This year, Hungarians plan to buy Christmas presents for fewer relatives, while mindfulness is also emerging among shoppers.Continue reading
Christmas is all about spending quality time with family, with 69 percent of women and 60 percent of men surveyed saying this is the most important thing. However, preparations can also be stressful, according to a survey by Costa Coffee and GKID, a Hungarian research and consulting company, which found that Hungarians choose a variety of ways to relieve stress.
A fifth of respondents relax by reading a book and 16 percent by drinking coffee. Others do chores, go on outings, or soothe themselves from the chaos of Christmas by petting their pets. At the same time, 30 percent of respondents do not stress about anything, or have always enjoyed the festive moments, or simply learned to let go of difficulties.
According to the survey, the excitement of getting ready for Christmas is the second most important joy of the festive season, with women more likely to enjoy it than men. For men, relaxation is more important, and women have less of that during this period, understandably so since they are mainly the ones who prepare the Christmas meals, decorate the house, the tree, and usually wrap the Christmas presents.
Gift-giving is also a typical source of pleasure, with nearly a quarter of respondents feeling better about giving or receiving gifts.
In addition, opening presents and decorating the Christmas tree is a great way to get into the festive spirit, with a third of respondents enjoying these things. For a quarter of respondents, being at home without any obligatory stuff to do is the best moment of the season.
Respondents say that the biggest source of stress before Christmas is the crowds, with many also worrying about spending money, lack of gift ideas, and prices. The run-up to Christmas in Hungary typically sees a surge in the volume of consumer and personal loans, as many people want to use credit to cover the cost of presents. This year is different, however, as the cost of credit has risen sharply, and inflation has made gifts more expensive. This has resulted in Hungarians buying gifts for fewer people, while the banks’ disbursement data also shows a clear decline in consumer loans.
Fortunately, not everyone wants to use loans to buy presents at Christmas. According to a survey by Bankholding, a Hungarian financial holding, 38.5 percent of respondents prefer to save up for gifts before the holidays, while 26.9 percent tighten their budget after the holidays.
The statement about the survey of Costa Coffee and GKID quoted psychologist David Szél, who said that
many people feel that getting ready is burdensome, as a large proportion of people think that everything is decided in those few days and that the mood has to be perfect.”
He added that just as there is no perfect parent, there is no perfect Christmas, but there can be a “good enough Christmas.” But that requires people to realize that a nice Christmas together does not necessarily require expensive presents and an eight-course dinner.
Featured photo via Pexels
