Four out of ten would consider dropping Christmas gifts

Christmas gifts.Photo: pixabay.com

In Norway people are planning to buy eleven to twelve Christmas gifts this year, but only about half of us really want to.

On average, adults indicate that they have plans to spend nearly NOK 6,000 each on Christmas presents this year, slightly less than last year, according to a survey conducted by Ipsos MMI for DNB.

When asked if they could imagine a gift free Christmas, 43 percent of the men say yes while 12 percent maybe. The corresponding figure for women is 34 percent yes, and 16 percent maybe. So why are there not more who stop the gift giving?

– This is where the commercial energy and cultural traditions that cause the pressure and then it takes a strong backbone to resist, says director Arild Hermstad from the organisation “Framtiden i våre hender” to news agency NTB.

 A sense of duty

Already in early October the Christmas marzipan and gingerbread dough were available in Norwegian shops:

– Businesses are removing all the stops and Christmas is hyped up. In addition, all the family traditions, obligations and expectations come into play.

It is also difficult to bring up the issue of limiting gift giving, and then it becomes a sense of duty.

We believe it is unnecessary for gift giving to such an extent, most people in Norway largely have what they need, says Hermstad.

Consumer Economist Silje Sandmæl DNB points out that many even will end spending much more than they say:

– All the gift hysteria removes the attention from what Christmas really should entail, namely to spend quality time with their loved ones.

 

Source: NTB scanpix / Norway Today