Christmas season in the UK - Statistics & Facts

The lights twinkle on the tree, wrapping paper lays strewn on the floor, and Christmas music plays softly in the background. Kids proudly hold up their new toys, just as the adults raise their glasses in a toast, sat around a table laden with turkey, roast potatoes, pigs in blankets, and of course Brussels sprouts. This is how many people in the United Kingdom will hope December 25th will pan out, the traditional image of an idyllic Christmas. However, this day is the culmination of an entire festive season of preparation which can often prove stressful. Presents have to be bought, the house needs to be decorated, and the fridge needs to be stocked. And that’s all before gifts prove disappointing, the turkey is overcooked, and Grandma has one too many sherries.

The pressure of the perfect present

One of the most important tasks in the buildup to Christmas is to buy presents for loved ones around you, or at least the people it would be rude not to buy a present for. While there is a very small percentage of risk-takers who leave their gift shopping to the week before Christmas, most people plan ahead. Over half of adults in the UK in 2023 said they start their gift shopping before December. However, there doesn’t always need to be too much thought put behind presents, the top two most desired Christmas presents in the UK in 2023 were money or gift cards. Present giving can get out of hand, especially when people want to make sure their children have a special day. Almost 80 percent of people agreed that expectations for parent’s spending on their children's gifts are out of control in 2023.

Christmas festivities

Another big part of the Christmas season is decorating the house to add to the festive feeling. Most people said they would put up their decorations in early December. The main item of decoration is usually a Christmas tree, in the majority of cases an artificial one. This added Christmas ambience will be appreciated when people are gathered on Christmas day, ready to tuck into a Christmas dinner with all their favorite traditional items. It may prove costly to have every single item in 2023, however, as the cost a four-person turkey dinner has increased by almost 29 percent since 2021.

Making the most at Christmas

While everyone will be dreaming of a perfect Christmas, it is not always that easy, especially considering the economic conditions in the UK in 2023. The rising cost of living has made many reduce their spend on Christmas and the price of Christmas is a worry for many during the festive season. Hopefully people can nevertheless enjoy a merry Christmas and a happy new year.
This text provides general information. Statista assumes no liability for the information given being complete or correct. Due to varying update cycles, statistics can display more up-to-date data than referenced in the text.
Published by P. Smith, Dec 8, 2023

Key insights

Value of Christmas sales in the UK
84.9bn GBP
UK region with the highest Christmas spend per capita
London
Store-based Christmas retail sales in the UK
54bn GBP
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Editor’s Picks Current statistics on this topic

Total value of Christmas sales in the United Kingdom (UK) from 2016 to 2022, with a forecast for 2023 (in billion GBP)

Shopping Behavior

Christmas sales in the United Kingdom (UK) 2016-2023

Value of spending over Black Friday weekend in the United Kingdom (UK) from 2016 to 2022, with a forecast for 2023 (in billion GBP)

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Black Friday: expected spending in the United Kingdom (UK) 2016-2023

Average spending on Christmas gifts in the United Kingdom (UK) from 2019 to 2022, with a forecast for 2023, by category (in GBP)

Retail & Trade

Average Christmas gifts spend per head in the UK 2019-2023, by category

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