All I want for Christmas, is booze... (and food)

Expecting the latest console or deluxe set of hair straighteners to be under the Christmas tree this year? Don’t hold your breath. According to a new study by PayPal, the secure online payments solution, food and booze could be much more likely to be waiting for you beneath the tree this Christmas. A staggering 71 % plan to buy Christmas food, while 65 % plan to buy wine/ spirits this Christmas.

Just 40 % will buy electrical goods while just 11% expect to buy sports equipment this Christmas.

Top five Christmas purchases this year will be:

Popularity - Most popular Christmas purchases
1 Food (71%)
2 CDs/ DVDs (70%)
3 Wine/ spirits (65%)
4 Clothing (64%)
5 Books (63%)

However, more concerning for those if us who are expecting luxury presents this Christmas is that Christmas spending on presents is set to halve from £310 in 2005 to £154 in 2007, according to PayPal. Men will be ‘splashing the cash’ spending £169 on average, £27 more per person on Christmas presents than women who will be spending £142.

Cristina Hoole, shopping expert at PayPal says: “The majority of us really look forward to Christmas because of the unexpected presents we’re all keen to receive. Shopping is part and parcel of Christmas and putting a smile on someone’s face with a fab present, usually the pick-me-up we all need and like at the end of a tough year. However, from the PayPal findings, this year will be a booze filled, stomach satisfying affair.”

Hoole continues: “There are plenty of bargains to be had by shopping online compared to the high-street. If you’re prepared to do some digging around on the internet you’ll find fantastic and original ideas to ensure you deliver the most creative presents without breaking the bank this Christmas.”

PayPal recently launched the new shopping site in time for Christmas, with online retailers offering PayPal customers up to 17% cashback and 20% discount on purchases, enabling them to save whilst they spend. The site features dozens of top retailers including Ann Summers, Comet, John Lewis, Littlewoods, Next, Superbreak, Woolworths, Toys “R” Us, and The Body Shop, some of which are offering as much as 10% cashback. Therefore there’s no reason to get it wrong. With PayPal Offers, food can be bought through Harrods online, CDs or DVDs through HMV or Dabs.com, or booze through M&S.com.

Customers register on the site for free, and receive their cashback directly into their PayPal accounts. Customers with a PayPal Credit Card are also eligible for an additional bonus cashback. For more information, visit PayPal Offers at paypal-offers.co.uk