A third of Brits are intending to dodge party season over Christmas by staying at home, according to a supermarket’s report.
At a time when work events and big nights out traditionally fill up the diary, 38% of the UK are expecting to avoid splashing out in bars and restaurants.
While households continue to adapt to the cost-of-living crisis, younger millennials aged between 25-34 are intending to host more parties at home in December – a rise of 10% on Tesco’s study last year.
Nearly a fifth (18%) of the 2,000 respondents surveyed wish to spend more time with their loved ones than they did last year, while almost a quarter (22%) said they will ditch being glued to social media on Christmas Day.
The retail giant’s sixth annual report on customers’ festive spends found that, despite a need for many to budget more, the excitement for the season hasn’t halted. Nearly a quarter (24%) of those surveyed were already looking forward to Christmas in September.
This follows a separate Hargreaves Lansdown report which showed the nation is holding back on splashing the cash this yuletide. Just 10% of shoppers expect to spend more than they did last year and on average, customers will pay out £569 on their Christmas shopping in 2023 – down from £576 last year.
‘No surprise’ the nation is excited for Christmas
Emma Botton, director at Tesco, said: “After an unpredictable summer filled with heatwaves and downpours, it’s no surprise that as a nation we’re looking forward to Christmas more than ever. It’s a time to connect with friends and family and indulge in our favourite foods.
“In the sixth edition of our annual Christmas report, we reveal the current mood of the nation as we head into the festive months; looking at how we’ll be celebrating, what we’ll be eating and when we’ll be getting into the Christmas spirit. Spoiler: it’s already started in some homes.
“Plus, to help the nation feel more Christmassy as the big day approaches, Tesco is providing shoppers with all their festive favourites and some exciting twists, with quality and great value at the heart of it all.”
