that if you want to annoy me at xmas , buy my kids loads of big plastic toys. nuff said!