Average spend on gifts in County Roscommon this Christmas expected to be €627

The average spend on gifts this Christmas by people in County Roscommon is expected to be €627, according to new figures.

The figures also show that in Roscommon, the average spend on social outings is expected to be €362.

The figures come from a PayPal study, which found that almost half (46%) of Irish consumers would prefer to send money to family/friends so they wouldn’t have to buy gifts this Christmas.

The research—conducted by Censuswide and involving 1,001 consumers across Ireland—also revealed that more than three-quarters (78%) would prefer to spend quality time with friends and family rather than buying them gifts this Christmas.

Despite the implied desire to move away from the tradition of buying Christmas gifts, the average expected spend per person on presents came in at €525. When it comes to the counties, people from Carlow (€780), Kildare (€692), and Meath (€674) expect to spend most. In Roscommon, the average spend on gifts is expected to be €672.

As well as gifting, 47% of Irish consumers surveyed expect to spend more on social events and gatherings this festive season. The average anticipated spend was estimated to be €339, with respondents from Kildare (€428), Dublin (€385) and Mayo (€376) set to spend most on such outings. In Roscommon, the average spend on social outings is expected to be €362.

Given the expectations around spending, there seems to be a shift towards sharing the load – and cost – when it comes to gifting.

Speaking about the findings, Jonas Breding, General Manager Northern Europe, PayPal, said: “While it is a time of year when people are spending and when some are feeling more financial pressure than usual, people’s preferences and behaviours are changing. Consumers in Ireland want to make the most of the festive season, but they also want to be smart and realistic regarding their budgets.”