This is the time when people get together, enjoy some good old family time and, of course, spend copious amounts of money. The end of December is a time of family holidays when we are ready to spend all our money and at the same time get into debt to buy gifts for relatives and friends. The Independent calculated how much the British people spend on average on Christmas presents, food and alcohol.
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Eat a Year Ahead
On average, British families spend £174 only on a festive table on December 25th. A turkey costs £22.50 per person, and £11.60 is spent on Brussels sprouts well-known from year to year. It turns out that for all their life, the British spend around £713 on cabbage, which most of us put on a plate just out of politeness.
Do not forget the Christmas parties at work. On average, the British spend around £72 on food and a couple of drinks in a pub, but even if you don’t drink, a Christmas dinner with colleagues will still cost you around £50. According to the British Heart Foundation, the total weight of all Britons increases by 123 million kilograms during the holidays. It is not surprising that in January lots of them apply for a gym membership.
Fall Asleep Beautiful on the Bus
Of course, everyone wants to be the most beautiful on the corporate party, which means additional costs for a new dress, shirt or suit, which costs £66 on average. Returning home after corporate party on public transport, 10% of the British fall asleep in trains, buses and the subway (in London this number reaches 25%), which makes them easy prey for pickpockets, and lost property costs an additional £100.
Many Britons celebrate Christmas with family or friends, which leads to additional trips around the country. An ordinary family travels about 608 miles during the holidays, which can cost an additional 100 pounds. Moreover, another 1.3 million Britons go on vacation abroad, which cost them about 760 pounds per person.
£355 Million Gifts
However, gifts to relatives and friends usually become the biggest expense item. According to TSB, nearly half of Britons spend more on gifts than planned, and a third of UK residents get into debt before Christmas. Parents on average spend £71 on gifts for children, but gifts for 15-year-olds usually cost significantly more — around £119.
Having added up all the expenses, The Independent came to the conclusion that the British can spend £750 to £1,500 per person for the Christmas holidays, and every Briton spends almost £54,000 on Christmas for his whole life. For a large part of the UK population, this amount is much higher than their regular budget, a third of the country’s inhabitants use credit cards to survive Christmas, and many Britons do not have time to deal with Christmas debt even before the next holidays.
How Much do Americans Spend
Winter holidays, in particular, Christmas, have the greatest impact on the average American budget.
In total, Americans spend almost $800 on winter holidays, while $588.9 is spent on gifts only. Both Christmas and Thanksgiving have traditions of giving gifts, which leads to the fact that they are the most costly for the budget. So, it is planned to spend $115 on sweets and food, and another $78 — on jewelry.
