Brits annoyed at receiving less than they gave

Over one in ten UK adults (11 per cent) were left disgruntled by this year’s Christmas gift-haul because they felt they had spent more on others than others had spent on them, according to a post-Christmas poll.

The survey of over 1,600 adults carried out by moneysupermarket.com, the price comparison website, also uncovers a small minority of Brits rubbing their hands in delight at receiving more than they gave this year. Despite the festive period being ‘a time for giving’, 11 per cent admitted to opening presents on Christmas Day and finding they were ‘net winners’ in the gift-swapping stakes. The poll revealed that while some were embarrassed by this outcome and no doubt wished they had dug a little deeper, most (six per cent) were secretly pleased by their good fortune.

By and large however, Britain remains a nation of givers and while well over half (60 per cent) believe they spent more on gifts for others than they received back, 82 per cent of these people did not mind giving more than they had received.

Richard Mason, director of insurance at moneysupermarket.com, said: “It looks like Brits have certainly embraced the festive spirit with the majority of people getting more pleasure from giving than receiving. The majority of Brits seem to have splashed out on friends and family this year while a small number are stewing over their leftover turkey and wondering why they bothered spending so much.

“A word of caution however, as people should take this opportunity to review the value of their home contents. With expensive new gadgets and luxuries in the home, and more to come as shoppers splash out at the sales, people should check whether they need to negotiate a higher level of insurance cover as well as informing their insurer immediately of any new big ticket items in their possession.

“January can be one of the most attractive times of the year for an opportunist thief, and people should take all reasonable steps to make sure they have protection for these goods. Helpfully, some home insurers automatically increase their cover limits by 10 per cent to mid-January free of charge. It also pays to make sure your insurer is still offering the best deal available on the increased level of cover, so always shop around.”

The survey also revealed seven per cent of Brits did not give or receive any gifts this year while nearly one in four (22 per cent) believe they got the Christmas trading balance spot on with the value of received presents equal to those they bought.