At Christmas we prefer to meet in person...
There has been little change in the people we spend Christmas with since last year, but considering also the year 2022, the importance of face-to-face contact during the festive period has increased significantly. Four out of ten (42%) will only sit around the Christmas tree with their immediate family, i.e. those living in the same household, while slightly more people, almost half (49%) will also meet up with their extended family. The proportion of those who plan to celebrate with fewer people this year has not changed (12%) , with the majority still typically doing so for financial reasons, although this has fallen from 51% to 31% over the past two years.
If it is not possible to meet in person, respondents are most likely to call their loved ones on their mobile phone (47%), while 34% will send a text message using a chat app – significantly less than last year (38%).
Social media is widely used at Christmas (94%), but the proportion of people who do not share Christmas-related content has increased from 28% to 38%.
...but we are increasingly buying presents online
The mobile operator’s research shows that the number of people who plan to buy Christmas presents exclusively or mainly online is growing slowly but steadily each year. This year, four out of ten people are already doing so, and the last time this proportion was this high was during the 2020 pandemic.
Those who shop online do so mainly to save time (55%), to get the presents of their choice (46%) or to avoid crowds (46%). Convenience (45%) and targeted search (40%) are also important, and many (34%) are attracted by the lower prices available online.
How much are we spending and who are we giving presents to this year?
Most people plan to give presents to 3-4 (28%) or 5-6 people (24%) at Christmas. Those aged 18-39 tend to give presents to more people (6 on average) than those over 40 (5), and women tend to give presents to more people than men (6 vs. 5 people).
Those surveyed will spend an average of HUF 77,000 on presents – a similar amount to last year’s HUF 71,000, taking inflation into account. Six out of ten people plan to spend about the same amount as last year. One in five of those surveyed plan to spend less than before – most commonly because of their own financial situation (48%), while the proportion of those who say it is because of the poor general economic situation has dropped significantly (from 51% to 34%). The proportion of those who would prefer Christmas not to be about material things has risen slightly to 19%. The majority plan to buy presents in November and the first half of December, with 7% making it dependent on attractive promotions.
The majority of respondents will give a present to their partner (67%), children or parents (both 54-54%). The proportion of those giving presents to other relatives is gradually increasing (from 36% in 2022 to 43% this year), but the proportion of grandparents giving presents to their grandchildren has fallen slightly in two years (from 18% to 14%). One in five (21%) will also surprise their friends.
Yettel’s research shows that the most important thing about a gift is that it is personal (69%) and useful (59%) – aspects that have remained unchanged from previous years. Slightly more people this year think it is important that the price is right (42%) and that the gift gives or reminds them of a shared experience (27%).
Toys, clothes, electronics
The most popular surprises this year will be toys and clothes (40%), followed by electronics and accessories (35%), vouchers (26%) and experiences (22%). 16% of respondents plan to give money and 14% plan to give a handmade surprise.
When it comes to electronic items, headphones or earphones are still the most popular choice (16%), but at a decreasing rate. These are followed by smartphones and smartwatches (13-13%), then phone cases or screen protectors, Bluetooth speakers and game consoles or games (both 11%). The majority prefer a surprise to a pre-agreed present – 51% of respondents agree or strongly agree. It’s interesting to note that the majority of gift-givers think differently: 56% of respondents prefer the recipient to tell them what they want to receive.
Hungarian Christmas customs, digitally supported
Christmas is also a busy time of year for Yettel, and its mobile network supports people during this period to make Christmas preparations and celebrations as seamless as possible, whether it’s online shopping, meeting people or organising personal events online. This year, the mobile operator is once again preparing surprises for its customers during the Advent season. Every Sunday from 1 December, a virtual window will open in the Yettel mobile app. These digital Advent windows offer valuable surprises related to culture, technology and fashion that can be used nationwide.
[1] The survey was conducted on a sample of 1,000 people between 18 and 25 October 2023. The sample is representative of the Hungarian population aged 18-69 by gender, age, region and type of settlement. (Impetus research)