Overall, households are preparing to spend slightly less on Christmas this year than they did in 2024, with fewer people planning higher budgets and fewer gifts going to extended family members.

This year’s average planned spend on Christmas gifts is HUF 75,000 (approx. €195), down from HUF 77,000 (approx. €200) last year when adjusted for price changes. Nearly half of respondents plan to keep their gift budget below HUF 50,000 (€130), while only around 20% expect to spend more than HUF 100,000 (€260).

The share of people choosing not to buy gifts at all has grown. Among them, 25% cited financial reasons, while a third said they simply do not give presents.

The number of intended gift recipients has also decreased slightly, from an average of 5.8 to 5.4 people, although children and grandchildren remain the most likely to receive presents.

Younger adults under 30 and women tend to buy for more people compared with older adults and men. Partners or spouses top the recipient list (59%), followed by children (55%) and parents (48%). Fewer gifts are planned for distant relatives this year, but around 20% of respondents still intend to surprise friends.

Interest in gifting experiences has declined—from 22% to 16%—while practical gifts have become more popular.

This year’s most common gift categories are:

Clothing (46%)
Toys (39%)
Electronics (34%)

As many of these items have become more expensive, people expect to buy fewer individual gifts within their budget.

When choosing presents, shoppers prioritise personalisation (58%), usefulness (47%), and reasonable pricing (35%). Unique and sustainable gifts are gaining ground, especially among 18–29-year-olds, with interest in unique items rising from 17% to 23%, and sustainable options from 6% to 10%.

Interestingly, while 56% of Hungarians say they enjoy receiving surprises, an almost identical share (55%) would prefer knowing in advance what they will get.

The biggest challenges reported by shoppers are selecting the right gifts and managing Christmas-related expenses. Women and people in their thirties are the most likely to mention lack of time as a difficulty.

When looking for ways to reduce holiday spending, most respondents would cut back on entertainment (37%), decorations (29%), and travel (29%).

Around one in five would also spend less on sweets, baked goods, gifts, or Christmas trees. A quarter would reduce spending on other items, while one in ten would revisit their monthly budgets altogether.

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