Brits are egocentric Santas with revenge presents and presents which might be actually for us
A lot of us confess to ‘revenge giving’ which is handing someone a less generous, less thoughtful, or deliberately underwhelming gift in response to receiving a disappointing present in the past
Christmas is the season of giving – but handing over presents may be more selfish than we’d like to admit. New research reveals that 69% of Brits admit they give festive gifts to boost their own mood while 65% buy “shared” gifts that they benefit from too.
These include dining experiences, air fryers and TVs, according to the survey by retail giant Currys.
There’s also festive politics, with 38% confessing to “revenge gifting” – the act of giving someone a less generous, less thoughtful, or deliberately underwhelming gift in response to receiving a disappointing present in the past.
Two fifths (41%) say they secretly compete to give the most impressive gift within their circle. For some, the pressure to give masks more negative emotions, with one in ten saying they feel stressed about Christmas shopping and 56% admitting to “guilt gifting”, buying bigger or more thoughtful presents to make up for arguments or mistakes.
Interestingly, 75% say they’d be more inclined to spend – and even treat themselves – if gifting came with a reward, such as cashback or vouchers.
Currys’ new Givva Gift, Getta Gift promotion, which launches on December 5, does just that. The festive promotion gives shoppers £10 off their next eligible purchase over £50 this Christmas.
Sarah Leat, Head of Promotions at Currys said: “We like to think Christmas gifting is all about generosity, but let’s be honest, the thrill you get when someone loves your gift is something to be proud of… and definitely half the fun!
So this year, we’re celebrating that feeling to make their day as well as yours. So go on, Givva gift and Getta gift this Christmas.”
