CANADA — Nearly a third of Canadians who celebrate Christmas will spend less on the festive season this year, according to new research by Party Casino Canada.
With families spending an average of $530 on Christmas annually, 32 per cent say they plan to spend less in 2021 at the end of a difficult year.
This matches spending trends for other events, such as holidays, birthdays and anniversaries, on which almost two in five (37 per cent) claim to have spent less on during 2021.
Fewer than one in five people (17 per cent) plan to spend more this Yuletide, perhaps feeling that a difficult 2021 means they deserve a more special Christmas than usual.
Residents of Nunavut, the Northwest Territories and Yukon Territory are set to ‘splash the cash’ the most this Christmas, with nearly half (45 per cent) saying they plan to spend more than usual and more than double the number of people (36 per cent ) looking to splurge more than $1,000.
The same regions have been more extravagant with other celebrations during the year too, with nearly three times the number of people spending more than any other part of Canada.
By contrast, residents of Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta are tightening their belts the most, with two in five (40 per cent) cutting their Christmas budgets.
The annual Christmas dinner is Canada’s favourite Yuletide tradition for nearly three in five people (58 er cent), with those in Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick enjoying it the most – 60 per cent of residents reported as their top tradition, while those in Quebec and Ontario appear to be the most generous, having more people (50 per cent) than any other region who claim that giving gifts is their favourite part of the season.
They are also the most likely to get into the Christmas spirit the soonest, with 41 per cent putting their tree and decorations up a full month or more before Dec. 25.
Meanwhile, when it comes to their least favourite elements of Christmas, feeling pressure to spend a lot of money is reported as the most troubling for a quarter of people (25 per cent), along with putting on weight and hearing the same Christmas songs endlessly during the period.
Party Casino marketing manager, David Winter, said: “With Christmas reported by the majority of Canadians as being their favourite annual celebration, it’s perhaps no surprise that people put aside a budget for it. But, after a difficult 2021 during which many have had to tighten their belts across the board, it’s also no massive surprise that a good deal of people are having to cut back this year.
“With the pressure to spend on Christmas weighing heavy on many peoples’ minds, it could be that simply treasuring the extra time with family and friends takes more of a centre stage this year.”
