Brits still the biggest Xmas spenders, poll finds

The British festive spirit is most exemplified in the rush to splash the cash – Brits spend more than any other nation at Christmas time.

When it comes to spending at Christmas, Britons are world-beaters. From the hustle of London’s Oxford Street in December to the silent click, click, pay online ritual played out in lounges and bedrooms across the land in the run up to the big day, Britons spend more per individual than any other of the world’s 15 most developed, Christmas-celebrating nations…

A report by Dutch Bank ING asked 15,000 people from 15 different countries to describe their shopping habits at this time of year, and found that the average Brit shells out some €420 each on Christmas gifts, which is nearly one-fifth more than our Xmas-loving cousins across the pond, the Americans.

Spaniards, in contrast, are the ninth-most generous nationality at Christmas in terms of cash spent (€200 per head), just ahead of the Germans who round out the top ten.

Americans are the second-highest spenders at this time of year, spending €360 each, followed by those from Luxembourg (€300), Austria and France (both €250).

However, when festive spend is adjusted for average monthly income, the ING study shows that Romanians are actually the most generous nation during Christmas, spending 32% of the average monthly wage on gifts. Brits, on the other hand, spend around 15% of their wages on gifts for the month of December.

When adjusted for wage earnings, Spaniards rank as the fourth-most generous nation, shelling out 12% of their monthly wage on gifts – way ahead of the Dutch, who apparently will spend just €40 each, or just 1% of the average monthly wage.