Brits Prefer a Winter Getaway to a Christmas Giveaway

Sun-seeking Brits would rather spend their hard-earned cash on a winter holiday than buying presents for loved ones at Christmas, a study by British Airways has found.

The average Brit plans to spend £1,260 each on Christmas this year, including £360 on presents.

However we would spend a similar amount - £1,345 – on a winter getaway and 45 per cent of us say we would rather splurge our cash on a winter getaway than a Christmas giveaway.

After presents, the biggest drain on Brits’ wallets over Christmas was found to be food (£180), travel (£179), drink (£113) and decorations (£86).

British Airways, who commissioned the survey as part of their Winter Sun campaign which offers an array of holiday and flight deals over the winter season, found that twenty-eight per cent of those surveyed said they would rather give holidays as presents rather than objects, believing they create more lasting memories than objects placed under the tree.

A quarter (25%) of Brits say they have no idea what they received for Christmas last year – and 40 per cent can only remember some gifts they received.

For two-thirds of Brits (65 per cent) the stress of the festive season is such that they say they need a holiday to get over the Christmas break.

Nearly half (47 per cent) said they go on holiday if they could get out of the obligatory Christmas visit to families and friends and more than half (54 per cent) say they need a holiday during the Christmas break itself.

British men reckon they have deeper pockets than women at Christmas and expect to spend an average of £1,523 over the festive season compared to women’s £994, but women say they are more generous when it comes to presents than men, claiming to spend an average £369 compared to men’s £350.

Gifters in Cardiff are the most generous in the country, spending an average of £502 on presents, but people in Bristol are seemingly the least generous, spending an average of £286 on presents.

For the best Christmas dinner of all, head to London where people in the capital expect to spend an average of £236 – and £161 on drink.

And the most festive houses in the country are to be found in Oxford, where people say they will spend an average of £140 on decorations.

Claire Bentley, Managing Director of British Airways Holidays, said: “While Christmas is traditionally a time of giving and receiving, it is also important to make it as memorable a time as possible.

“While traditionally we like to gift objects, we are increasingly beginning to value the gift of quality time with those who matter most. 

“A holiday is the perfect time to share memories with those that are closest to you – and what better time to go away than when Britain is shivering under wintry skies?”

Britain’s top 10 present buying cities

Spending per person:

1.       Cardiff (£502)

2.       York (£486)

3.       Newcastle (£464)

4.       Liverpool ((£459)

5.       Glasgow (£414)

6.       Manchester (£407)

7.       Leeds (£397)

8.       Sheffield (£333.52)

9.       London (£333.39)

10.   Birmingham (£298)

Average Christmas spending per person

1.       Presents - £360

2.       Food - £180

3.       Travel - £179

4.       New clothes - £118

5.       Drinks - £113

6.       Dining out - £112

7.       Miscellaneous - £111

8.       Decorations £86

Research methodology

An online survey was conducted by Atomik Research among 2,000 respondents aged 18-64. The research fieldwork took place in October 2018. Atomik Research is an independent creative market research agency that employs MRS-certified researchers and abides to MRS code.

Notes to Editors

-          British Airways Winter Sun offers are available until November 11. Visit ba.com/wintersun

Punta Cana – British Airways Holidays offers seven nights at the 4* Sunscape Bravaro Beach from £699 per person, travelling on selected dates between November 1 and December 15 2018. Includes World Traveller return flights from Gatwick and accommodation with All Inclusive. Book by November 11 2018. 

Tampa - price includes seven days, from £399 per person, travelling on selected dates between November 5 and December 12 2018. Includes World Traveller return flights from Gatwick and an Economy car. Book by November 11 2018.

Barbados – British Airways Holidays offers seven nights at either the 3* Halcyon Palm or the 4* Sunbay hotel from £699 per person, travelling on selected dates between March 3 and March 28 2019. Includes World Traveller return flights from Gatwick and accommodation. Book by November 11 2018. 

Cancun – British Airways offers flights from £225 each-way based on a return fare from London Gatwick to Cancun for travel on select flights departing 16 to21 January 2019, and 11 to 18 February 2019          

Cape Town – British Airways offers flights from £276pp each-way based on a return basic economy fare from London Gatwick (LGW) to Cape Town (CPT) for travel on select flights departing 14 January to 30 March 2019