Those who cut the holidays first of all do it on Christmas lunch: almost half (44 percent) prepare it with less luxurious products. “A jar of butter now costs 3 euros, I’ll leave it alone,” says one participant. “Not Christmas stollen from the baker, but from the supermarket. And cut the meat yourself for the gourmet dish and put it in the freezer.” More than a quarter (27%) also indicate they choose to eat out less during the holidays and eat more often at home or with family.
Smaller and smaller gifts
Gifts are also a budget item for many, according to the survey. People buy fewer or smaller gifts. Some have elegantly or creatively solved this problem: “Instead of buying gifts for everyone, now we’ve drawn lots. So you buy something for one person.” Others, for example, choose to skip presents for adult guests, but not for children.
Christmas lighting is also often mentioned: less lights in the house and in the garden. “This year we brought a smaller tree into our home, which adapts to less lighting.” Lights are also being turned off more often, and people indicate they are holding back when buying new Christmas decorations.
Financial worries
Savings aren’t just for Christmas. Despite the imposition of a price ceiling for energy, many people fear the next expensive months. “I don’t know what extra costs there will be. I hope nothing breaks in the house.”
Nearly half (45%) are (somewhat or very) concerned about their family’s financial situation. Energy bills and daily grocery bills in particular are headaches and can’t always be paid by people on lower incomes. “Prices go up and up. It’s no longer possible to live on a salary,” says one participant.
The survey was conducted on 15 and 16 December by DVJ Insights on behalf of RTL News and conducted on a representative sample of 1000 respondents.
