Dear Santa, please don't bring sweets, toys, alcohol or cards for Christmas this year.
Instead, South Africans would rather have their pick of jewellery, money, clothes or perfume. This is according to the results of an online survey conducted by e-commerce company Picodi earlier this month.
The survey, conducted with a total of 210 people at the start of December, revealed not just what South Africans want or don't want but also who they are willing to shower with year-end gifts and just how much they are willing to spend.
While 76% of respondents are buying gifts for relatives, 52% are buying for friends, 5% for workmates and 5% for charity.
The average amount spent on gifts is R1,505.
Clothes came out as the most popular gift choice (67%), followed by toys (57%), jewellery (43%), accessories (38%), alcohol (29%) and perfumes (29%), with sweets (24%) coming last.
“An interesting fact is that many South Africans (43%) leave Christmas gifts until the last moment – December,” said Picodi's marketing and analysis researcher Katarzyna Kobylka.
“Christmas ornaments in shopping malls and special sales like the famous Black Friday manage to convince more than half of South Africans to buy Christmas gifts earlier, in November.
“When choosing Christmas gifts most South Africans ask directly what the receiver would like to get (52%). Fewer people ask directly to try to find out what someone likes (33%) and some (15%) buy gifts on a hunch.”
When it comes to their shopping, a total of 71% of South Africans shop in traditional stores, with 29% going online.
The survey went as far as to reveal that 86% of South Africans prefer to spend Christmas at home, with 14% preferring to visit friends.
The average South African is said to spend R4,418 during Christmas. The sum is spent on food (37%), gifts (34%) and Christmas outfits (29%).
Kobylka said: “Is Christmas a reason to wear spick-and-span clothes? 52% of our respondents declared that they do not need new clothes and prefer those they already have in their closet. 38% of South Africans say that they buy brand new clothes and 10% content themselves with new accessories like jewellery or ties.”
The same survey was conducted in 34 countries.
“The result is a comparison of Christmas spending. South Africa placed 22nd on our list with R4,418,” said Kobylka...